The American Saddlebred Registry (ASR) Sweepstakes, held during the All American Horse Classic in Indianapolis September 5-9, had a 24% increase in its total payout from 2005 to 2006. The 2006 total payout was $172,822 compared to $139,434 one year before. The biggest increase came in the four-year-old division, which paid winners $45,959 for a 51% increase from the previous year’s total of $30,376. The 2006 four-year-old payout is the highest since 1992.
Another increase came in the two-year-old division. The payout in the two-year-old division for this year was $39,355, up from the previous year’s total of $38,629. The 2006 two-year-old payout is the highest since the Two-Year-Old Sweepstakes began in 1989.
The three-year-old division continues to be the mainstay of the Sweepstakes program by awarding $87,508, a 24% increase from last year.
There were 84 entries showing in the 2006 ASR Sweepstakes, up 9% from 77 entries in 2005. The two-year-old entries showed the greatest increase, up 21% from 2005. The Sweepstakes program has awarded more than $3.5 million since its inception.
The Sweepstakes program is designed to perpetuate the breeding, training and showing of the American Saddlebred horse. Entries in the Sweepstakes compete in the following classes: three-gaited, five-gaited, fine harness, and three-gaited park pleasure. Classes are conducted under the rules of the United States Equestrian Federation.
General rules and other information about the ASR Sweepstakes can be found online at www.saddlebred.com/Prize-Sweepstakes.
The 2006 winners are:
Class – Horse – Total Money Won* – Owner – Rider/Driver
-Two-Year-Old Fine Harness – A Travelin’ Man – $3,935.47 – Susan Whittington – Dena Lopez
-Two-Year-Old Three-Gaited – Button Down – $3,935.47 – Mary McLellan Williams – Carter Cox
-Two-Year-Old Park Pleasure – My Roberta – $3,935.47 – M.W. Sorenson – Zach Duffy
-Two-Year-Old Five-Gaited – Charm’s Whispering Hope – $5,622.10 – Karen Richardson – Dena Lopez
-Three-Year-Old Park Pleasure – Stonecroft I’m Radiant – $8,750.82 – Stonecroft Farm – Melissa Moore
-Three-Year-Old Fine Harness – Heavenly Thunder – $8,750.82 – Nancy Leigh Fisher – Joan Lurie
-Three-Year-Old Five-Gaited – And I’m Stickin To It – $8,750.82 – Silver Brook Stables, Inc. – Debbie Foley
-Three-Year-Old Three-Gaited – Mi Lady A La Lucie – $8,750.82 – Judith Houk – Mike McIntosh
-Four-Year-Old Park Pleasure – Miss Majesticness – $4,595.93 – Jonelle Chovanec-Gardiner – Robert Gardiner
-Four-Year-Old Fine Harness – It’s Prince Hammer – $11,489.81 – Chris Treston – Dan Flowers
-Four-Year-Old Five-Gaited – Thunder Crackin’ – $4,595.92 – Judith Swartz – Darrell Case
-Four-Year-Old Three-Gaited – Callaway’s Blue Waltz – $4,595.93 – Carolyn Stuart – Chris Reiser
*The person who is the recorded owner at the time of the competition will receive half of the purse; the persons who were the owners of record at the time each nomination payment was made will receive equal shares of the remaining half of the purse.
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