The statistics regarding the American Saddlebred Registry (ASR) Sweepstakes nominations and continuing eligibility are encouraging, with increases in numbers across the board.

In the Three-Year-Old Sweepstakes, the rise in yearling nominations was a modest 2.58%. However, two-year-olds continuing eligibility rose 30.67% from 150 in 2006 to 196 in 2007, while three-year-olds continuing eligibility increased by 64 from 71 to 135, up 90.14%.

In the four-year-old sweepstakes, three-year-old nominations jumped nearly 25% from 125 to 156 within the last year. Four-year-olds continuing eligibility made it a clean sweep of increases with a hike of 26.67%.

As reported in the 2007 American Saddlebred Horse Association Reference Directory, payouts saw increases program-wide as well. The 2006 grand total payout of $172,822 was the most since $223,380 in 1992. The two-year-old sweepstakes set a new high for a second consecutive year with $39,354 in payouts. The three-year-old sweepstakes reached its highest total of the past four years up 24% at $87,508. The four-year-old sweepstakes witnessed the most sizeable increase by distributing 51% more than in the previous year, marking its second highest payout ever and the most in 14 years at $45,959.

The ASR Sweepstakes classes are for two-, three- and four-year-olds in the five-gaited, three-gaited, fine harness and park pleasure divisions. The program is designed to perpetuate the breeding, training and showing of American Saddlebreds. Since its inception, the sweepstakes program has awarded more than $3.7 million in prize money. Classes are conducted under the rules of the United States Equestrian Federation.

General rules and information on the sweepstakes, including registration forms are available at www.saddlebred.com/prize-sweepstakes or by contacting Patricia Edwards at (859) 259-2742, ext. 320.


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