The American Saddlebred Registry Grand National program announces the five regional championship competitions that have been awarded an additional $5,000 in prize money and the three competitions that have won the $5,000 Special Stakes drawing—part of $40,000 more in prize money the Grand National will be awarding in 2008. Additionally, a donation of $5,000 has been made by freemansaddlebreds.com to the Grand National Fine Harness Open Championship at the Carousel Horse Show in Scottsdale, AZ, in March. Also, a reminder, the grace period deadline for recording horses and nominating stallions to Grand National for 2007 is Thursday, January 10.

Five American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Regional Championship competitions that held a Grand National class in 2007 were selected by the American Saddlebred Registry Board of Directors to host a special $5,000 Championship Stake in 2008. The selected competitions are the NWSA Fall Classic, Salem, OR, September 24-27, with $5,000 added to the Five-Gaited Open Championship; Wisconsin Futurity, Madison, WI, September 17-21, with $5,000 added to the Three-Gaited Open Championship; Mid-America Mane Event, Springfield, IL, October 23-26, with $5,000 added to the Three-Gaited Park Championship; North Carolina State Fair, Raleigh, NC, October 20-26, with $5,000 added to the Fine Harness Open Championship; and Southeastern Charity, Conyers, GA, September 24-27, with $5,000 added to the Three-Gaited Show Pleasure Championship.

With a total of 38 shows entered into the Grand National Special Stakes drawing, the three competitions that won the drawing and the additional $5,000 in Grand National prize money were the Pin Oak Charity in Texas, Tanbark Cavalcade of Roses in Minnesota, and the California Futurity. The Pin Oak Charity in Katy, TX, March 19-22, will have the $5,000 added to its Five-Gaited Open Championship; the Tanbark Cavalcade of Roses, St. Paul, MN, June 25-28, will have the $5,000 increase to its Fine Harness Open Championship; and the California Futurity, Pomona, CA, September 11-13, will add the $5,000 to its Three-Gaited Open Championship.

The Carousel Charity Horse Show, Scottsdale, AZ, March 13-16, has received an additional $5,000 for its Grand National Fine Harness Open Championship thanks to a donation from freemansaddlebreds.com. The donation has raised the Grand National prize money available in this class from $1,800 to $6,800.

Once again, Thursday, January 10, 2008, is the final day to record horses and nominate stallions for 2007 to the Grand National program. Also, the 2008 Grand National Show Schedule is expected to be announced and posted by February 1, 2008.