NYSMHS Futurity Rules & Regulations
(REVISED April 2026)
NYSMHS Futurity
The NYSMHS Breeder’s Futurity was established in 1959 to provide a showcase for the very finest Morgan Horses produced by members of the NYSMHS.
The purpose of the Futurity is to allow breeders who are members of the NYSMHS to nominate their foals with the expectation of winning awards by showing in their futurity classes, therefore bringing notariety to their programs and increasing the value of the horses they breed. Futurity nominations are traditionally made soon after the foal is born, or even before the actual foaling takes place.
The NYSMHS Breeder’s Futurity provides the opportunity for futurity horses to compete both in hand and performance. Uniquely, the New York Breeder’s Futurity offers a futurity alumni program with performance classes for alumni horses and rewards for the current owner. Alumni horses are eligible for the alumni classes for the life of the horse.
General Rules & Qualifications
1. All nominees, including sires and dams, must be registered with the American Morgan Horse Association registry. Foals must be eligible for registration or have their registration pending.
2. All owners of entries in all Futurity and Futurity Alumni classes MUST be current members of NYSMHS.
3. Sires and dams of all weanlings must be nominated in the NYSMHS Futurity record.
4. There will be four in-hand divisions: weanlings, yearlings, two-year-olds & three-year-olds. Classes will be divided by sex and a champion named in each age group. Please note: in-hand divisions for colts shall include both stallions & geldings. In addition, performance classes will be provided for two-year-old futurity entries in harness, and for three-year-olds in harness and under saddle.
5. All divisions must be judged by USEF qualified judges.
6. All divisions will be shown in accordance with USEF rules for the corresponding open classes.
7. Fees:
| Foal | $35 | Foals should be nominated even if not yet foaled. In the event a nominated foal dies before the futurity weanling class is held for that year, the nominator is eligible to substitute another foal. If no other foal is available, all nominating fees paid will be refunded. This applies to foals or weanlings and only prior to the running of the futurity weanling classes for that year. |
| Stallion | $35 | Paid the year the foal is nominated. Stallions need only to be nominated once for all foals for that year. |
| Mare | $35 | Paid before the foal will be recorded the year foal is born and nominated. The Mare need only to be nominated once for more than one foal for that year. |
| Yearling | $35 | Paid during the yearling year, need not have been shown as a weanling. |
| Two Year Old | $35 | Paid during the two year old year. |
| Three Year Old | $35 | Paid during the three year old year. |
8. Please nominate your foals early! Fees are due at the New York Morgan Horse Show by 5:00 PM the Tuesday before the start of the show. After that time, the fees will be accepted at double the nomination fee. Weanlings must be nominated by December 31st. In order to show, the horse must be entered in the appropriate Futurity class at the NY Morgan Show. See prize list for more information. Futurity horse owners must be current members of the NYSMHS.
Post entries will be accepted until December 31st of the current year by paying double fees. In the case of weanling post entries, $70 is due for the foal, $70 for the sire, and $70 for the dam. Lapsed and late nominations may be made at double the nomination fees up to December 31st of the three-year-old year.
9. No fees will be returned unless the futurity is cancelled in any or all divisions. The right is reserved to reject any entry and to bar any entry for failure to comply with Futurity rules.
10. Nomination to the futurity does not constitute an entry in the futurity classes, nor does it reserve a stall at the show grounds.
11. The Futurity payback checks will be mailed to the owner of the winning horses.
12. All three-year-olds who have been kept eligible will receive certificates of completion. This allows them to be entered into the Futurity Alumni classes at the New York Morgan Show. It is suggested the certificate be kept with the horse’s registration papers.
The Futurity Purse
The NYSMHS Breeder’s Futurity offers a variety of awards. Primary among these are the dividing of the futurity purse. Each year’s purse consists of nomination fees from all entries that year, across all age groups, operating expenses and alumni funding deleted. The nominator of the champion weanling’s sire and dam each receive $50, nominator of the reserve champion weanling’s sire and dam are each awarded $30. The remainder of the fund is evenly divided among the divisions with monetary awards from champion to eighth place.
The Futurity High Score Trophy
High score awards are provided for the graduating class of futurity three year olds. These awards are compiled from placings of eligible entries at the NYSMHS annual horse show. Placings in the following classes to count.
In Hand:
1. All futurity in hand classes and futurity championship classes.
2A. All open in hand classes in their respective age groups: weanling, yearling, two year old, three year old and the resulting championships for which the horse qualifies.
2B. Classic, hunter or western in hand and any championship offered in these in hand sections.
Two Year Old Performance:
3. All two year old futurity driving classes.
4. Open two year old pleasure driving and two year old pleasure driving championship (if offered) and/or junior pleasure driving championship.
5. Open two year old park harness, two year old park harness championship and/or junior park harness championship.
6. Open two year old classic pleasure driving, two year old classic pleasure driving championship (if offered) and/or junior classic pleasure driving championship.
Three Year Old Performance:
7. All three year old futurity harness and saddle classes.
8. Open three year old pleasure driving (if offered) or junior pleasure driving and junior pleasure driving championship.
9. Open three year old park harness (if offered) or junior park harness and junior park harness championship.
10. Open three year old classic pleasure driving (if offered) or junior classic pleasure driving and junior classic pleasure driving championship.
11. Open three year old English pleasure (if offered) or junior English pleasure and junior English pleasure championship.
12. Open three year old hunter pleasure (if offered) or junior hunter pleasure and junior hunter pleasure championship.
13. Open three year old western pleasure (if offered) or junior western pleasure and junior western pleasure championship.
15. Any performance class offered at the show.
Points are tabulated as follows:
| CH | Res CH | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th |
| 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Futurity Alumni Program
A unique feature of the NYSMHS Breeder’s Futurity is the extensive Futurity Alumni program. Alumni performance classes are held at the NY Morgan Show for horses kept eligible in the Breeder’s Futurity through their three year old year. These Alumni Classes include English Pleasure, Western Pleasure, Hunter Pleasure, Classic Pleasure and Pleasure Driving. As an incentive to breeders to nominate and keep their promising foals eligible, the Futurity Alumni classes offer a reward to the owner of the winner.
As a selling point for breeders and to encourage membership in the NYSMHS, the current owner of the winner of each Futurity Alumni class is awarded $100 from the Futurity Alumni Fund. The current owners of the winners of these classes receive premiums both from the show (if offered) AND from the Futurity Alumni. (Please note: it is necessary for the horse’s current owner to be a NYSMHS member to show in the alumni. classes, even if the horse possesses a valid alumni certificate.) In the year 2000, the Mary Arnold Memorial Fund was established. It was later renamed the Mary Arnold/Joan Sackett Futurity Alumni Fund. The Futurity Alumni Fund is made up of donations plus $10 of each nomination. This program will continue until the fund is exhausted.