The TQHA has introduced a $20,000 Nominators Award for the 2026 Texas Breeders Futurity.

ELGIN, TX–MARCH 24, 2025–The Texas Quarter Horse Association (TQHA) has announced a Nominators Award of $20,000, which will be divided among the nominators of the first four finishers in the $75,000-added 2026 Texas Breeders Futurity.

The distribution of the Nominators Award is as follows: The nominator of the winning horse will receive $10,000, the nominator of the second-place horse will receive $5,000, the nominator of the third-place horse will receive $3,000 and the nominator of the fourth-place horse will receive $2,000.

These Nominators Awards will be paid to the owner of record (according to AQHA ownership records) at the time the nomination was made. For example, if you own an Accredited Texas Bred yearling and pay the May 1st Early Bird Nomination fee of $100, then you sell the horse in the TQHA Sale or any other sale, or sell it privately, you will still be considered the winner of the award because you paid the initial nomination fee.

If you purchase an Accredited Texas Bred yearling that has not yet been nominated and then nominate it for the 2026 Texas Breeders Futurity, you will also be considered the winner of the award, as you would have paid the initial nomination fee. Similarly, if you nominate and race an Accredited Texas Bred horse that you produced or purchased, you will be eligible for the award.

This eligibility extends to late nominations as well. If you own an Accredited Texas Bred horse that is not already nominated and you make a supplemental nomination in November, December, January, or at the time of entry, you will also be eligible for the award.

Moreover, if a horse is nominated and then drops out, but is subsequently re-nominated through a late supplemental nomination, the owner who pays the late supplemental nomination will be the award winner. Complete rules will be posted on the TQHA website at a later date.

The TQHA believes that these nominator awards would be a great way to generate what already is looking like tremendous interest in this new 2026 Futurity. Importantly, the $20,000 for the Nominators Awards will not be deducted from the total purse; instead, it will be in addition to and paid separately from the total purse. A nominal Early Bird Nomination fee of $100 (due by May 1, 2025) qualifies an owner and/or breeder for a share of the $20,000 payout.

Since the Texas Breeders Futurity is an Accredited Texas Bred Stakes race, the TQHA cannot pay the usual Breeders Awards for this race due to legal restrictions. Therefore, the TQHA feels that the Nominators Awards are an excellent way to reward owners and/or breeders for the foals they produce that compete in this Accredited Texas Bred Stakes Race.

Nomination forms can be found on the TQHA website at https://www.tqha.com/events/texas-breeder/. Additionally, if you are selling a yearling in the 2025 TQHA Yearling Sale, you can check the box indicating that you want to nominate your horse and include a separate payment of $100 when submitting your 2025 TQHA Yearling Sale Consignment form.

If you have any questions on this please contact TQHA at 512-458-5202 or email at ssherwood@tqha.com.

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