New show and competitive trail riding programs with significant payouts are now available to owners of Rocky Mountain and Mountain Pleasure horses who were bred and foaled in Kentucky. These programs will run for three years and are financed through a Kentucky legislature established breed fund. The owner of an eligible horse does not have to live in Kentucky.
Only Rocky Mountain and Mountain Pleasure horses bred and foaled in the Commonwealth of Kentucky are eligible for participation. (Artificial insemination out of state does not qualify as being bred in Kentucky.)
The Kentucky Governor and Legislature earmarked taxes from Kentucky stud fees and directed the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority to use these monies to support and grow the horse industry in Kentucky. Most of the twelve plus million dollars in the breed fund will go to Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing. However, over a million dollars has been set aside to support Kentucky’s non race breeds.
The Kentucky Racing Authority mandated all of the mountain horse associations (RMHA, MPHA, KMSHA, and UMH) cooperate and determine a census of mountain horses in Kentucky before assigning fund allocations. The RMHA and MPHA have worked together to qualify for participation in this fund. The other associations have separate membership programs.
Even though the program is limited to Rocky Mountain and Mountain Pleasure horses bred and foaled in Kentucky, the value to our associations is immense. For example, efforts to develop a competitive trail circuit will no doubt encourage the extension of such programs to a wider section of our members.
More detailed information will be passed on as it develops. Click links below for more info
Rules of participation RMHA/MPHA Sponsored Judge Trail Rides