The Nineteenth Annual $27,500 Virginia Breeders Fund Yearling Futurity will be held Wednesday, September 9, 2020, at 9:00 a.m., at the Warrenton Horse Show Grounds, Warrenton, Virginia.

CRITICAL EVENT DETAILS:

• Rules and Procedures: Please review the Rules and Procedures Information sheet for details about eligibility, participation fees and more.
  CLICK HERE for Rules and Procedures Information sheet
• Entries: The attached entry form must be completed and returned to VTA along with copies of current Coggins, for each participating yearling by September 1st. Non-VTA members must submit check payment for entry fees.
  CLICK HERE for Futurity Entry form
• Email entries to: page.easter@easterassociates.com or mail them
  Attn: Page, Virginia Thoroughbred Association, 250 West Main Street, Suite 100, Charlottesville, VA 22902.

• Awards: $7,500 in prize money will be divided within each of three classes:
  • 1) VA-Bred or VA-Sired yearling colts/geldings ($7,500)
  • 2) VA-Bred or VA-Sired yearling fillies ($7,500)
  • 3) VA-Certified colts, geldings and fillies ($7,500)

Groom’s prizes will also be awarded. 

3 –Year- Old Bonus Award: Any Virginia-Bred, Virginia-Sired or VA-Certified yearling that completes in the ring will be eligible to complete for a percentage of a $5,000 bonus to be awarded at the completion of their three-year-old year. The bonus award is based on total earnings at the end of their three-year-old year.

• Coggins: Each entry MUST be accompanied by a legible copy of a current Coggins – NO EXCEPTIONS. If a Coggins is not received prior to the event date, the yearling may be ineligible to participate!

REGISTER YOUR THOROUGHBRED:

Participating Virginia-Bred and Virginia-Sired thoroughbreds must be registered with the Virginia Breeders Fund. If your yearling has not been registered, you may do so by going to the VTA website at www.vabred.org/vbf/register-here prior to September 9th.

Participating Virginia-Certified Thoroughbred yearlings must be registered with the VTA. These yearlings must have completed their six month residency requirement, at a certified farm, and their owners issued a VA-Certified certificate, before being allowed to compete. 

ABOUT THE JUDGE:

The judge for this year’s competition is Rick Abbott, a former longtime Pennsylvania bloodstock agent who along with his wife Dixie, had a successful sales consignment business, Charlton Bloodstock. The Abbotts, who were both active in show horses and hunting when they met and married in the early 1970s, earned a reputation as conscientious, honest horse people with a strong work ethic.

Among the horses bred, raised and/or sold by Charlton were graded stakes winners Miss Union Avenue, Palmeiro and Afleet Again. Their most prominent broodmare was $10,000 private purchase Christmas Strike, a half-sister to Ned Evan’s Grade 1 winner Christmas Kid. Among the 12 offspring of Christmas Strike were Double Down Vinman, a 20-race winner who earned nearly $450,000 and four stakes-placed runners, including Holy Christmas, the dam of stakes winner and graded-placed Holy Lute.

The Abbott’s retired in 2016 and sold their 160 acre farm near Coatesville, Pennsylvania. In a Bloodhorse article published four years ago, Abbott said any emotion attached to retirement is associated with the farm and not the business. “The emotion is not about giving up the business as much as it is about giving up the farm,” he said. “We have been there 36 years. We raised our children there. It’s a beautiful place and we love it, but it really needs to be a business. We’re sentimental about the farm, but I’m ready to give up the business. We’ve been doing it for 40 years.”

COVID-19

Because of the Covid-19 outbreak, our popular judging contest and post futurity seminar will not be held this year. We hope to provide a box breakfast at 7:30 AM prior to the first class.

We ask that all participants and spectators wear face masks and practice social distancing as required by Virginia Law.

We look forward to seeing you in Warrenton, on Wednesday, September 9^th for the Nineteenth Annual VA Breeders Fund Yearling Futurity!

Questions? Contact Page Easter at the Virginia Thoroughbred Association
Direct Line: (434) 326-9811
page.easter@easterassociates.com