so you want to raise a show horse?

SO YOU WANT TO RAISE A SHOW HORSE?
Increasing Your Odds for Success
By Dave Whitney, QHD.com
I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT
HORSE-RELATED STATISTICAL
INFORMATION ALMOST EVERY
DAY SINCE 1997, HAVING HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW
AND ANALYZE HUNDREDS
OF SIRE AND DAM RECORDS. I
CURRENTLY SPEND MOST OF MY
TIME UPDATING MY WEBSITE,
QUARTER HORSE DIRECTORY,
WWW.QHD.COM WITH
STATISTICS AND PROVIDING
WRITTEN REPORTS INCLUDING
“MAGIC CROSSES” AND “NICKING
REPORTS” FOR SIRE AND DAM
OWNERS WHO FEEL SUCH
INFORMATION IS A VALUABLE
ASSET TO THEIR BREEDING
PROGRAM.
Many horse people believe that if they
have a “nice” mare they can breed her
to most any stallion in her specialty
area and get “a winner.” Breeding to the
latest World Champion or Congress
Champion stallion is very popular, and
is usually assumed to be a sure way to
produce the next big “winner.”
How can you best spend your time and
money if you wish to produce a quality
show horse? Can statistics information
help increase the odds of producing
offspring that can win at the AQHA
level? The rest of this article will help to
answer these two questions.
2014 filly, Invitation Only x Wildly Available
Photo Courtesy of Debbi Trubee, Pine View Farms
April 2014 43
Invitation Only
My main focus will be on breeding for a
Western Pleasure horse, however we’ll also
discuss breeding a show quality horse at
an AQHA level. There isn’t a lot written on
breeding for the Western Pleasure horse
using statistical information, and there seems
to be more and more interest from serious
Western Pleasure breeders for this type of
information.
Is it important to know? Yes! How can you
know if you are on track, or if you need to
improve, if you don’t know what your current
success rate is? After you figure out where
you are, you need to set a realistic goal for
the future.
WHAT IS REALISTIC TO EXPECT?
To help answer this question, let’s look
at what the leading sires and dams have
SET REALISTIC GOALS AND
historically produced. Historically, all-time
EXPECTATIONS:
leading sires and dams have a total offspringto-point-earner percentage of more than
If your goal is to successfully produce AQHA
show quality horses, what percentage of your 30%. The top 200 all-time sires have over 30%
offspring currently achieves .5+ AQHA points, point earners to registered foals. Here are
or is a money earner? 100%, 75%, 50%, 25%... some examples: Im A Big Leaguer sired 60.5%
point earners; Coy’s Bonanza 53.5%; The Big
3%? Do you know? If not, figure out how
many offspring you have had, and how many Investment 51%; Doc Bar 49%; Mr Conclusion
47%; Poco Bueno 47%; Skipper W 46%;
are AQHA point earners or money earners.
Investment Asset 41%; and Poco Pine 43%.
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April 2014
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Many current senior stallions also fall into
the 30+% range even though many have
offspring still competing in the show ring,
meaning their percentage of winning
offspring will continue to increase. All of the
following stallions fall within the 30% - 55%
range: A Sudden Impulse, Allocate Your
Assets, Blazing Hot, Certain Potential, Dont
Skip Zip, Hot N Blazing, Huntin For Chocolate,
Invitation Only, One Hot Krymsun, Radical
Rodder, RL Best of Sudden, These Irons Are
Hot, Zippos Mr Good Bar, and Zips Chocolate
Chip, to name a few.
This shows us that 30+% is an IMPORTANT
figure, and brings me to my first principle:
Principle 1: Set the realistic goal that 30%
of your offspring achieving AQHA points (.5+)
and/or are a money-earner. The higher the
percentage and earnings, the better!
Selecting a proven broodmare is key, in
that she is an important factor in producing
winning offspring.
How have you selected a broodmare in the
past? Disposition, conformation, movement,
size, show record, offspring record,
breeding… all of the above? The criteria you
have used in the past is important, and form
the foundation upon which you should build.
Two Eyed Jack
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Certainly there are exceptions to the rules.
Neither the #1 All-Time AQHA Dam, Ima
Blister Bug or the #2 All-Time Dam, Are
You Zipped, had show records. Exceptions,
however, do not make the rule.
Principle 4:
Breed producing mares,
especially if their offspring record is 30+%
point earners, or money earners, to registered
foals. The more offspring points per point
earner, the better.
• Out of the top 201 all-time AQHA point
producing broodmares:
• 185 (92%) have two or more AQHA point
earner
• 158 (78.6%) have three or more point
earners
• The average is 10.6 registered foals per
broodmare
Doc Bar
Principle 2: Keep doing what you have
done, but allow research data to reinforce
and perhaps, extend, your knowledge base.
How do you do that? The principles I am
providing are based upon a review of the
statistical factors producing the top sires and
dams over the last many years. Past history
should help increase the odds of producing a
“show winner.”
• Collectively, they have generated
444,427.5 AQHA Points:
• Averaged 2,211 points per
broodmare
• Averaged 11.4 Halter or Performance
ROMS & 11.3 Superior Halter and/or
Performance Awards per broodmare
• Averaged 6.5 performers; 5.5 Point
Earners
• (51.9% of their registered foals
are point earners; 84.6% of
performers are point earners)
Principle 3: Breed a Broodmare with a
show record.
Of the top 200 producing AQHA broodmares,
183 (91.5%) had a show record, (.5+ points,
and/or some NSBA, NRHA or NCHA earnings)
and 48% earned a Performance or Halter
ROM. These percentages are significantly
above the average.
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April 2014
A producing mare has a significantly higher
chance of producing another offspring with
points than a non-producing mare. This can
be further enhanced when they are bred to a
top stallion cross.
SHOW HORSE TODAY
Principle 5: Breed mares whose maternal grand-sire is on the Top 40 Western Pleasure
List. Producing mares are important but so are the broodmare’s bloodlines. The top 40
maternal grandsires have produced 69.6% of the Western Pleasure points. They break down
as follows:
Rank
1-10 (1.7%)
11-25 (2.55%)
26-40 (2.55%)
Stallion Names
Produced
41.6% of the
points earned.
Zippo Pine Bar, Zips Chocolate Chip, Zippos
Mr Good Bar, Invitation Only, Zippo Jack Bar,
Potential Investment, The Invester, Hotrodders
Jet Set, Ima Cool Skip and A Passing Breeze.
Produced
19.2% of the
points.
Good Version, Radical Rodder, Blazing Hot,
Investment Asset, Zippos Old Gold, Certain
Potential, A Sudden Impulse, A Good Machine,
Sweet Talkin Chip, Dynamic In The Dark,
Impulsions, Good Asset, Dont Skip Zip, Zippos
Heaven Sent and An Awesome Mister
Produced 8.9%
of the points.
Vested Pine, Dynamic Deluxe, Super One
Ton, Solos Investment, Trouble In Town, The
Big Investment, Barpassers Image, Principle
Investment, Ironmaker, Scotch Bar Time, Please
Be Easy, Zippo Pine Chex, Barpasser, Flashy
Zipper and Mr Mac Reynolds.
Principle 6: Breed to a stallion with a
• Less than 1/10th of 1% (.01%) of stallions
produce 50 AQHA offspring points or
proven track record and meet the production
more
criteria below. This increases the likelihood of
producing a show quality offspring.
My point is that in the overall history of
AQHA, very, very few stallions have sired
significant AQHA points. Many have tried,
but few are successful.
Select A Stallion With A Proven Past
All stallions are NOT show horse quality sires.
Out of the hundreds of thousands of stallions
The statistical characteristics that successful
that have one or more registered AQHA
sires have in common include:
offspring, few have produced significant
numbers of AQHA points:
1. A show record.
Out of the top 200 All-time AQHA Sires:
• The 2,500 all-time AQHA sire is Tabano
Silver, 1965 who sired 447.5 AQHA points
• 193 (96.5%) have a show record
• By the time you get to the all-time 4,000th
sire, offspring points have drops to 50
total AQHA points
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April 2014
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of at least one AQHA point and/or
some NSBA, NCHA, NRHA or NRCHA
earnings
• Invitation Only, 53.96%
• Coy’s Bonanza, 53.51%
• The Big Investment, 51.16%
• Doc Bar, 49.38%
• Mr Conclusion, 47.27%
• Poco Bueno, 46.91%
• Skipper W, 46.21%
• Investment Asset, 40.76%
• Poco Pine, 42.89
Poco Bueno
All of the top 200 all-time AQHA sires have
a ratio of 30+% point earners to registered
foals.
• 167 (83.5%) earned a Halter,
Performance or Race ROM
• 111 (55.5%) earned a Superior Halter
and/or Superior Performance Award 3.20-30% are money earners.
As offspring earnings have increased over
the years, the percentage of money earners
to registered foals has increased. A general
rule is that 20-30% of offspring should have
earnings averaging $3,000-$7,000.
• 103 (51.5%) earned NSBA, NRHA,
NCHA, NRCHA or race money
• 52 (26%) earned an AQHA World
Championship
• 49 (24.5%) earned an AQHA
Championship
• 32 (16%) earned an AQHA Reserve
World Championship
There are several exceptions, of which the
most well know are: Scotch Bar Time, 2009
AQHA Hall of Fame Inductee; Skip’s Jack, sire
of 7,900+ AQHA points; Red Sonny Dee, sire
of 7,500+ AQHA points; Zipped N Barred, sire
of 7,000+ AQHA Points; Zippos After Shock,
sire of 6,800+ AQHA points; and Maximum
Zip, sire of 6,800+ AQHA points.
2.30+% of registered foals are point
earners.
• Im A Big Leaguer sired 60.54% point
earners
• Older pleasure stallions will have
lower percentages and numbers
because money was not as
significant when their offspring were
showing.
• Offspring earnings for young
stallions are important because they
usually come before AQHA points
and are a good indication that a
stallion has the potential to sire
AQHA points in the future.
4.oint earners that average 40+ points.
Stallions with over 300 offspring should
average 40+ points per point earner. Young
sires should average 25+ points per point
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April 2014 49
2014 filly, Invitation Only x Wildly Available | Photo Courtesy of Debbi Trubee, Pine View Farms
earner until they have 300+ registered foals,
then their average should begin to approach
40+.
• Barpassers Image, averaged 119.6
• Zippo Pine Bar, 103
• Invitation Only, 103
• Huntin For Chocolate, 100.7
• Dynamic Deluxe, 98.8
• Investment Asset, 98.5
• Sonnys Hot Jazz, 96.8
50
• Zips Chocolate Chip, 77.6
• Two Eyed Jack, 74.6
• RL Best of Sudden, 68.3
• Tiger Leo, 65
• Shining Spark, 64.8
• Joe Cody, 47.7
• Tardy Too, 43.9
5. Sixty (or more) percent of Show
Performers should earn AQHA Points
and/or Money:
• Radical Rodder, 95.5
• Im a Big Leaguer, 87%;
• Certain Potential, 87.7
• Zippo Pine Bar, 85%
• Blazing Hot, 83
• Mr Conclusion, 85%
• Zippos Mr Good Bar, 77.7
• Poco Bueno, 85%
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Stallion Crosses on Daughters:
• Certain Potential has been bred to
daughters of 79 different stallions:
• The top 30 (38% of crosses) have
produced 94.5% of the AQHA Points
and 97.9% of the offspring earnings
• The top 10 (12.6% of crosses) have
produced 68% of the AQHA Point
and 79.6% of the offspring earnings
Zips Chocolate Chips & Zippo Pine Bar
• Invitation Only, 84%
• The overall average points, per point
earner, is 87.7 vs. 141.8 for the top 10
crosses
• Coy’s Bonanza, 84%
• Skipper W, 83%
• Poco Pine, 83%
• Dont Skip Zip has been bred to daughter
of 167 different stallions:
• Certain Potential, 77,8%
• RL Best of Sudden, 75.9%
• The top 30 (17.9% of crosses) have
produced 84.7% of the AQHA points
and 88.9% of the offspring earnings
• One Hot Krymsun, 74.5%
• Doc Bar, 74%
• Investment Asset, 72%
Principle 7: Add Magic Cross Analysis to
help narrow the list of possible crosses you
use. Keep in mind past proven success. The
right cross does make a difference!
Use Magic Cross Statistical Analysis to
Increase Your Chance for Success
This vital information helps in two ways. For
stallions with 300+ registered foals, it can
help owners determine what daughters
have crossed best on their stallion so
similar crosses can be sought for the future.
Broodmare owners can find out which sires
have crossed best on daughters similar to
their mare. 52
April 2014
• The top 10 (5.9% of crosses) have
produced 57% of the AQHA points
and 68% of the offspring earnings
• The overall average points, per point
earner, is 75 vs. 177 for the top 10
crosses
• Invitation Only has been bred to
daughters of 247 different stallions:
• The top 30 (12% of crosses) have
produced 77.3% of the AQHA Points
and 85.3% of the offspring earnings
• The top 10 (4% of crosses) have
produced 57% of the total AQHA
points and 65% of the total offspring
earnings
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Charlie and Blondie | Photo Courtesy of Debbi Trubee, Pine View Farms
• The overall average points, per point
earner, is 103.5 vs. 144.7 for the top
10 crosses
• RL Best Of Sudden has been bred to
daughters of 67 different stallions:
Importance of Daughter Crosses:
• The top 30 (44.7% of crosses) have
produced 94.5% of the AQHA points
and 78.4% of the earnings
• Daughters of Zippo Pine Bar have been
bred to 247 different stallions:
• The top 10 (14.9% of crosses) have
produced 68.8% of the AQHA points
and 71% of the offspring earnings
• The top 30 (12% of crosses) have
produced 74.4% of the AQHA points
and 79% of the offspring earnings
• The overall average points, per point
earner, is 68.3 vs. 105 for the top 10
crosses
• The top 10 (4% of crosses) have
produced 47% of the AQHA points
and 56% of the offspring earnings
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2014 Lazy Loper offspring | Photo Courtesy of Debbi Trubee, Pine View Farms
• The overall average points, per point
earner, is 92.4 vs. 140.9 for the top 10
crosses
• The top 30 (12% of crosses) have
produced 82% of the AQHA points
and 89% of the offspring earnings
• Daughters of Radical Rodder have been
bred to 99 different stallions:
• The top 10 (4% of crosses) have
produced 58% of the AQHA points
and 70% of the offspring earnings
• The top 30 (30% of crosses) have
produced 94% of the AQHA points
and 96% of the offspring earnings
• The top 10 (10% of crosses) have
produced 65.6% of the AQHA points
and 75% of the offspring earnings
• The overall average points, per point
earner, is 46 vs. 92.5 for the top 10
crosses
• Daughters of Zips Chocolate Chip have
been bred to 245 different stallions:
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April 2014
• The overall average points, per point
earner, is 64.97 vs. 108.9 for the top
10 crosses
• 25 Popular Pleasure & Halter
Broodmare Crosses such as crosses on
daughters of: Blazing Hot, Dont Skip
Zip, Invitation Only, Kids Classic Style, Mr
Conclusions, Potential Investment, Radical
Rodder, Zippo Pine Bar, Zips Chocolate
Chip and more can be found by clicking
here.
SHOW HORSE TODAY
Crosses Make a Difference
The stats speak for themselves: 10-15% of
crosses produce 80-95% of the AQHA points
and earnings. If you are a stallion owner,
finding proven broodmares that will cross
best on your stallion is one of the major
factors in determining whether your stallion
will be an average sire, or become a top
producing sire. If you are a broodmare owner,
finding the stallion that will cross best on your
mare will improve the changes of producing
30%+ show quality offspring.
So remember…
2014 Lazy Loper offspring
Photo Courtesy of Debbi Trubee, Pine View Farms
1. Determine what your current success
percentage is (registered foals to point
earners).
• Add Magic Cross information to help
narrow the list of possible stallions,
and use crosses which have had
proven success in the past.
2. Set realistic expectations. 30%+ of your
future offspring should achieve AQHA
points and/or money earnings.
The more items you implement, past history
says, the greater your odds are of producing an
AQHA point earner or money earner on a
consistent basis.
3. Continue to emphasize features you
feel are important, such as disposition,
conformation, movement, size, show
record, offspring record, and breeding.
4. Use statistical information to your
advantage:
• Breed proven mares whose offspring
record is 30%+ point earners or
money earners to registered foals
Thanks to Dave from QHD.com for
sharing these insights with us! We’re
looking forward to future pleasure
horse breeding advice.
• Breed a mare whose maternal
grand sire is on the top 25 list for
the production of Western Pleasure
horses in the past
• Breed mares with a show record
• Breed to a stallion with a proven track
record and meets production criteria
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