Future Fortunes reaches $1 million benchmark in 2010

May 8, 2010 Off By Roberta Johnston

Future Fortunes, Inc., the nation’s premier barrel racing stallion incentive program, will have awarded $1 million in bonus money to stallion owners, breeders and barrel horse owners at the conclusion of the 2010 Barrel Futurities of America’s World Championship Barrel Racing Futurity in December.

“It’s just incredible,” says Future Fortunes founder Mary Ellen Hickman. “I was hoping to reach $1 million in 10 years. The fact that we’ve reached that mark ahead of schedule shows that Future Fortunes is a strong organization with a solid foundation.”

The stallion incentive program started in 2004 with 50 stallions and awarded $38,000 in bonus money at just two events. In 2010, Future Fortunes will distribute $190,000 in bonus money at 14 events – six futurities and eight open races.

“Owners of Future Fortunes foals that are paid in full can run at bonus money without paying an additional fee,” explains Hickman. “They just need to enter an event that has Future Fortunes Bonus Money, mark Future Fortunes on the entry and send a copy of the horse’s papers, showing they are the current owner. Owners’ checks are mailed out two weeks after an event.”

Hickman notes Tom and Jhonda Cox won $9,240 as the owners of Bug On My Flag from just two Future Fortunes events in 2009.

Payouts are based on stallion and foal enrollment fees. As the number of enrolled stallions grew from 50 to 100, payouts increased dramatically. Now with stallion enrollment set at 100, bonus money will rise along with foal enrollments.

Future Fortunes foal enrollment has grown from an average of three foals per stallion in the early years of the program to 7.4 foals per stallion today. The next milestone for Future Fortunes is achieving 10 enrolled foals per stallion.

“Based on the 740 foals enrolled from the 2007 crop and with 100 stallions in the program, Future Fortunes will pay an estimated $275,600 in 2012,” explains Hickman. “When we can average 10 foals per stallion per year that would increase the purse by another $31,200, making the annual payout more than $300,000!”

If the bonus money alone wasn’t reason enough for stallion owners to seek enrollment of their stallions and breeders to enroll their foals, enrolled stallions and foals enjoy elusive marketing rights to the Future Fortunes name.

“The marketing power of Future Fortunes goes beyond getting more mares to enrolled stallions; it helps breeders market their foals,” says Hickman. “It adds value to the resulting foals throughout their lives with futurity and open bonus money.”

For instance, Future Fortunes is awarding a $1,000 bonus and a Master’s saddle to the highest-placing amateur rider of a Future Fortunes horse in the qualifying round of the Old Fort Days Futurity. Recently, Hickman fielded a phone call from an amateur rider who was looking to buy a Future Fortunes horse that was entered in the event.

It pays to own a Future Fortunes Horse! Enroll your eligible foals today!

Future Fortunes is a privately held stallion incentive program. Through the support from stallion owners, breeders and owners as well as Masters’ Saddles, Elite Trailers, H&H Industries, JB Quarter Horses and Animal Element, Future Fortunes strives to enhance the breeding of barrel horses. For more information, please visit www.futurefortunesinc.com or call 405.366.2133.