Let’s Talk Incentives in Reining: The Good. The Bad. The Ugly.

There’s no denying it—there’s more money up for grabs in the western performance horse industry than ever before. Incentives are booming, and for that, we thank the visionaries who built them.

But let’s get real. There’s more to it than just dollar signs. There’s also strategy, timing, pressure, and cost.

Today we’re talking Reining—because it’s what we know.

Once upon a time, your stud fee covered most of your foal’s future. Today, the math looks a little different. Breeders not only have to choose the right sire—they also have to budget for the ever-growing list of nominations. Because eligibility means everything when it comes to marketability.

 Let’s break down a few of the biggest:

NRHA

• $570 weanling nomination fee + license fee (per 2025 schedule)
• Why it matters: You must be paid up to show at the NRHA Futurity or Derby. No nomination = no go. This is baseline eligibility and heavily affects your horse’s market appeal.

NRBC

• $250–300 weanling nomination fee
• Age 4–7 eligible
• Why it matters: One of the industry’s most prestigious events. Buyers will ask if they’re in. Trainers will care.

NARS

• $150 enrollment fee
• Two futurities and two derbies one in the central US and one on the east coast
• Why it matters: Must be enrolled to compete. Growing momentum and visibility.

100X Reining Incentive

• No Nomination required
• Age 4–7 eligible
• Why it matters: Elite trainers want horses eligible for this one. It’s where the serious money is heading.

The Invitational

• No nomination needed
• 3-year-old Futurity
• Why it matters: Prestigious and exclusive. If your foal’s eligible, you already know it has an advantage in marketability.

There are many more programs as well we didn’t outline above that are rapidly gaining traction.

 The Not-So-Pretty Side of Incentives

We’ve talked about the good—now let’s talk about the challenges, because like anything in this industry, there’s always another side to the story.

One of the biggest criticisms of modern incentive programs?

They’re only available to horses by “participating sires.”

Except the NRHA, most major programs require the stallion to be enrolled, not just the foal. That creates an immediate wall.

Take 100X and The Invitational for example—two of the flashiest, highest-paying programs out there.

• The cost to stallion owners to participate annually is significant—we’re talking five figures, easily per program ANNUALLY (Thank your stallion owner if your prospect is eligible, it’s a huge investment and commitment on their end)
• That kind of investment limits participation to stallions backed by deep-pocketed owners, partnerships, or corporate programs.
• Which means stallions with talent/abilty/record, but not enough money behind them? They get overlooked until they produce something big that earns it the hard way – losing valuable ground in crop numbers at the beginning of their breeding careers. There is some trickle effect to that.

 The result?

A narrowing gene pool. Breeders chasing eligibility and marketability are funneling toward the same few sires.

Buyers ask one question: “Is it eligible for A,B,C, AND D?”

If the answer is no, that horse—no matter how talented—can fall to the bottom of the list.

This is creating a culture where market access is dictated by incentive eligibility, not just talent, pedigree,conformation, and soundness. That’s a tough pill for small breeders, up-and-coming stallion owners, and even trainers looking to diversify bloodlines.

 Attitude of Gratitude

At the end of the day, we’re grateful. Grateful for the visionaries, stallion owners, and event producers who have stepped up and invested in building these premier incentive programs. Their efforts have brought unmatched excitement, prestige, and real value to the reining horse—elevating the entire industry in the process. While it’s important to acknowledge the challenges, it’s equally important to recognize the opportunities these programs have created for breeders, owners, and trainers alike. We’re excited to see where it all goes from here—and thankful to be part of the journey.

 So here’s the things to ponder:

• Are incentives creating more opportunity, or just rewarding those already at the top?

• Is it still about breeding the best horse—or just the most “eligible” one?

• And how do we balance elite-level excitement with long-term sustainability of the industry by reducing excessive linebreeding due to marketability?

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Let’s keep the conversation going.