WHAT IS THE MILLENNIUM FUTURITY?
Ben Gravett, of Catlett, Virginia, and his then ranch
manager Bill Davidson, began planning for the Millennium Futurity in
1999. The idea of a Futurity itself was not that new. In fact, the
idea came from the Gravetts' long background with equestrian
organizations where such futurities have been held for years.
In 2000, the first Millennium Futurity show took place in Culpeper,
Virginia. That year the prize money totaled $10,000 with only 4
classes. G&G Longhorn calves were the first animals to be eligible
for the show. The event really took hold in the next couple of years.
The prize money increased to over $35,000 in 2004, the number of
partners jumped to 27, the number of show classes increased, and the
sale moved to Waxahachie, Texas to accommodate the growth. All of this
after only a few short years!
The main goal of the Millennium Futurity is to promote the Texas
Longhorn by displaying "animals of value" and to have some fun in the
process. The Futurity allows people to show off their best animals and
have a chance to win money and prizes. It also affords everyone an
opportunity to see what other breeders are producing.
Many people are still unsure of exactly how the Millennium Futurity works. Here is a brief
outline of the Millennium Futurity as explained by Bill Davidson:
Any animal to be shown or sold at the Millennium Futurity must first
meet the eligibility requirements. In order to be eligible, the animal
must be registered with the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of
America (TLBAA) or the International Texas Longhorn Association (ITLA),
and must have been owned by a Millennium Futurity partner since the date
that partner joined. In addition, any offspring that an animal has
after the time it becomes Futurity eligible is considered eligible.
This allows people who are not partners in the Futurity to participate
in the show once they've purchased an animal that is already eligible.
The TLBAA or ILTA office places a "Millennium Futurity" stamp on the
registration certificate of eligible animals. This should eliminate
questions about eligibility. Check the registration certificates of
your longhorns to see if there is a "Millennium Futurity" stamp on it.
If there is, that animal (and/or its progeny) is eligible to compete.
(As long as they are within the age restrictions. Review the official
entry form for Class designations.)
THE MILLENNIUM FUTURITY SALE IS OPEN TO ANY BUYER; YOU DO NOT HAVE TO
BE A FUTURITY PARTNER IN ORDER TO BUY AN ANIMAL. (You DO, however,
HAVE to be a partner in order to consign cattle to the sale.)
Consignment fee for each sale animal also includes the entry fee for the
Futurity Show. The animals are sold before the show, and the new
owners receive any show prize money won by their new animals. In past
years, about half of the show winners had been in the sale the previous
day.
In the Futurity Show, animals are shown in their respective classes and
judged by a panel of five judges who score the animals on the attributes
that set the Texas Longhorn breed apart from the rest. These judges
are nominated and voted on at a meeting in November by the members of
the Futurity. Of the five judges, two specialize in show judging, two
specialize in horn judging, and the final judge is a "wild card" judge.
The high and low scores from the judges are thrown out, and the
remaining three scores are averaged, with the highest score winning the
class.
Prize money keeps increasing each year as more partners and animals are
added to the Futurity. Partnership is open to ALL longhorn breeders.
The cost to become a Millennium Futurity Partner is $5,000.00. With
that, your entire herd, future cattle purchases, and all progeny will be
eligible to compete in the show and be consigned to the sale. (NOTE: TLBAA/ITLA will charge a nominal fee to stamp current certificates.)
It is beneficial for breeders to show animals in the Futurity. They pay
a nominal fee to enter their animals, and in turn, have a shot at the
prize money in the show. The Futurity gives smaller breeders a chance
to stay in the game. Anyone who owns or buys an eligible animal has an
equal chance of winning a prize. It gives everyone an opportunity to
show their very best and be recognized for their breeding programs
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QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FUTURITY
*Once Futurity eligible, an animal’s entire future bloodline is Futurity eligible
*A breeder does not have to be a Futurity Partner in order to compete in the Futurity
*There are 5 judges, and the high and low scores are thrown out
*The Futurity has 58 partners from coast to coast
*The Futurity has a guaranteed $60,000 pay out
*51% of all winners come from small breeders (25 cattle or less)
*51% of winners are bought at Friday night’s sale
*75% of annual Futurity sales have averaged over $3,400
*The all time high selling heifer was $72,000 at the 2005 Futurity
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