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The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association is excited to announce the addition of an Equine Trail Sports (ETS) competition to the 2025 MFTHBA World Championship Show & Celebration. Set for Saturday, September 6, this fun and welcoming event offers riders of all levels the opportunity to showcase their Missouri Fox Trotters in a supportive and engaging environment.

Open to All Registered Missouri Fox Trotters
This ETS competition is open exclusively to horses registered with the MFTHBA, regardless of age. While horses must be registered in the current owner’s name, the rider is not required to be a member of the MFTHBA or ETS—both organizations are waiving their membership requirements for this inaugural event to encourage participation and introduce more horsemen and women to the world of obstacle competition.

Event Schedule – Saturday, September 6
(Held in conjunction with the World Show & Celebration)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

• 5:00–6:30 PM – Early Check-In Available – Front porch of the MFTHBA office

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 – In Hand & Obstacle Course Events

• 8:00–8:45 AM – Check-In for New Arrivals
• 8:15 AM – Judge Meeting
• 9:00 AM – Rider Meeting
• 10:00 AM – First Riders Out on the In Hand Course
• Obstacle Course – First rider out 45 minutes after the last handler completes the In Hand course
• Lunch – Enjoy lunch at your leisure after your ride
• Judge Shout-Outs – Once all riders have completed their courses
• Awards Presentation – Immediately following shout-outs

Competition will take place on the MFTHBA’s permanent obstacle course.

Two Fun and Challenging Phases
The competition includes:

• In Hand (IH) – A dismounted obstacle course completed with halter and lead rope.
• Obstacle Course (OC) – A mounted challenge requiring a saddle (including treeless options) and headstall with reins. Open to all riding disciplines.

Whether you are new to ETS or an experienced competitor, these events are designed to be both fun and rewarding. No matter your background, if you have a registered Missouri Fox Trotter, this is your invitation to give it a try!

Awards & Divisions
Ribbons will be awarded for 1st through 6th place in three skill divisions—Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced. Additional divisions include:

• Junior (ages 13–17): 1st–3rd place
• Youngin’ (ages 7–12): 1st–3rd place
• Newcomer: 1st place

Please note: Because this show is limited to Foxtrotters only, no Lifetime or Tournament points will be awarded through ETS.

Affordable & Convenient
Online registration is encouraged to take advantage of early bird pricing. Onsite registration will include a $10 per entry surcharge. Payment for all amenities reserved online will be due on site and not collected at the time of online registration.

Learn More and Register Today
For complete details and to register, visit the ETS event page here:
ETS MFTHBA World Show Event Page

Questions?
Contact MFTHBA Region 2 Director Brent Strong at 801-602-8254 for more information.

We look forward to welcoming you to this exciting new addition to the Celebration—a great way to connect with your horse, try something new, and be part of the growing versatility movement within the Missouri Fox Trotter community!

Preparing to show at the MFTHBA World Show and Celebration? This guide provides everything you need to know about entering your horse, understanding class fees, and ensuring you’re ready for a smooth check-in process.

Entry Fees Overview

Horse Fee

• $10 per horse (one-time fee per horse entered)

Class Entry Fees

• Preliminary & Versatility Classes: $40
• Championship Classes: $45
• Youth Classes (all divisions): $10
• Open 5-Year-Old & Older World Grand Championship: $300
  • Includes the standard $45 championship class fee; the remaining $255 goes directly toward class payback.

Ranch Horse Cattle Fee

• $40 per cattle class entry

Cattle Sorting Fees

• Cattle Sorting Run: $15 per person / $30 per team
• Ranch Sorting Cattle Fee: $40

Pre-Entry Discount

A $5 discount is available for each class entered by the pre-entry deadline.

Note: This discount does not apply to the Open 5-Year-Old & Older World Grand Championship.

 

Pre-Entry Options and Deadlines

1. Mail-In Pre-Entries

• Entry forms will be available starting Monday, August 11.
• Entries must be received by the MFTHBA Office no later than Wednesday, August 27.
• Mail to:
  MFTHBA
  P.O. Box 1027
  Ava, MO 65608
• Include completed entry form and payment. To pay electronically, email the form and request an invoice from the office.

2. Online Pre-Entries via HorseShowTracker App

• Available starting Friday, August 15
• Deadline: End of day Friday, August 29
• Exhibitors must complete entries in the app

Important: In-app payment is not available. Fees must be paid in person at the show office.

Entries submitted after these deadlines will not qualify for the pre-entry discount.

Pre-Entry Pickup and Payment

• Exhibitors who pre-enter may pick up back numbers and pay (if needed) beginning Saturday, August 30 in the Show Entry Office.
• This process streamlines check-in and helps reduce wait times.

Membership & Documentation Reminders

To ensure a seamless experience, please complete the following by August 8:

• Purchase or renew MFTHBA memberships
• Obtain or renew Amateur/Professional cards
• Complete any horse transfers

Completing these steps in advance ensures accurate records and faster processing upon arrival.

 

Entry Requirements

For Horses:

1. Must be registered with the MFTHBA or the Missouri Fox Trotting Pony Registry
2. Must have a current negative Coggins (EIA) test—valid within one year
3. Out-of-state horses require a current Certificate of Veterinary Inspection per Missouri law
4. All horse owners must be current MFTHBA members

For Exhibitors:

1. Must be a current MFTHBA member (except Lead Line riders)
2. Must hold either an Amateur or Professional card unless entering undesignated classes
3. Youth riders are exempt from card requirements in youth classes
4. Responsible for entering the correct class and meeting all entry requirements as outlined in the MFTHBA Rule Book
5. Must comply with all rules, standards, and policies. Poor sportsmanship or disruptions may result in disqualification and forfeiture of winnings.

 

Show Entry Office Hours

Opens: Saturday, August 30
Operating Hours:

• Saturday, August 30 – Friday, September 5: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Saturday, September 6: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Lunch Breaks:

• The Show Entry Office remains open during lunch
• The MFTHBA Main Office will close during lunch

 

MFTHBA Office Hours During the Celebration

The MFTHBA Main Office will be open throughout the Celebration to assist members with registrations, transfers, membership renewals, and other services.

Office Hours:

• Friday August 29 through Friday September 5: 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Saturday, September 6: 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Lunch Break: Closed from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. daily, except Saturday September 6

We encourage exhibitors to take care of paperwork needs early in the week to avoid last-minute delays.

Additional Notes

• On-site entries will be accepted in the Show Entry Office
• HorseShowTracker App entries will not be active during the show—on-site entry must be completed in person
• Pre-entry is strongly encouraged to save money and minimize check-in wait times
• Cattle Sorting and ETS Trail Challenge will be taken separate from the Entry Office.  Please review event details for more information on entering these events.

 

Questions?

For assistance or additional information, please contact the MFTHBA Office: (417) 683-2468 or foxtrot@mfthba.com

We look forward to welcoming you to Ava for an exciting week of competition and camaraderie at the 2025 World Show and Celebration!

You can view the Show and Celebration photos at rememberwynnphotos.shootproof.com

Melanie Wynn
Phone: 417-664-6978
Email: wynnmelanie0@gmail.com

Welcome to the 66th Annual World Show & Celebration

Office hours for the class entries:

……..August 31st                    9:00AM – 3:00PM
……..September 1st               9:00AM – 4:00PM
……..September 2nd – 6th    9:00AM – 4:00PM
……..September 7th               9:00AM – 2:00PM

Good Luck to all exhibitors.

Health Papers will no longer be required upon class entry of any MFTHBA show.

Horses that are transported across state lines should have Health papers.

All horses upon entering classes must present current negative Coggins (EIA test chart showing test date within 12 months prior to show date).

The 66th Annual Show and Celebration (show name in HST) has been uploaded to Horse Show Tracker and online entries are open.  Please note, Class 76A (Limited Working Cow Horse WC) on the showbill is class 176 in Horse Show Tracker.  This class will exhibit in the order on the showbill (Wednesday September 4th) with the other Cow Horse classes.

No pre-entries will be accepted in the MFTHBA Office prior to show office hours.  Please use online entries, or plan to enter classes at the show entry desk.

Attention: The entry form has been updated to reflect the $300 entry fee recommended by the trainers committee and approved by the BOD in February.  The MFTHBA will keep the standard $45 entry fee for this class and the remaining $255 will be used for paybacks to the winners in class 134.

Entry Form – Fill out online, print form, sign and mail with copy of papers and entry fee(s) to MFTHBA PO Box 1027, Ava MO 65608.

 

The Annual Membership Dinner will be held August 31st at 6:00 pm under the Roy Williams Pavillion.  The menu consists of smoked pulled pork sandwiches and smoked shredded chicken sandwiches,  baked beans, cole slaw, banana pudding and more! The Membership Dinner is free and we hope to see you there!

Please call the office at 417-683-2468 or email foxtrot@mfthba.com to make reservations.

If you would like to make a donation towards the cost of the Dinner, or help in any way, please contact Mark Holifield.

The Celebration Entry Form is available online. The Fall Show & Celebration will be on Horse Show Tracker, with online entry option, by 8/5/2024.

MFTHBA Celebration Forms

THE MFTHBA BREEDERS SHOWCASE

In the December 2022 a Breeder’s Committee was formed within the MFTHBA. The objective and goals of this committee was to look into and see what was needed to increase ways to promote breeding and to increase the number of foals available. That Spring this committee came up with a plan to try to bring back the foal and yearling sale during the Celebration. A lot of work and preparation went into this, but due to the lack of numbers of foals available out there, the sale was not a possibility. Looking for further ways to increase the registrations, transfers and memberships within the association, along with ways to create a market for young horses, the committee chose to work on some sort of incentive.

In 2017, a couple of breeders and trainers got together and created the two-year-old and incentive fund which raised $14000.00 payback for the two-year-old divisions at the Celebration. At that time the breed was struggling filling those two-year-old divisions. When the incentive fund was implemented, all preliminary classes and stake classes were full for that year. HUGE SUCCESS, Proving that if you put money out there, they will show up.

This thought process prompted the 2023-24 breeders committee to take this action to try to implement a payback for the two-year-old open division at the 2024 Show in Celebration. In doing so, several ways of raising funds were discussed. A committee member brought up the idea of this committee operating the cook shack during the Spring Show and the Fall Show and Celebration, with all funds after expenses being paid to the two-year-old open World Championship. This was presented to the board and approved for the committee take action. At the Spring show and 3-year-old Futurity, the committee and volunteers operated the cook shack. Total proceeds after expenses were $3367.00 The committee is also received sponsorship contributions of $1000.00 from Specialty Feeds in Memphis, Tennessee, along with $500.00 sponsorship from MPBA. Bringing the total to date to $4867.00 If the cook shack proceeds from the Show and Celebration equal the average daily proceeds from the Spring show and futurity, which was roughly $800 per day. We could very well be looking at over a $10000.00 payout for the two-year-old Open World Championship. The beauty of this program is you don’t have to pay a higher entry fee at an earlier date and you don’t have to bring a horse that’s sired by a specific stallion. This will be paid back in the Open 2 Year Old World Grand Championship Class, a class which is open to trainers, amateurs, novice, anyone. The decision to put all the payback in the Open World Grand Championship and not divide the purse between open and amateur was made due to the fact of it being the first year and unsure exactly how it many funds would be generated, they wanted to try to build the largest payback possible. The class will pay 10 places with the checks being mailed to the registered owner of the horse following final calculations of the proceeds after completion of the show. Pictured below is the percentage payback breakdown. With hopes of this being a perpetual committee to be carried on for years to come with future boards, to continue to build the purse for the open and possibly the amateur classes in the two-year-old division. The committee believes in time, this program, THE BREEDERS SHOWCASE, will create a demand for those young horses, bring back and create a market for the weanlings and yearlings to help increase registrations, transfers, memberships, it’s a win-win situation for the whole breed.

At this time, we would like to sincerely thank the members of the committee and the volunteers who gave their time to help make this possible.

Everett Clamp, Committee Chairman
Gary Hays, Kitchen Manager and Cook
Becky Bailey
Melody Nagel
Carol Hightower

Board reps for the committee
Brian Land
Brian Oglesby

Volunteers
Janna Starnes
Samantha Connelly
Haylee Sudbury
Phyllis Burkdoll
Janice Posey
Garrett King
Michelle King
Trey McDaniels
Johnny Burkdoll

We apologize if I’ve forgotten anyone and would like to invite anyone who’s willing to step up and volunteer at the Show and Celebration, even if for just a few hours, to please contact any committee member or Board Representative for this committee.
Thank you.