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April and After: Why It’s Not Too Late to Breed This Season

By May 22, 2025May 28th, 2025No Comments

It’s long been said that foals born in January or February have a built-in advantage when it comes to futurity success—and by extension, a higher market value. But the numbers from the 2024 NCHA Futurity tell a different story.


Only 31% of all 2024 NCHA Futurity finalists were born in January or February. In contrast, 40.5% were born after April 1st, including a long list of class champions and reserve champions.

In fact, every single Non-Pro Champion or Reserve Champion at the 2024 NCHA Futurity was born after April 1st. (Meaning they were bred in the month of May or later.)

And if you’re still debating whether to breed in May or June, consider this: the Open Futurity Reserve Champion, Rollz Eh (by Rollz Royce out of This Cats Smilen), was born May 17, 2021.

Here’s how the numbers break down by division:

Percentage of Finalists Born After April 1st

  • Open Finals: 35% (7 of 20)
  • Intermediate Open: 44% (12 of 27)
  • Limited Open: 33% (9 of 27)
  • Non-Pro Finals: 45% (10 of 22)
  • Intermediate Non-Pro: 40% (10 of 25)
  • Limited Non-Pro: 33% (4 of 12)
  • Amateur Finals: 41% (13 of 31)
  • Intermediate Amateur: 39% (13 of 33)
  • Limited Amateur: 33% (5 of 15)

Across all divisions, 50% of champions or reserve champions were born after April 1st.

Champions or Reserve Champions Born After April 1st

  • Open Reserve Champion: Rollz Eh – 5/17/21
  • Intermediate Open Champion: Rollzana – 4/14/21
  • Intermediate Open Reserve Champion: Tag That Wood – 4/22/21
  • Non-Pro Champion: Smart Look Arising – 4/19/21
  • Non-Pro Reserve Champion: Salerno – 4/24/21
  • Intermediate Non-Pro Champion: Gotcha To Sin – 4/22/21
  • Limited Non-Pro Champion: Gotcha To Sin – 4/22/21
  • Intermediate Non-Pro Reserve Champion: It Wazznt Me – 5/24/21
  • Limited Non-Pro Reserve Champion: Izzarollz – 4/27/21

One standout, Gotcha To Sin, claimed two titles and was born on April 22, a date shared by eight total finalists (4% of the entire field), three of whom were either champions or reserve champions.

The Takeaway:

Breeding in May or even June does not put your future foal at a disadvantage. On the contrary, late-spring foals are not only making finals, but they’re also winning. With 40.5% of all finalists born after April 1st, the belief that “earlier is better” deserves some serious rethinking.

So, if you’re still considering breeding this season, don’t count yourself out. The data is on your side and the window is still wide open.

Secure Your Spot: Limited Stallion Contracts Still Available Still thinking about breeding? Now’s the time. Many top-producing stallions still have limited availability for the season, so don’t wait. Be sure to check out the Valley Equine stallions that aren’t already booked full and secure your contract while there’s still time.

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