Quarter Horse News recognizes and celebrates the best-of-the-best sires in its annual and lifetime statistics. There are, however, another group of accomplished fellows who are just getting their second careers started, who are building offspring records that will push the performance horse industry to the next generation, to the next level.

It’s for these stallions that five years ago Quarter Horse News established the Junior Sires statistical section.

In order to be considered a Junior Sire, the stallion first had to rank among the top 100 in each of the three disciplines – cutting, reining and reined cow horse. Then, the stallion had to have had five or fewer foal crops in the show pen. This means the stallion’s first foal crop arrived in 2003 or later and the sire had no offspring show earnings prior to 2006 – the first year that initial crop would have turned 3 and hit the show pen. Breeding records were obtained from the American Quarter Horse Association and American Paint Horse Association registries, and those results were checked against earnings records compiled by Equi-Stat to ensure that there were no money-earning offspring prior to the 2006 season.

In computing the totals, earnings through 2010 were used, along with money won at major limited-age events through March 15, 2011. Rankings were based on the stallions’ per-crop averages, but Quarter Horse News also included per-foal averages so you get a complete perspective of the stallion’s offspring record. As in years past, the total “show age” foals were listed, meaning these foals are old enough to have been shown (crops 2003 through 2007). The number of performing foals is listed, and for the first time, the percentage of offspring/offspring with earnings is listed as well. This statistic provides insight as to how many foals have posted money, compared to how many each stallion has sired.

It’s exciting to watch these stallions build their careers.