For GoHorseShow.com by Amy Gumz, owner and operator of Gumz Farms, Morganfield, Kentucky.
Gumz Farms had an amazing first year at the new Kentucky location. This first year came with a variety of rewards and challenges. We were blessed with over 140 stallion inquiries and selected 12 exceptional Quarter and Paint stallions. These great stallions bred nearly 1,000 mares in both farm and transported semen breedings. Over 500 mares came to Gumz Farms for reproductive services. Within our reproductive services offerings we completed 64 successful embryo transfers as well as countless number of International mares bred via frozen semen.
The successes were enjoyed but with many challenges. We took a huge undertaking of modifying an existing private facility into a commercial one. Not only a commercial site but one that is also USDA approved for exporting of frozen semen and embryos. This included adding 150 mare stalls and turnout paddocks. Additionally 6 stallion stalls and 3 stallion paddocks were added as well. Given the untraditional winter of 2007-8 in Western Kentucky, this was a challenge with a tremendous amount of rain and mud. New employees were added to the mix of prior Gumz Farms staff members. Needless to say, there was a lot of on the job training! However, given the challenges, we feel that 2008 was an amazing success.
Another facet of this program is really the reason for the huge migration to Kentucky. This is the Kentucky Breeders Incentive Program. The program has been met with both a lions share of negativity and pessimistic attitudes as well as great support. As a farm, we obviously believe strongly and support the program or we would not have taken the huge leap of faith that we did in relocating our farm. With this faith, we received countless calls and emails for and against the program. Many felt that the points were reported too late in the year. However, KyQHA was at the mercy of AQHA to provide the information and complete its fraud investigation. The points were reported within days of the information being received from AQHA and completed audit of eligible horses. Once the points were announced, many felt that point values were too low and not worth the investment into the program. However, we need to sit back and realize that the 2008 payouts did not represent one cent of revenue from quarter horse and Paint horse breeders. We did not contribute as a group until 2008 which is payable to point earners in 2009. As this program grows from sales tax collected from stock horse breeders and hopefully expanded gaming, that this fund will grow. This is an amazing program for breeders and exhibitors and by the numbers that our farm realized in 2008, a great boost to the breeding business.
We are very excited about the 2009 season with the return of great stallions and mares. We are nearing completion of our new mare foaling center. We purchased a neighboring farm that we joined with a great covered bridge that leads to the foaling center. The foaling barn has 24 12×16 composite constructed stalls that are heated and air conditioned. A foaling manager and two foaling attendants are on site 24/7 to aid in the safe delivery of the new foals. An ICU is under construction with stocks and slings for the more difficult deliveries. This addition completes our farm package and thank goodness as we are really tired of construction!
We are excited about our participation in great marketing tools that are available to us, such as www.gohorseshow.com. This is a great avenue for us to stay updated with the show world when we are unable to leave the farm due to the heavy demands of the foaling and breeding season. We realize that this market is so important for us to stay involved in with the get of these great stallions and mares hitting the shows.
