The Rocky Mountain Breeders Association, a non-profit organization in existence since 2001, is an active group of individuals in the Appaloosa, Paint and Quarter Horse breeds.  The prime objective of the Association is to develop, promote and market quality performance and stock horses.  Throughout the year, RMBA hosts seminars, clinics, stallion service auction, Futurity, horse shows, Ranch Horse competitions and an annual Breeders Sale, our largest event.  We have several exciting events lined up for 2010.  These events help to improve the health and welfare of horses and to educate our members and the public.   

Most of our members are from Montana, but there are no residency limitations or requirements.  We currently have approximately 75 members.  Not all members own their own stallions, choosing instead to breed their quality mares to outside stallions.  An increasing number of members are joining primarily to support the ranch horse competitions, so that we may continue to offer them and expand our offerings.  The annual membership dues for a family/ranch for 2010 are $50, renewable each January.  The membership includes a subscription to The Wrangler, which publishes our monthly newsletter. And don’t forget to utilize all the benefits our website has to offer members, including listing your website links, your stallions on Stallion Alley, and your ranch on the Breeders Profiles, all free of charge.  We also have Classifieds for a nominal fee.  Contact Gail for the website. 

We publish a Directory each winter, offering members the opportunity to purchase ad space for a nominal fee.  Individual stallion and ranch ad space is also available in the Sale Catalog.  By pooling our financial resources in these and other promotions, we offer a wonderful opportunity for you to present yourself, your ranch, and your breeding program, reaching far more customers than you could duplicate individually. 

In order to qualify to sell in the Annual Sale, you must be the original owner of the consigned horse or the current owner of a bred mare; in other words, an active result of your breeding program.  Effective in 2009, you may sell additional horses which you have owned for at least one year prior to the current calendar year, if you have also consigned a horse that you have bred.  Also effective in 2009, any horses bought through the RMBA sale can sell in any future sale by the original buyer.  The Sale is limited to 75-80 horses.  Consignment opportunities are governed by membership status, with Charter Members and those selling in the prior year's sale having first opportunity to reserve up to four sale slots in the first round, and expanding from there.  It is designed to allow a greater diversity in horses, by avoiding the possibility of a few individuals dominating the available slots.  Current consignment fee is $50/slot for weanlings and yearlings or $100/slot for 2-yr+, plus 7% of the final bid.  Approximately 3000 Sale Catalogs are distributed, and ads are placed in several magazines.  Sale horses and member stallions are posted on the RMBA website, www.montanarmba.org   The 2010 sale date is the weekend of Aug. 27-28, in Deer Lodge, MT.  The sale will be on Saturday afternoon.

On  Sale weekend, we host ranch horse classes, limited to those horses which have gone through the Sale, with added monies; we also have ranch horse classes limited to horses bred by RMBA members.  In addition, we offer Open Ranch Horse competitions, with no qualifying limitations, which include a reining pattern and cow work.  This also offers added monies.  Class lists and patterns are also available on the website.  All throughout the weekend, Sale horses are on display, and stallion owners are encouraged to bring their stallions for Stallion Alley, and to present promotional information on their own ranches.   

As an additional way to promote your stallions and bring in additional monies for events and advertising to the association, we have an on-line Stallion Service Auction.  Stallion participation is completely voluntary.  We offer 2 Stallion Stakes Ranch Horse Futurity classes on Sale weekend, limited to offspring of currently nominated stallions as well as the stallions themselves.  We are also instilling an Offspring Incentive Program limited to offspring resulting from the SSA breedings.

For additional information or questions, please feel free to contact:

   Susan Ostler – President  (406) 288-3801  ostlerperformancehorses@live.com  

   Gail Morris - Secretary:  (406) 866-3434    info@montanarmba.org or gail@flyingmpaints.com