At 3:36:01 p.m. CST, Dec. 26, the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) registered its 4,999,999th horse and assigned the number to Slash Nic, a bay roan stallion owned by Julie Ann Boer of Rigby, Idaho.
So who got the 5 millionth registration? Shelly Nielsen of Alberta, Canada, purchased the naming rights through an online auction on the AQHA website. While Nielsen’s horse hasn’t even been born yet, she bid $8,750 for the number. Proceeds from her bid will benefit the American Quarter Horse Foundation, which funds research for the prevention and cure of equine diseases and injuries.
The “Countdown to 5 Million” online auction ran Dec. 5 – 31.The AQHA member who submitted the highest bid won the right to use registration number 5,000,000.
Nielsen is an AQHA Professional Horsewoman who trains reiners, pleasure and working cow horses.
“When our foals arrive this spring, we will determine which one will be the best to have the number,” she says. “We are probably going to name the foal Wynns Five Million, after our 21-month-old son, Wynn.”
In addition to the online auction for the number, the AQHA conducted a “guess the date and time” contest for all members to try to guess the correct date and time at which the Association would register its 5 millionth American Quarter Horse. Brenda Campbell of Jamestown, Pa., won. She guessed the milestone would be reached Dec.26, at 10:07 a.m. For her close guess, Campbell wins a trip for two to the Bonanza Creek Guest Ranch in Martindale, Mont., courtesy of the Dude Ranchers of America.