Solo Select and the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) are proud to announce a new partnership for 2026, with two major incentives debuting at the 2026 Metallic Cat World Championship Futurity.
“The industry is growing so fast, and we’re excited to be on this ride with our stallion owners, customers, and the NCHA,” Solo's Melanie Smith said. “ There has never been a better time to own a cutting horse.”
The incentives—Solo Select's Cutting Incentive and **Recipient Mare Incentive—**will pay out over half a million dollars at the NCHA Futurity November 9 through December 5 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
This incentive, with an estimated payout of $427,500, is designed to reward breeders that do business with Solo Select.
Eligibility is open to anyone who books a breeding to an enrolled Solo Select stallion during the 2026 breeding season. Competitors do not have to be riding a horse sired by one of those stallions to participate in the incentive. However, riders competing on offspring of enrolled stallions will be eligible for the largest payouts, while those riding other horses can still earn a significant share of the incentive.
Stallions eligible for the Solo Select cutting incentive include Metallics MVP, Third Edge, LBR Hangem, Stylin Highbrow, The Animal, Boons Reflections and Woody Be Tuff.
Under the incentive structure, 60% of the payout will be awarded to the rider of an offspring by an enrolled Solo Select stallion, while 40% will go to a 2026 enrolled Solo Select stallion breeding contract holder.
“This incentive is another example of how strong industry partnerships can directly benefit our competitors,” NCHA Executive Director Jay Winborn said. “We’re committed to creating meaningful opportunities at our premier events, and Solo Select Horses shares that vision.”
In addition, the Solo Select Recipient Mare Incentive will award $100,000, split evenly between the Open, Non-Pro, and Amateur divisions, to the highest-placing rider in each division holding a paid Solo Select recipient mare contract at the time of the NCHA Futurity.
For the recipient mare incentive, any embryo from any facility in the United States can be transported to Solo Select to be implanted into a recipient mare, including fresh flushes, ICSI embryos and frozen embryos.
"At Solo Select, we play the same game you do, and we are no stranger to the high stakes of the embryo transfer process," Smith said. "We’ve built a herd of 2,500 carefully selected recipient mares and perfected the management process to ensure your embryo is successful."
Solo Select manages every variable. From consistent feed and mineral programs to strict vaccination schedules and light protocols, we ensure mares are in peak physical condition and a low-stress environment long before implantation.
While using your own mare may seem cheaper in theory, leasing from Solo Select absorbs the financial risk. If a transfer isn’t successful, you are only responsible for the implant fee rather than a full year of feed and management costs for an empty mare.
“This program was designed to benefit everyone who chooses to do business with Solo Select,” Smith said. “Breeders who book a breeding or lease a recipient mare are immediately eligible to participate, even if they aren’t riding one by our stallions. At the same time, we want to encourage breeders to incorporate these exciting stallions into their programs. It rewards people right away for supporting those genetics while also creating bigger opportunities down the road.”
