On October 9, 2018, the United States Patent and Trademark Office approved the registration of the trademark “Snaffle Bit Futurity®” by the National Reined Cow Horse Association, when referring to reined cow horse events. In 2019, the NRCHA felt the need to give everyone using “Snaffle Bit Futurity” one additional year to become aware of the requirement and make changes to their event, if necessary, prior to implementation. In 2020, a trademark acknowledgement check box was added to the NRCHA show approval form for any NRCHA-approved show seeking to using the term “Snaffle Bit Futurity”.
The trademark acknowledgment check box on the 2020 NRCHA show approval form reads as follows: “By seeking approval for the event described in this show approval request form on the dates above, the applicant understands and acknowledges that any approval and license to use the NRCHA’s trademark “SNAFFLE BIT FUTURITY” is limited to the above-identified event only and this license does not extend to future events not specifically identified in this form.” In the November 2019 NRCHA Show Management Newsletter, show secretaries, show managers and affiliates were made aware of the additional check box that was added to the 2020 approval form and the reason for the change.
There is no fee associated with the use of the trademark.
An alternative option to checking the trademark acknowledgement box on the 2020 NRCHA show approval form is to rename a show to “Futurity” or “Pre-Futurity”.
The NRCHA is not asking any show to do anything that is not being asked of every other organization requesting permission to hold a reined cow horse event where they would like to use the term “Snaffle Bit Futurity”. All NRCHA-approved events must comply with all NRCHA rules and requirements. Rules are in place for the protection of the membership and the national governing body of reined cow horse.
Any show approval form may be re-submitted with a name change or checked trademark acknowledgment box up to 30 days prior to the start of the event, and will be approved if all NRCHA rules are met.
