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Animal genetics2026; 57(4); e70158; doi: 10.1002/age.70158

Genetic Indicators of Performance Resilience in Barrel Racing Quarter Horses.

Abstract: Resilience, defined as the capacity to maintain consistent performance under variable conditions, has emerged as a relevant breeding objective in livestock systems, yet remains largely unexplored in equine populations. The objectives of this study were to (1) derive indicators of resilience from longitudinal barrel racing time (BRT) records in Brazilian Quarter Horses, (2) estimate genetic parameters for these indicators, and (3) quantify their genetic relationships with BRT and accumulated career earnings (ACE). The dataset comprised BRT records from barrel racing events held between 2010 and 2024, involving 10 665 horses. Resilience indicators were derived from short-term deviations around an expected performance trajectory after removing systematic effects and persistent horse- and rider-specific performance levels. Three indicators were evaluated: median absolute deviation (MAD), logarithm of the variance of deviations (LNVAR), and proportion of positive deviations (PPOS). Posterior mean heritability estimates for the resilience indicators were low (0.06 to 0.09), but still indicated exploitable additive genetic variation. Genetic correlations revealed a near-complete overlap between MAD and LNVAR (0.987), while PPOS captured partially distinct genetic information. All resilience indicators showed favorable genetic associations with ACE (mean -0.59) and positive associations with BRT (mean 0.44), indicating that genetically more resilient horses tended to perform faster and achieve higher economic returns. Therefore, resilience indicators derived from longitudinal performance records captured genetically meaningful variation related to performance consistency and economic success. These indicators complemented traditional performance traits and provided a scalable framework for incorporating resilience and long-term regularity into genetic evaluations of sport horses.
© 2026 The Author(s). Animal Genetics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.
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Publication Date: 2026-07-07 PubMed ID: 42410942DOI: 10.1002/age.70158Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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Overview

  • This study investigated genetic factors associated with performance resilience in Brazilian Quarter Horses used in barrel racing, by analyzing longitudinal racing data to identify indicators of resilience.
  • The research estimated genetic parameters for these resilience indicators and explored their relationships with performance speed and earnings to assess their usefulness in breeding programs.

Introduction to Resilience in Equine Performance

  • Resilience is defined as the ability to maintain consistent performance despite varying conditions, a trait valued in livestock breeding but little studied in horses.
  • In barrel racing, consistent performance is critical as it affects both the speed of the horse and the economic returns from competitions.
  • The study aimed to identify measurable indicators of resilience from detailed performance records over time in a large population of Brazilian Quarter Horses.

Data and Methodology

  • Data was collected from barrel racing events between 2010 and 2024, comprising 10,665 individual horses’ racing time records.
  • Performance trajectories for each horse were modeled to account for expected performance and systematic effects while removing persistent individual horse and rider-specific influences.
  • Three resilience indicators were developed based on short-term deviations from expected performance:
    • Median Absolute Deviation (MAD): A measure of typical deviation size.
    • Logarithm of the Variance of deviations (LNVAR): Captures variability in performance fluctuations.
    • Proportion of Positive Deviations (PPOS): Fraction of times the horse performed better than expected, reflecting upward consistency.

Genetic Analysis and Heritability Estimates

  • Heritability of the resilience indicators was estimated to understand the extent to which genetics contributes to performance consistency:
    • Heritability estimates ranged from 0.06 to 0.09, indicating low but non-negligible additive genetic variation.
    • This confirms that resilience traits, though complex and potentially influenced strongly by environment, still have a genetic component that can be selected for in breeding.

Genetic Correlations Among Resilience Indicators

  • MAD and LNVAR showed a near-perfect genetic correlation (0.987), indicating they effectively measure the same underlying genetic resilience trait.
  • PPOS provided distinct genetic information with a lower correlation to the other two indicators, suggesting it captures a different aspect of genetic resilience related to positive performance deviations.

Relationships Between Resilience and Performance/Economic Traits

  • Genetic correlations were computed between resilience indicators, barrel racing time (BRT), and accumulated career earnings (ACE):
    • All indicators had negative genetic correlations with ACE (mean -0.59), indicating that more resilient horses have genetically higher earnings.
    • Positive genetic correlations were observed with BRT (mean 0.44), meaning more resilient horses genetically tended to have faster race times.
    • This suggests that selecting for resilience can improve not only consistency but also speed and economic success in barrel racing horses.

Conclusions and Implications for Breeding

  • Resilience indicators derived from longitudinal performance data effectively capture genetically meaningful variation influencing performance stability and economic outcomes.
  • Resilience traits complement traditional performance measures, providing additional criteria for genetic evaluations.
  • The scalable framework proposed can be integrated into breeding programs to select sport horses that maintain consistent, high-level performance over their careers.
  • This approach could improve long-term success and profitability in barrel racing and potentially other equine sports through enhanced selection for resilience.

Cite This Article

APA
Santana ML, Bignardi AB. (2026). Genetic Indicators of Performance Resilience in Barrel Racing Quarter Horses. Anim Genet, 57(4), e70158. https://doi.org/10.1002/age.70158

Publication

Animal genetics
ISSN: 1365-2052
NlmUniqueID: 8605704
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 57
Issue: 4
Pages: e70158

Researcher Affiliations

Santana, Mário Luiz
  • Grupo de Melhoramento Animal de Mato Grosso (GMAT), Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Tecnológicas (ICAT), Universidade Federal de Rondonópolis (UFR), Rondonópolis, Brazil.
Bignardi, Annaiza Braga
  • Grupo de Melhoramento Animal de Mato Grosso (GMAT), Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Tecnológicas (ICAT), Universidade Federal de Rondonópolis (UFR), Rondonópolis, Brazil.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / genetics
  • Horses / physiology
  • Breeding
  • Female
  • Brazil
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal
  • Sports
  • Male

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