With the tremendous success of the first Dogwood Challenge, the Merrill family has challenged American Quarter Horse Association Members to do it again.

A second Dogwood Challenge has been established to raise money for equine research. The Merrill family-siblings, Frank, Holly, Dani and Kyle Converse announced the second Dogwood Challenge at the 60th Annual AQHA Convention last March in Reno, Nevada.

Following the same guidelines as the first challenge, each $2 donation made to the American Quarter Horse Foundation, specifically for equine research, will be matched with a $1 donation from the Dogwood Foundation. The challenge is for AQHA Members to raise $1 million to be matched with a $500,000 donation from the Dogwood Foundation, for a total of $1.5 million-for equine research.

In July 1997, the Florida-based private, nonprofit organization challenged AQHA Members to raise $1 million for an equine research permanent fund by May 1999