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Entries Look to be Up for 2022 NRHA Futurity on Eve of Fourth Payment Deadline

While important events are held throughout the year, the National Reining Horse Association Futurity, slated for November 24–December 3, is heralded as reining’s premier event. For 3-year-old reining horses, the Futurity’s spotlight shines on the horses in their first year of competition, and all eyes are on the Jim Norick Coliseum to see which ones will begin to write their names in the history books of the sport.

Ten Thirty

Ten Thirty, All Bettss Are Off, Super Marioo, and A Vintage Smoke are the most recent Level 4 Open Champions from the Futurity, and when any of these horses’ names are called, spectators flock to the fence to watch at derbies throughout the world.

The NRHA Futurity has continued to grow in both size and prominence since it was first held in Columbus, Ohio, in 1966. On the eve of the fourth payment deadline (August 1) for the 2022 Futurity, the world’s largest reining event is shaping up to be another record breaker, as the number of entries with at least one payment made is up from the prior year.

Once again, the Level 4 Open Futurity Champion will leave the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds $350,000 richer, and the Level 4 Non Pro Champion will be presented a check for $60,000. The total payout will likely once again surpass $2.6 million.

Those numbers are expected to continue rising, as late entries are typical. First payments can still be made until August 1 with just a $600 late fee, and those made between August 1 and October 1, will incur a $1,000 late fee.

The deadline to be included in the draw for both the Open and Non Pro Futurity is November 1.

All entry forms can be found at NRHAFuturity.com, and entries can be made online or mailed.

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Christy Landwehr Takes the Helm as NRHA Senior Director of Corporate Relations

The National Reining Horse Association staff welcomed a new team member in mid-July. Christy Landwehr is now the Senior Director of Corporate Relations and brings with her decades of experience working with and developing relationships with corporate and event sponsors.

“I am thrilled to be joining the staff of NRHA for many reasons. One of them is my love of horses, and another one is my excitement for the discipline and how fast it is growing and how popular it has become not just in America but around the world,” Landwehr shared. “I believe there is so much opportunity for sponsors and others to become involved in the sport, and I can’t wait to be able to share reining with others.”

Since 2007, Landwehr has served as the Chief Executive Officer for the Certified Horsemanship Association and the CHA’s Marketing Director prior to that. She is also the Treasurer for the Interscholastic Equestrian Association and serves on the American Horse Council Board of Trustees, on the Professional Horse Councils for both the American Quarter Horse Association and American Paint Horse Association, on the Colorado State University Equine Sciences Advisory Council, and is the Vice President for the Colorado Society of Association Executives.

NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter said, “Christy brings a wealth of energy, industry contacts, and experience to NRHA. We are excited to have her join our team and help us capitalize on the many opportunities that are in front of us.”

Landwehr, who lives in Colorado with her husband, John, and two sons, Sean and Kyle, noted that horses have always been her passion. “They’re kind, and they’re always in the present. To me, every breed and every discipline brings something to the table.” She added, “Reining is growing so much right now, and there are so many opportunities to continue that trajectory.”

The new Director has a solid vision for this new position. “I feel the most important step is to ensure that all our current Partners and Sponsors are happy with our agreements. We are excited about the future and want them to come along for the ride,” Landwehr said. “That means making sure we provide very helpful and unique benefits to both current and future sponsors.”

For information about NRHA’s Sponsorship Program, reach out to Christy Landwehr at CLandwehr@nrha.com

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Exciting Changes Announced for 2022 NRHA Markel Futurity Sales

The National Reining Horse Association Markel Futurity Sales have long been the place to find and purchase top reining prospects from reputable programs. Over the past 22 years, millions of dollars have changed hands, and countless horses have gone on to great success at major NRHA events.

There is a long list of notable Sale graduates, including reigning NRHA Futurity Champion Ten Thirty, who was ridden to the title by NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider Casey Deary. Ten Thirty, Hip number 1030 in the 2019 Select Yearling Sale was consigned by Brooke Wharton and purchased by Cooper Smith for $44,000. The colt, by NRHA Seven Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya out of Dainty Little Step, was registered at the time as Gunna Go Rogue. When Rancho El Fortin purchased the colt, they renamed him to his hip number, Ten Thirty.

Casey Deary & Ten Thirty

This year’s NRHA Markel Futurity Sales will be held Thursday, December 1, in the Sale Arena of Oklahoma State Fair Park, continuing the one-day Sale arrangement that has been extremely popular with both consignors and buyers.

According to Angie Honeywell, NRHA Senior Manager of ReinerSuite and Futurity Sales, there have been some exciting changes in the format for this year’s Sales.

The Futurity Prospect Sale, which has only been open to two-year-olds, has been changed to a Performance Horse Sale that will include show horses of any age. “The Performance Horse Sale will have horses for every level of rider and will include prospects, futurity and derby horses, and ancillary horses,” Honeywell explained. “This is an exciting new addition to the Sales’ lineup because now there will be show horses available of all ages.”

The other change is in the Elite Yearling Sale. Traditionally, the dams of consigned horses had to have $25,000 or more in progeny and/or lifetime earnings in NRHA only. While the threshold remains $25,000, that money can now be earned from the National Reined Cow Horse Association and the National Cutting Horse Association as well.

The NRHA Markel Futurity Sales Consignment Deadline is September 7, and consignments can be made online at NRHA.com/Sales

For more information about the l NRHA Markel Futurity Sales, contact Angie Honeywell at sales@nrha.com.

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Reaching New Heights: Three Stallions Pass NRHA Million Dollar Marks in First Half of 2022

One million has become the marker by which many achievements in the National Reining Horse Association have been measured. Recently, three stallions surpassed multi-million dollar milestones, cementing their places in the history books of the reining industry.

Two of the stallions, Gunnatrashya and Walla Walla Whiz, are owned by NRHA Two Million Dollar Owner Arcese Quarter Horses USA, while the third, Whizkey N Diamonds, is owned by Rhodes River Ranch.

Gunnatrashya – $7 Million Sire

Gunnatrashya, owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, first became an NRHA Million Dollar Sire in 2017, less than three years after his first foal crop entered the show pen. In every subsequent year, the stallion, owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, has passed at least one million-dollar milestone each year, and two in 2021.

As of this writing, Gunnatrashya foals have won more than $7,311,000, and the stallion holds on to the sixth position on NRHA’s All-Time Leading Sire list. The flashy stallion was the leading sire of the 2021 NRHA Futurity and repeated that feat just weeks ago at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel, where his foals won $192,610.

Gunnatrashya, bred by Katarina Dorminy, had just as successful a show pen career as he has had in the breeding shed. With NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider and Hall of Fame Inductee Shawn Flarida at the reins, Gunnatrashya was the 2009 NRHA Open Futurity Champion, the 2010 NRHA Open Derby Champion, and the 2009 All American Quarter Horse Congress Open Futurity Champion. Even with limited showing, he accumulated more than $218,000 in NRHA lifetime earnings.

Gunnatrashya’s Top Earners (as of 7/11/2022)

Gunna Stop (Stop Little Sister) $672,762

Ten Thirty (Dainty Little Step) $369,059

Super Marioo (HA Chic A Tune) $336,562

ARC Gunnabeabigstar (Wimpys Little Chic) $298,999

Inferno Sixty Six (Snip O Gun) $205,690

Gunnarickashay (Rondas Tio)$177,871

ARC Gunna Mark Ya (Shiney Miss Marker) $163,877

Gunnabebigtime (Big Time Jazzy) $147,486

Loveya (Love Em N Lena) $131,861

Trashinyurdreams (This Chicsdundreamin) $129,361

Gunnatrashya stands at NRHA Corporate Partner Oswood Stallion Station. Find more information about the stallion at oswoodstallionstation.com/gunnatrashya or arcesequarterhorses.com

Walla Walla Whiz – $4 Million Sire

Walla Walla Whiz, by NRHA Twelve Million Dollar Sire Topsail Whiz and out of Shiney Walla Wanda, is also owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA. The 19-year-old stallion boasts an impressive show record that puts his NRHA LTE just over $187,000. Ridden by NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida, Walla Walla Whiz raked in several top-notch finishes in just a six-year span.

Some of the most noteworthy wins of Walla Walla Whiz include the 2007 NRHA Level 4 Open Derby Championship, the 2006 Tulsa Reining Classic L4 Open Futurity Championship, and third place in the Level 4 Open at the 2007 National Reining Breeders Classic.

Walla Walla Whiz first became a Million Dollar Sire in 2015, and now sits at number 15 on NRHA’s All-Time Leading Sire list with $4,095,594 in offspring earnings.

Those earnings were bolstered in June, when his highest money-earner, Americasnexttopgun, won the Level 4 Open Championship with NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider Casey Deary at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel. All totaled, Walla Walla Whiz offspring won more than $96,000 at this year’s Derby.

Walla Walla Whiz’s Top Earners (as of 7/11/2022)

  • Americasnexttopgun (Americasnextgunmodel) $345,892
  • Shesouttayourleague (Wimpys Little Chic) $252,470
  • Americas Supermodel (Americasnextgunmodel) $231,253
  • Isnt She Perfect (Miss Silver Gun) $170,109
  • Made In Walla (Hollywood Made) $133,077
  • ARC Walla Dun Did It (Dainty Dunit) $114,203
  • Americasnextcovrgirl (Americasnextgunmodel) $93,927
  • Redhot Walla (Roosters Redhot) $74,764
  • Walla Whiz A Dun It (The Bun Is Dun) $74,100
  • Walla Whiz Affair (Memorable Affair) $68,927

Walla Walla Whiz stands at NRHA Corporate Partner Oswood Stallion Station. Find more information about the stallion at oswoodstallionstation.com/wallawallawhiz or arcesequarterhorses.com

Whizkey N Diamonds – $2 Million Sire

Owned by Rhodes River Ranch, Whizkey N Diamonds is by the second all-time leading sire of NRHA money earners, NRHA Twelve Million Dollar Sire Topsail Whiz, and out of NRHA Million Dollar Dam Princess In Diamonds.

Bred by Cristin Schuetz, the 16-year-old buckskin stallion earned more than $216,335 during his show career with NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida. The pair got off to a strong start, winning third in the Level 4 Open at the 2009 NRHA Futurity. After a brief hiatus from the show pen, Whizkey N Diamonds came back strong, winning the 2011 Wimpys Little Step Derby, finishing top five in the L4 Open at the NRBC, taking reserve L4 Open honors at the 2011 NRHA Derby, and winning the 2012 American Quarter Horse Association World Championship in Senior Reining, all with Flarida in the saddle.

Whizkey N Diamonds stands at Oklahoma Equine Hospital in Goldsby, Oklahoma, and his foals have followed in his sliders, winning at major events including the NRHA Futurity, NRHA Derby, and the NRBC. The stallion first became an NRHA Million Dollar Sire in 2019, just three years after his first foals began competing.

To date, Whizkey N Diamonds’ foals have won $2,069,786 in NRHA competition alone, and he has moved into the 27th spot on NRHA’s All-Time Leading Sire list.

Whizkey N Diamonds’ Top Earners (as of 7/11/2022)

  • Makendiamonds (Makeit In Tinseltown) $113,738
  • Lil Ruf Whizkey (Lil Ruf Startime) $105,785
  • Rsure Shot Of Whizkey (Gunners Sureshot) $80,504
  • Smoke In Whizkey (Suga Suga) $74,552
  • Whizkey Chaser (Sparklin Chic) $71,586
  • No Mans Whizkey (SS Rosa) $66,008
  • Starlightsndiamonds (Starlights Sugarwhiz) $64,787
  • Dirty Diamonds (Wimpys Cat Step) $64,311
  • Red Garter N Whizkey (Peppys Lightning Jac) $54,125
  • Custom Made Whizkey (Customized My Gun) $46,551

For more information about Whizkey N Diamonds, visit oklahomaequinehospital.com