NRHA Debuts Online Steward Recertification Series

In early fall, the Stewards Committee of the National Reining Horse Association hosted the first two Online Steward Recertification programs. This change has meant that NRHA Stewards, who previously had to travel for recertification, can now conveniently do so online.

The idea to change the recertification process was initiated by the Stewards Committee Chair Ed “Hoot” Bricker.

“One of our main goals was to move some of our programs to an online format,” noted Patti Carter, NRHA Director of Education and Officials. “We are very proud of the online recertification program that was launched. As a team, we have effectively saved everyone time, money, and perhaps most importantly, everyone worldwide is receiving the same, updated information to service the NRHA membership and the entire reining industry.”

Carter gave special accolades to the three individuals who led the recertification course. “Ed (Hoot) Bricker, Van Luse, and Ann Salmon-Anderman did an outstanding job teaching the content while engaging the online participants,” she said. “Well done!”

NRHA Show Steward Walt Larson, who went through the program, agreed. “I thought it was excellent. It was a three-hour meeting, and the instructors really went through and highlighted things in the [rule] book that they’re looking for. I thought the time we spent in the meeting was very valuable. We were able to bounce ideas off each other and learn from everyone’s experiences,” he said.

Stewards who participated in the online recertification process were Ed Cridge, Alberto Ferara, Margaret Fuchs, Walter Larson, Marilyn Randall, Maura Moraglione, Mauro Fungo, Enrico Giaretta, Mark Guynn, Marlin Holroyd, Lyle Jackson, Careena Laney, Manuela Maiocchi, Shawn McClurg, Susan Moore, Christian Rammerstorfer, Christina Serra, Andrea Stillo, Alberto Villani, Larry Gleeson, Travis Chapman, Alessandro Fossa, Jamie Solberg, Eleonora Malerba, Giovanni Fano Pagani, Mauro Vittorelli, Sandy Jirkovsky, and Drake Johnson.

“I enjoyed the seminar and now have the tools to better perform in the field. The seminar was a truckload of information, guidance, and tools. I feel all of you have elevated the Stewards program to the next level of excellence,” noted NRHA Show Steward Larry Gleeson. “It certainly is my goal to meet these expectations as a representative of the Stewards program.”

Although recertification can be done online, anyone who is interested in becoming an NRHA Steward is still required to attend an in-person Steward Applicant school.

More information about the Stewards program can be found at NRHA.com/stewards or by contacting Carter at pcarter@nrha.com

Arcese Quarter Horses Becomes NRHA’s Newest Corporate Partner

A reining legacy began in the 1980s when the Arcese family of Italy was introduced to reining through a family friend. “He had a quarter horse gelding he didn’t want anymore. The horse was supposed to be a reining horse, so we started to learn about reining horses and then moved on to better reining prospects,” recalled Leonardo Arcese, who, with his father Eleuterio and sister Paola, own and operate Arcese Quarter Horses.

Photo by Gabriele Semenzato

In typical Arcese family fashion, they spent a great deal of time studying the horses and sport, pouring over results and standings. “We wanted to have the best horses and believed in investing in excellent pedigrees, performance records, and people,” Leonardo explained.

Arcese Quarter Horses USA is in Weatherford, Texas, and is managed by Jeff Oswood. “I was lucky to meet and get to know Jeff Oswood at the end of the last century. He has always been a leader in everything he does. When the opportunity came up to partner on our ranch in 2006, I didn’t think twice. With Jeff’s expert experience and guidance, along with a handful of top trainers, we have been able to develop a small but highly successful breeding program by concentrating on a couple of very special mares. We love to breed, raise, and show our own exceptional show horses,” he said.

The game plan worked, and now Arcese Quarter Horses is a Two Million Dollar Owner of the National Reining Horse Association, while patriarch Eleuterio is in the NRHA Hall of Fame. The business has owned and produced countless winners, including NRHA Eight Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya, Four Million Dollar Sire Walla Walla Whiz, Hall of Famer and Million Dollar Dam Wimpys Little Chic, and countless NRHA Futurity and Derby champions.

Recently, the Arceses elected to increase their support of the reining industry, elevating their sponsorship level from an Event Sponsorship to an NRHA Corporate Partnership.

“Continuous growth and new development are extremely important. That is why we have been extremely involved with the Italian Reining Horse Association and reining in general within Europe for many years. My father has served several terms as a Board member or President of the IRHA and is President of that Association now,” Leonardo explained. “The majority of our horse businesses are in the United States, primarily with our stallions Gunnatrashya and Walla Walla Whiz. We believe it is important to support the NRHA.”

NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter was excited to welcome the Arceses to NRHA’s Corporate Partner lineup. “The Arcese family has been a stalwart of the reining community both in Europe and North America for many years. Their success in the show arena and the breeding barn is a hallmark of countless accomplishments,” he said. “Personally, it is gratifying to have them join NRHA as Corporate Partners. This is an extension of years and years of their support and success.”

The Corporate Partnership is just another indicator that the Arcese name will be written in the history books for years to come. “’The desire to win never sleeps’ is a motto of ours that references our sincere commitment to excellence in everything we do. We never give up after defeats and always stay focused on what’s important to us. Our desire to have the next champion will always be there,” Leonardo said. “We have a group of people that we work with that are as committed as we are. They are like our family, and we are very grateful to all who share a never-ending passion about our vision.”

For more information about Arcese Quarter Horses, visit ArceseQuarterHorses.com.

Photos by Cam Essick

Event Sponsor Mental Athletics Offers Workshops Tailored to International NRHyA Members

The National Reining Horse Youth Association is proud to offer its final mindset coaching sessions of 2022 to international NRHyA members through a partnership with NRHA Professional Gil Friedman of Mental Athletics. Mental Athletics became an NRHA event sponsor in 2021 to impact the lives of NRHyA members, in and out of the show pen.

Mental Athletics is a mindset coaching program practiced around the globe, and Friedman will be a three-part online workshop. These sessions will be the fourth round provided to NRHyA members free of charge.

“My experience joining the mental athletics workshops has been amazing! I have enjoyed learning something new every year as Gil does a great job catering to all aspects of mindset,” said NRHyA President Haley Turner. “I continue to use strategies and concepts taken from Gil’s sessions in and out of the show pen. I recommend taking advantage of this opportunity to grow your frame and mind!”

After the success of the first sessions, feedback was given regarding the time zones in which they were featured. After taking this into consideration, this final round will be offered to cater to international members. The workshops will be on November 6, 13, and 20 at 12 p.m. IST (UTC +2).

The three-session workshops will provide knowledge, techniques, and training tools for the personal development of every competitive rider leading up to the NRHA Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships.

The scheduled dates for the Mental Athletics Online Workshop are:

  • Sunday, November 6 at 12 p.m. 
  • Sunday, November 13 at 12 p.m. 
  • Sunday, November 20 at 12 p.m. 

To sign up for the workshop, email youth@nrha.com

For more information about Mental Athletics, visit the Facebook page at facebook.com/mentalathletics.il or the website at Mental-Athletics.com.

NRHA to Implement Gradual Fee Increase Starting January 1, 2023

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Board of Directors recently approved a 5-year plan with gradual service fee increases every other year as proposed by the Finance Committee. The first increase will begin in 2023, with the next changes coming in 2025 and 2027. This change presents an opportunity to save on memberships and services through December 31.

The updated fees policy can be found on the Fees & Services page at nrha.com. Many of the changes will be in the $5-$10 range. For example:

General / Non Pro 1-Yr. Membership $125 (from $115)

Professionals 1-Year Upgrade $55 (from $50)

Non Pro Declaration $45 (from $40)

Competition License (New or Transfer) $65 (from $60)

“Our industry is thriving, and we have a lot of momentum right now,” said NRHA President Rick Clark. “These increases that the finance committee recommended are necessary to help keep that momentum going, especially with all the exciting additions that we have coming next year. This plan is part of our five-year budget and is a solution so that our membership can have a gradual increase instead of a large increase at once, which we have seen in the past.”

NRHA is a multi-facet organization providing layers of services for members like the Green Reiner buckle awards program, Top Ten Year-End Awards, technology enhancements to better serve members, the North American and European Affiliate Championship programs, judges training and credentialing, etc. The demand for these programs continues even as talks of unfriendly market forces and the cost of doing business increase. NRHA leadership is committed to taking steps to ensure these operations are funded and mitigate inflation and recession.

“We are on target to keep our association financially responsible even with inflation and increased purses, and I commend the finance committee on creating a solution that is forward-thinking and provides security for NRHA.”

For NRHA, it has been several years since membership and licensing fees have increased, and in the past, fee increases have not kept pace with the cost of providing programs and services. The continued absence of fee increases will create a deficit in programs that could result in limiting or sun setting those programs. The leadership made many hard decisions to manage the Association’s finances throughout COVID and continues to look forward with financial guardianship of NRHA and its continued legacy. The planned every-other-year increases will be paired with targeted market investments, continued efforts to reduce expenses and drive efficiencies, as well as revenue enhancements to achieve NRHA’s goals and priorities. For an update on new, upcoming additions for 2023, such as increased 4-year-old stakes, an Affiliate Regional Championship Masters class, and a 2022 Buckle Ceremony, visit news.nrha.com.

2022 NRHA European Derby—Daily Updates

8.25.22: 2022 NRHA European Derby: Non Pro Action Opens the Show

8.26.22: $208,000-Added NRHA European Derby: The Non Pro Qualifier

8.27.22: $208,000-Added NRHA European Derby: The Non Pro Qualifier

8.28.22: 2022 $84,187-Added NRHA European Non Pro Derby: Youth Riders Steal the Show In Lyon

8.29.22: 2022 $153,234-Added NRHA European Open Derby: Fonck and Ludwig Share the Championship

8.30.22: Successful $237,422-Added NRHA European Derby Closes in Lyon, France

Follow the action at nrhaeuropeanderby.com