Youth attending the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel can participate in the CINCH National Reining Horse Youth Association (NRHyA) Speaking contest to earn scholarships.
This annual event serves as an opportunity for NRHyA members to increase their skills and earn scholarship dollars regardless of their age. NRHyA is a program funded through the Reining Horse Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. RHF scholarships offered across several NRHyA programs will offer nearly $90,000 in 2025.
The contest will take place on Friday, June 20, in the Bennett Event Center on the OKC Fairgrounds.
Participants will be divided into two age groups, 13 & Under and 14-18. The three categories will be Delivering A: General, Prepared Public Speaking, and Community Service Presentation.
In the Delivering A: General, contestants recite A: General, a guide to judging reining horses and a hallmark of the NRHA Handbook. Prepared Public Speaking involves contestants delivering a five-to-eight-minute speech on either a leadership or equestrian topic. Lastly, the Community Service Presentation allows participants to create an eight-to-10-minute presentation showcasing a completed community service project.
To enter, participants must fill out this form by June 10.
Scholarships for the 2025 NRHyA CINCH Speaking Contest:
Age 14-18
Delivering A: General
1st place: $700
2nd place: $200
Prepared Public Speaking
1st place: $700
2nd place: $200
Community Service Presentation
1st place: $700
2nd place: $200
Age 13 & Under
Delivering A: General
1st place: $700
2nd place: $200
Prepared Public Speaking
1st place: $700
2nd place: $200
Community Service Presentation
1st place: $700
2nd place: $200
A. GENERAL for 13 & Under
To rein a horse is not only to guide him, but also to control his every movement. The best reined horse should be willingly guided or controlled with little or no apparent resistance and dictated to completely.
A. GENERAL for 14-18
To rein a horse is not only to guide him, but also to control his every movement. The best reined horse should be willingly guided or controlled with little or no apparent resistance and dictated to completely. Any movement on his own must be considered a lack of control. All deviations from the exact written pattern must be considered a lack of/or temporary loss of control and therefore a fault that must be marked down according to severity of deviation.
Learn more about NRHyA and RHF at nrhya.com and reiningfoundation.com.