Over the past several days of competition, the top 3-year-old reining horses and riders from across the country have vied for a spot in the finals of the National Reining Horse Association Futurity. With the conclusion of Monday’s preliminary round, most of the field is set for the CINCH Non Pro Futurity Finals, which will be held on Friday, December 3.
Topping the Level 4 and Level 3 of the CINCH Non Pro Futurity first round with a 219.5 is Jennifer Gilliam and Surprizing Sixty Six. The 3-year-old mare is by Inferno Sixty Six out of Dun With Surprizes and was bred and nominated to the NRHA by Valentin Rascon. Earlier this year, Gilliam and Surprizing Sixty Six won the High Roller Reining Classic Level 4 and 3 Non Pro Championship.
Carlee McCutcheon and Starlights Voodoo competed late in the second section and marked a 217.5. That not only topped the Level 2, it also qualified the pair back to the Non Pro finals in Levels 3 and 4. Starlights Voodoo is by NRHA Million Dollar Sire Shiners Voodoo Dr out of Whizen Starlight. Bred by Kellie Meier and nominated by Jackson Porath, Starlights Voodoo has already won more than $7,900 in competition.
Gavin Warren and A Chic A Nite topped the Level 1 with a 214. A Chic A Nite is by NRHA Six Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream out of One More Nite.
NRHA’s newest Million Dollar Owner, Andre De Bellefeuille of Equine Plus, topped the Non Pro Prime Time with a 219.5 (including handicap). De Bellefeuille, of Canada, rode Its All Gun, by Its All About Smart out of De Bellefeuille’s great producing mare Snow Gun.
Topping the Youth and tying for second in Level 4 is Addisyn Schmersal and Ta Dunit Redhot. The pair marked a 218. Ta Dunit Redhot is by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Pale Face Dunnit out of Redhot Walla.
To secure a spot in the CINCH Level 4 Non Pro Futurity, it took a score of 214, while a 212 was the magic number for the Level 3. Riders with a 211 or higher earned a place in the Level 2, as did those in the Level 1 with a 207.5 or higher. The bubble for the Prime Time is a 212 (including handicap), while the one for the Youth is 206.
For those not advancing directly to the finals from the first go, hope is still alive. That’s because of the CINCH Non Pro Futurity Consolation Round on Wednesday morning. The next 30 horses (plus ties) in the Level 4, next 12 in the Level 3, and next 10 in Levels 1 and 2, will compete for a spot in the finals. The top five in each of the four Levels will earn a spot in Friday’s finals.