A record-breaking 305 entries competed in this year’s Non Pro preliminary round at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel, which began Friday, June 17, at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.
As the weekend waned, the competitors were whittled down to the top 30 in the Non Pro Levels 4-1; top 20 in the Prime Time Non Pro and Youth Non Pro; and top 15 in the Masters Non Pro. Those riders will advance into the clean-slate finals, to be held Friday. For the second year in a row, the Champion of the Non Pro Level 4 will win $30,000, while Level 3 wins $20,000, Level 2 earns $15,000, and Level 1 will pocket $5,000.
It doesn’t end there! The Non Pro Prime Time Champion is guaranteed $5,000, while both the Masters and Youth winners will take home $2,000 each.
Unofficially the bubble for advancing to the finals are:
Level 4 – 215
Level 3 – 214
Level 2 – 213
Level 1 – 211
Prime Time – 213.5*
Masters – 211*
Youth – 210.5
*Includes handicap.
Winning each division of the Non Pro preliminaries were:
Level 4 – Jack Medows & Tribbiani (Gunnatrashya x Chicsdreamofdiamonds) – 220.5
Level 4 – Gina-Maria Schumacher & Gunnastepya (Gunnatrashya x SDP A Lasting Step) – 220.5
Level 3, Level 2, and Prime Time – Rodion Cantacuzene, Jr. & Pale Dun Star (Pale Face Dunnit x Get Ya Some Stars) – 218.5
Level 1 – Christine Trautman & Smart Whizard Spook (Smart Spook x Miss Poco Whizard) – 217.5
Masters – David J Silva, Sr. & Good Time To Trashya (Gunnatrashya x Good Time Gota Shine) – 217
Masters – Lance Griffin & Spooks Gotta Tinsel (Spooks Gotta Gun x Tinsel Tiara) – 217
The draw for the Non Pro finals will be held during the Platinum Performance Non Pro Draw and Welcome Party Wednesday evening, June 22, which will also feature Reiners Rope, a fundraiser to benefit the Reining Horse Foundation Dale Wilkinson Memorial Crisis Fund.
Three championships were decided during the Non Pro preliminaries and awarded immediately after. Christine Trautman and Smart Whizard Spook (Smart Spook x Miss Poco Whizard) won the Story Book Stables Amateur division, while Jack Medows double-dipped, winning the Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes on Tribbiani (Gunnatrashya x Chicsdreamofdiamonds) and the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Non Pro Novice Horse Derby on Jewells (Gunner x Surprizentheprincess).
The preliminary round of the Open Derby kicks off on Monday, June 20. This round, which continues through Wednesday, will determine the winners of the $15,000-Added Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby and the $40,000-added Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes, along with the finalists of the Open Derby. The Finals, slated for Saturday, June 25, also feature guaranteed payouts to each Open Level winner, including $75,000 to the Level 4 Champion.
Complete results, draws, news, and more can be found at NRHADerby.com.