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NRHA Three-Million Dollar Sire Nu Chex To Cash Passes

For Immediate Release – March 30, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma –National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Three Million Dollar Sire Nu Chex To Cash (NU Cash x Amarilla Chex) passed away on March 14, 2020. At 30 years old, Nu Chex To Cash’s contributions to the reining industry can’t be denied.

Before entering the breeding shed, “Chex” built himself a reputation as a big stopper in the show pen. Born in April 1990, Chex’s show career spanned from 1993 to 2002, first being shown by NRHA Professional Charlie Hutton and then by NRHA non pro Jessicah Keller. Showing his versatility and athletic ability, Chex was the first horse to nab the AQHA High Point awards in both the reining and working cow horse in the same year with Hutton.

With Keller at the reins, the pair won NRHA World Championships in the Intermediate and Limited Open divisions as well as the reserve titles in the Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro, all in the same year. They were also the reserve champions in the freestyle reining at the 2002 All American Quarter Horse Congress. He’s earned more than $57,000 in NRHA Lifetime earnings (LTEs).

Inducted into the NRHA Hall of Fame in 2010, Chex spent the last 25 years of his life in Hilldale Farms’ breeding barn. Chex is best known for siring NRHA Eleven Million Dollar Sire Wimpys Little Step (out of Leolita Step). “Wimpy” went on to be the 2002 NRHA Futurity Open Level (L) 4 Champion as well as the All American Quarter Horse Congress Open Futurity Champion. Both titles were achieved with NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida.

The iconic palomino set the standard for throwing offspring with ideal conformation, athleticism, and a mind comparable to few others. Chex found his perfect match in NRHA Million Dollar Dam and Hall of Famer Snip O Gun, also owned by Hilldale Farm. The two produced some of the greats, including Hot Smokin Chex, Chexmaster, and Big Chex To Cash. He also sired household name Lil Joe Cash (out of RS Lilly Starlight) who was the 2011 NRHA Futurity Open L4 Champion with NRHA Five Million Dollar Rider Andrea Fappani aboard.

Top NRHA earning offspring:

  • Lil Joe Cash (out of RS Lilly Starlight): $279,268
  • Hot Smokin Chex (out of Snip O Gun): $186,598
  • Wimpys Little Step (out of Leolita Step): $185,756
  • Nu Chexomatic (out of Tejons Texie Lena): $182,230
  • Heavy Duty Chex (out of Rondas Tio): $143,799
  • Chexmaster (out of Snip O Gun): $103,911
  • Nu Pops (out of Sugar Pop Gun): $90,159
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NRHA Strongly Recommends Postponement of Events for 30 Days

For Immediate Release – March 14, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Following President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency due to COVID-19, the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) strongly recommends all producers of NRHA-approved shows consider postponing or canceling all reining events for the next 30 days, effective March 14–April 13, 2020.

This action takes into consideration the health and safety of all NRHA members and their horses, as well as spectators, grounds crews, facilities management, and show-production staff.

NRHA has already rescheduled the NRHA European Futurity from March to November due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy, where citizens are still coping with the effects of the virus. Additionally, some NRHA-approved shows in the U.S. are being forced to cancel due to state or regional mandates.

“I’m not sure any of us has experienced times like these in our lifetime,” noted NRHA President Mike Hancock. “The worldwide coronavirus pandemic has been very scary to watch. It has accelerated and at a pace that no one could’ve imagined. Our international members are already suffering, and we all need to do our part to manage this situation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who has been impacted by this outbreak.”

NRHA recommends that show managers make decisions as soon as possible to allow members and exhibitors to make plans to travel or stay home. The NRHA team is ready to assist show management with time-sensitive issues and will be as flexible as possible to reschedule events.

If you do plan to show in the next 30 days, please check with event management about possible cancelation or postponement.

>> Click here for the COVID-19 show cancellations and postponements list

For the latest updates on this evolving situation, visit nrha.com and follow National Reining Horse Association on Facebook.

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NRHA and COVID-19

Updates:

November 20: NRHA Futurity Health Protocols

June 10: NRHA Derby Presented by Markel Health Protocols

May 27: NRHA Suggestions for Safe Competitions

May 7: Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Resources

April 28: NRHA Board Supports Approved Events Resuming on May 1

April 10: Reiners Care

April 5: Reiners Should Apply

March 31: Explore Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and Other Forms of Assistance

March 30: Reining to Resume After April 30

March 28: NRHA Looks Forward to Returning to the Show Pen

March 27: A Message From The Equine Disease Communication Center

March 14: NRHA Strongly Recommends Postponement of Events for 30 Days

With the continuing COVID-19 situation, the NRHA team is available to assist show management and members, following regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT), while primarily working remotely to implement social distancing. If you need to contact a team member directly, all NRHA staff email addresses can be found at nrha.com/staff. General membership and processing questions should be emailed to memberships@nrha.com. For NRHA Futurity business, the Event Management team is available in the NRHA Events office at Byars from 8 am to 4:30 pm CT at 580-759-2424 or email to Cheryl@pro-management-inc.com.

Here are suggestions for what you can do to help us better assist you with your needs.

  • Use ReinerSuite™. This convenient option allows you to access information and conduct business 24/7.
  • Email us. Access to phones will be limited.
  • Avoid sending mail. With the NRHA office closed, distribution of mail among staff members will be limited. Especially avoid sending time-sensitive transactions (This does not impact NRHA Futurity payments which should be sent to ProManagement: 13181 US Highway 177, Byars, OK 74831).
  • Go digital. Download digital membership cards and competition licenses from your ReinerSuite account.

To log in to ReinerSuite, click here. For first-time users, scroll to the bottom of the ReinerSuite page for registration instructions.

For the most up-to-date information from NRHA, follow us on Facebook, and check nrha.com regularly.

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NRHA Announces Judge’s Rating System

For Immediate Release – March 5, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – During the 2020 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) winter meeting, members learned about a new judge’s rating system that’ll be used on a trial basis during 2020. The rating system aims to serve as a guideline for show management in regard to hiring judges.

The proposed system will rate judges from high to low on the following scale: AAA, AA, and A. The ratings will be generated from seven areas of criteria: years of judging, number of shows judged, number of major events judged, lifetime earnings (LTE), personal conduct, ability as a horseman, and performance at judging schools.

“During my first year as chair of the NRHA Judges Committee, I asked everyone what their number one priority was and they all agreed it was developing a rating system for judges,” said Mike McEntire, former Judges Committee chair and NRHA Professional. “There are several reasons we needed this rating system, but one of those is to give show committees a better idea of who they are hiring.”

Many shows already have a preference for who they hire, but what if that pool of candidates got a bit bigger? Higher-ranking judges—AAA—are typically hired for events such as the National Reining Breeder’s Classic (NRBC) or the NRHA Futurity. NRHA hopes the rating system will provide judges with more opportunities to work in the industry.

“The biggest thing we want to do is know who the judges are and track their work better,” McEntire added. “With the rating system, we feel like we can do that better and be able to educate the judges. We’ve had a lot of A judges that get their card but don’t get any work. Hopefully, with this program, the show’s management can look at the list and use the A and AA judges more. We are also hoping that we can pair our AAA judges with our AA and As to get them more experience.”

Since 2020 is a trial period for the rating system, judges will be re-evaluated at the beginning of 2021. For a complete list of judges by rating, visit nrha.com/judges.

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Kyle Zanetti Trailers Joins NRHA as a Trailer Sponsor

For Immediate Release – March 4, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) is proud to welcome Kyle Zanetti Trailers of Weatherford, Texas, as an NRHA Corporate Partner. The family-owned trailer manufacturing and repair company provides high-quality products and top-notch customer service to the equine industry.

Zanetti joins the association in 2020 as the official trailer of NRHA. They will sponsor the trailers awarded during the NRHA Derby and NRHA Futurity. Both the Level 4 (L4) Non Pro and Open champions will drive away with their very own Kyle Zanetti Trailer to use for 365 days.

With over 25 years of experience, Zanetti specializes in all things trailers: repairs, consignments, rebuilds, and custom manufacturing. Customers can rest assured they are driving away with a superior product from Zanetti. As a one-stop-shop, there is no need to go anywhere but Zanetti.

“It’s an honor and privilege to partner with a great association such as NRHA,” said owner and founder Kyle Zanetti. “We’re committed to providing a safe mode of transportation for these amazing equine athletes. Whether we build a custom trailer, customize your current trailer, or keep up with your routine maintenance, Kyle Zanetti Trailers is your one-stop trailer shop.”

This sponsorship arrives just in time for 2020 NRHA Derby presented by Markel as competitors get excited about the Oklahoma City event coming up in June. Horse-and-rider combinations from across the nation, and around the globe, will vie for the right to use the elite trailers provided by Kyle Zanetti and his family.

“Kyle Zanetti Trailers is in the business of manufacturing the best custom trailers within the reining industry,” said Sammi Miller, senior director of corporate relations & communications at NRHA. Developing a partnership with a dedicated industry builder like Kyle Zanetti Trailers is a positive move for NRHA events and our members.”

Stop by the Kyle Zanetti Trailers shop in Weatherford, Texas, to make your trailer dreams a reality. Learn more about Zanetti by visiting their website at kylezanettitrailers.com.