Category: Derby

The wait is over, and the Non Pro finalists for the 2023 edition of the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel have been decided. Over three days, the field of 306 Non Pro entries was whittled down to the crème de le crème who get to compete in Friday’s clean slate finals.

To put it mildly, the preliminary round was the Gina Schumacher Show. The NRHA Million Dollar Rider not only qualified all three of her entries back to the Level 4 Non Pro Finals, but she also finished in the top three spots of the preliminary round.

Schumacher topped the round on CS Sailing Gun (Gunners Enterprise x La Bigia Sailor), nominated by CS Ranch Management, and took second on Legendary Whizkey (Whizkey N Diamonds x Legends Lil Squeeze), nominated by Steven Simon. Schumacher rounded out the top three with Gunin Addy Tude (Gunnatrashya x Miss Lil Addy Tude), nominated by Toyon Ranch.

Still, she didn’t stop there, also topping the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Non Pro Derby on CS Nifty Sailor (Gotta Nifty Gun x La Bigia Sailor), nominated by CS Ranch Management. The pair also finished in the Top 5 of the Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes.

Schumacher will compete again on Friday in the clean-slate Finals with the rest of the top 30 from the Non Pro Level 4. Also earning a spot in the Finals will be the top 30 in Non Pro Levels 3-1, the top 20 in the Prime Time Non Pro and Youth Non Pro, and the top 15 in the Masters Non Pro.

For the first time ever, the Level 4 Non Pro Champion will be presented with a check for $50,000 – up from $30,000 in 2022. The other division payouts are as follows:

Level 3 – $20,000

Level 2 – $15,000

Level 1 – $5,000

Prime Time – $5,000

Masters – $2,000

Youth – $2,000

According to NRHA Chief Financial Officer John Foy, the purses for Non Pro Derby Levels 1-4 are, as with the Open, record-breakers for the second year in a row. “It’s back-to-back years of record-breaking purses for those levels, which is cool to see,” he shared. “The other nugget that is great to see is that the combined total added money for both the Open and Non Pro Levels 1-4 exceeded $700,000 for the first time. This year the added money is $720,844, up from $679108 in 2022.”

Unofficially, the scores needed to advance to the Finals are:

Level 4 – 215

Level 3 – 214

Level 2 – 213.5

Level 1 – 209.5

Prime Time – 213.5 (includes handicap)

Masters – 210.5 (includes handicap)

Youth – 209

Winning each division of the Non Pro preliminary round are:

Level 4 – Gina-Maria Schumacher & CS Sailing Gun – 221
Gunners Enterprise x La Bigia Sailor
Nominated by CS Ranch Management, owned by XCS Ranch LLC

Level 3 – Samantha Kapu & Chics Get The Chex – 218Magnum Chic Dream x Big Gold Chex
Bred and Nominated by Casey Hinton, Owned by Samantha Kapu

Level 3, Level 2, & Youth – Rita Clausen & Xtra Kiss Me Again – 218
Boom Shernic x SS Kiss Me Kate
Bred and Nominated by Silver Spurs Equine, Owned by Clay Clausen

Level 1 & Prime Time – Paul Queen & Makendiamonds – 216.5 (219.5 with handicap)
Whizkey N Diamonds x Makeit In Tinseltown
Bred by CDR Farms, Nominated by Carrie Rhodes, Owned by Dorothy Queen

Masters – Jose Vazquez & Snow Guns Last Dream – 218.5
Magnum Chic Dream x Snow Gun
Bred by Andre De Bellefeuille, Nominated by Equine Plus, Owned by Smart Like Juice Inc.

While the preliminary round determined the finalists for Friday, it also determined the champions of the Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes, the Story Book Stables Amateur, the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Non Pro Derby, and the American Paint Horse Association Chrome Cash. Those awards were presented following the preliminary round. The winners of those divisions are:

Story Book Stables Amateur – Samantha Kapu & Chics Get The Chex – 218
 Magnum Chic Dream x Big Gold Chex
 Bred and Nominated by Casey Hinton, Owned by Samantha Kapu

Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Non Pro Derby – Gina Schumacher & CS Nifty Sailor – 217.5
Gotta Nifty Gun x La Bigia Sailor
Nominated by CS Ranch Management, Owned by XCS Ranch LLC

Colston Paving, Inc. Non Pro Stakes – Molly Morgenstern & Aphrodites Gotvoodoo
Shiners Voodoo Dr x One Mighty Aphtodite
Bred and Nominated by Double Run Farm, Owned by Molly Morgenstern

Colston Paving, Inc. Non Pro Stakes & APHA Chrome Cash –  Jose Vazquez & Snow Guns Last Dream
Magnum Chic Dream x Snow Gun
Bred by Andre De Bellefeuille, Nominated by Equine Plus, Owned by Smart Like Juice Inc.

The Non Pro Finals will be held Friday, June 23, beginning at 9 a.m. For complete results and other information, visit NRHADerby.com.

Three days of action-packed competition drew to a close Wednesday at the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel. Not only were the Finalists for the Non Pro Derby determined, the champions of the Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes, the Story Book Stables Amateur, the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Non Pro Derby, and the American Paint Horse Association Chrome Cash Incentive were crowned.

Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes Co-Champion – Molly Morgenstern & Aphrodites Gotvoodoo

Molly Morgenstern and Aphrodites Gotvoodoo were Co-Champions in the Colston Paving Inc. Non-Pro Stakes with a 218.5, earning a check for $10,641.

“I kind of just wanted to press around and see what I had waiting for me,” Morgenstern explained. “Every place in the pen that I checked on her, she was right there and asking me what was next.”

Aphrodites Gotvoodoo, or “Marie,” as she’s known around the barn, was bred and nominated by Double Run Farm. The mare is by NRHA Three Million Dollar Sire Shiners Voodoo Dr and out of One Mighty Aphrodite.

“She has just been a little dynamo,” Morgenstern explained. “She’s very small but has one of the biggest hearts of all the horses that I’ve ever had the chance to show.”

Morgenstern was very excited to be part of this 4-year-old stakes event. “With a four-year-old, you think you kind of know what you’re bringing into the show, but they’re certainly not as mature and as dependable as your older guys,” she said.

Morgenstern and Marie are headed into the Non Pro Finals on Friday, June 23. Morgenstern thanked Peter DeFreitas for matching her up with Marie, her friends and family for their support, and Colston Paving for sponsoring the Non Pro Stakes.

Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes Co-Champion – Jose Vazquez & Snow Guns Last Dream

When NRHA Seven Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida suggested Jose Vazquez buy a 4-year-old reiner named Snow Guns Last Dream, Vazquez didn’t hesitate.

That’s because the two NRHA Hall of Famers have teamed up successfully many times before.

“Shawn trained this horse and has trained a bunch for me in the past, including ones I won with at NRBC and here,” Vazquez shared. “He knows what I ride and what I need.”

It appears Flarida was correct, as Vazquez, an NRHA Million Dollar Rider, and Snow Guns Last Dream teamed up to mark a 218.5 in the Non Pro preliminary round of the Derby. That high score not only guaranteed them a spot in the Finals, where the Level 4 Champion will win a guaranteed $50,000, but it also secured the Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes Co-Championship, worth an impressive $10,641.

“I’m excited and happy right now,” Vazquez said. “Thank you to the Colstons. What they have done by sponsoring this class is unbelievable, and I hope it continues. Without sponsors like them, the shows wouldn’t be what they are now.”

Snow Guns Last Dream is by NRHA Nine Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream and out of Snow Gun. The 4-year-old gelding was bred by NRHA Million Dollar Owner Andre De Bellefeuille and nominated by Equine Plus.

Flarida trained and showed the flashy gelding, and Vazquez purchased the colt just before the NRBC. For those knowledgeable in the reining industry, it’s a bit of a shock seeing Vazquez compete on a horse that’s unrelated to his NRHA Four Million Dollar Smart Like Juice.

“You can count on one hand the horses I’ve ridden that aren’t related to Juice, but when Shawn talked to me about this horse, there was no way I could pass up the opportunity,” he explained.

Vazquez, who has been in the reining industry for more than 25 years, added, “I have a lot of good people who pick me up, and many who have been with me a long time. Winning is a team effort. Without the team and your family, this is not possible.”

Story Book Stables Amateur Champion – Samantha Kapu & Chics Get The Chex

Samantha Kapu and Chics Get The Chex, a 2018 stallion with lifetime earnings of $15,691, won the Story Book Stables Amateur class with a score of 218, adding to this LTE by $5,533.

After finishing up at the NRHA Derby, Kapu plans to give Chics Get The Chex some time off while she works on nurse practitioner school until she shows him at the High Roller in Las Vegas.

Chics Get The Chex is by NRHA Nine Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream and out of Big Gold Chex. He was bred and nominated by Garth Hystad.

“Thank you to my mom, my husband, all my family, and my trainer,” Kapu said, smiling proudly.

Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Non Pro Novice Horse Derby Champion – Gina Schumacher & CS Nifty Sailor

Gina Schumacher and CS Nifty Sailor won the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Non Pro Derby with a score of 217.5. The duo also finished in the top five of the Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes, bringing their total earnings from the preliminary round to $9,521.

CS Nifty Sailor is a 2019 stallion by Gotta Nifty Gun and out of La Bilgia, owned by XCS Ranch. The lines for CS Nifty Sailor have stayed in Schumacher’s family for several generations, making it even more special for her that she was able to bring this gelding to the NRHA Derby.

“I just want all of our homegrown horses to do well, and this one was even more exciting to me because of how special he is,” Schumacher said.

In addition to her win on CS Nifty Sailor, the NRHA Million Dollar Rider qualified all three of her Level 4 entries back to the Non Pro Finals and finished in the top three spots of the preliminary round.

Schumacher topped the round on CS Sailing Gun (Gunners Enterprise x La Bigia Sailor), nominated by CS Ranch Management, and took second on Legendary Whizkey (Whizkey N Diamonds x Legends Lil Squeeze), nominated by Steven Simon. Schumacher rounded out the top three with Gunin Addy Tude (Gunnatrashya x Miss Lil Addy Tude), nominated by Toyon Ranch.

Schumacher took the time to thank everyone working on the show for their work in making the derby possible.

The 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel continues through Sunday, June 25. Find draws, results, and more at NRHADerby.com.

The Non Pro preliminary round of the 2023 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel continued today, with 104 exhibitors competing for their spot in the finals.

The top 30 in the Non Pro Levels 4-1, the top 20 in the Prime Time Non Pro and Youth Non Pro, and the top 15 in the Masters Non Pro will advance to the clean-slate finals on Friday, June 23, in the Jim Norick Arena.

The draw for the finals will take place during the Platinum Performance Non Pro Draw and Welcome Party on Wednesday, June 21, at 6:30 p.m. in the Centennial Building. This welcome party also features Reiners Rope, a fundraiser that benefits the Reining Horse Foundation Dale Wilkinson Memorial Crisis Fund.

The preliminary round determines who will compete in the clean-slate finals on Friday, June 23, and decides the champions of the $15,000-added Story Book Stables Amateur, the $10,000-added Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Non Pro Novice Horse Derby, the $50,000-added Colston Paving, Inc. Non Pro Stakes, and the American Paint Horse Association Non Pro Chrome Cash.

Beginning in 2023, the added money in already-lucrative Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes is added to by NRHA, increasing from $20,000 to an incredible $50,000!

The current high scores across the many divisions of the Non Pro preliminaries are:

Level 4 – Gina-Maria Schumacher & CS Sailing Gun – 221
Gunners Enterprise x La Bigia Sailor
Nominated by CS Ranch Management, owned by XCS Ranch LLC

Level 3 – Samantha Kapu & Chics Get The Chex – 218
Magnum Chic Dream x Big Gold Chex
Bred and Nominated by Casey Hinton, Owned by Samantha Kapu

Level 3, Level 2, & Youth – Rita Clausen & Xtra Kiss Me Again – 218
Boom Shernic x SS Kiss Me Kate
Bred and Nominated by Silver Spurs Equine, Owned by Clay Clausen

Level 1 – Lindsay Baar & Light Me Up Joe – 216
Lil Joe Cash x Light Attack
Bred and Nominated by Devin Warren, Owned by Lorri Petersen

Level 1 – Allana Vernon & Moonshiine – 216
Shine Chic Shine x Lena Dun It
Bred and Nominated by Stacey Huska, Owned by White River Ag Products Inc

Level 1 & Prime Time – Dana Pastorino & Hesa Rockin Whiz – 216 (219 with handicap)
Topsail Whiz x A Bueno Poco Dunit
Bred & Nominated by Roxanne Koepsell, Owned by Pastorino Hay & Ranch Supply, Inc

Masters – Jose Vazquez & Snow Guns Last Dream – 218.5
Magnum Chic Dream x Snow Gun
Bred by Andre De Bellefeuille, Nominated by Equine Plus, Owned by Smart Like Juice Inc.

Currently leading the Story Book Stables Amateur, the Colston Paving, Inc. Non Pro Stakes, and the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Non Pro Derby, which will be awarded following the second section of the preliminary round on Wednesday, are:

Story Book Stables Amateur – Samantha Kapu & Chics Get The Chex – 218
Magnum Chic Dream x Big Gold Chex
Bred and Nominated by Casey Hinton, Owned by Samantha Kapu

Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Non Pro Derby – Gina Schumacher & CS Nifty Sailor – 217.5
Gotta Nifty Gun x La Bigia Sailor
Nominated by CS Ranch Management, Owned by XCS Ranch LLC

Colston Paving, Inc. Non Pro Stakes – Molly Morgenstern & Aphrodites Gotvoodoo

Shiners Voodoo Dr x One Mighty Aphtodite
Bred and Nominated by Double Run Farm, Owned by Molly Morgenstern

Colston Paving, Inc. Non Pro Stakes & APHA Chrome Cash –  Jose Vazquez & Snow Guns Last Dream
Magnum Chic Dream x Snow Gun
Bred by Andre De Bellefeuille, Nominated by Equine Plus, Owned by Smart Like Juice Inc.

The Non Pro preliminary competition continues Tuesday. For complete results and other information, visit NRHADerby.com.

Photo courtesy of Chelsea Schneider Media.

The horse show action continued in the Adequan® Arena at the National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel. There were 64 entries in the Novice Horse Non Pro classes spread across three levels. In the end, Alicia Rapp and Brogan Hill took home the wins.

Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 & Level 2 (1) Champion – Alicia Rapp & CS Just Viintage

Alicia Rapp and CS Just Viintage, a 2019 mare, won the first slate of the Level 1 and Level 2 Novice Horse Non Pro at the 6666 Ranch NRHA Derby presented by Markel.

CS Just Viintage, or “Missy” as she’s known around the barn, was bred by XCS Ranch and is by Platinum Vintage and out of Snow Town. Rapp and Missy are a relatively new team- the mare joined Rapp’s family shortly before the 2022 NRHA Futurity.

“She has, so far, been the funnest show horse I have,” Rapp explained. “She really is happy about her job. She goes around with her ears forward and is very princess-like.”

Up next for Rapp and Missy is the second slate of the Novice Horse Non Pro, followed by the All Star Reining Stakes at WEC Ocala in July.

Novice Horse Non Pro Level 3 (1) Champion – Brogan Hill & Quik Draw McGraw

Brogan Hill and Quik Draw McGraw, a 2016 gelding, won the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 3 (1) with a score of 143.5.

Quik Draw McGraw is by HF Mobster and out of Nestle Quik Chic and has over $35,000 in lifetime earnings. Hill has been riding him for several years, earning accolades in the NRHA and a spot on the Fresno University Equestrian Team.

“This horse is just my best friend,” Hill said affectionately.

Hill thanked her parents for making wins like this possible and NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider Casey Deary for matching her with this horse.

Ancillary action continues Wednesday with the first slate of the NRHA Novice Horse Open classes. A complete schedule, results, link to the live webcast, and more can be found at NRHADerby.com.

The Non Pro preliminary round of the 2023 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel kicked off on Monday, June 19. Over three days of competition, the 306-entry class will be whittled down. The Top 30 in the Non Pro Levels 4-1, the top 20 in the Prime Time Non Pro and Youth Non Pro, and the top 15 in the Masters Non Pro will advance to the clean-slate finals on Friday.

The draw for the finals will be decided during the Platinum Performance Non Pro Draw and Welcome Party on Wednesday evening, now held at the Centennial Building to accommodate the expected crowd. This welcome party also features Reiners Rope, a fundraiser that benefits the Reining Horse Foundation Dale Wilkinson Memorial Crisis Fund.

The preliminary round not only determines who will compete in the clean-slate finals on Friday, June 23, it also decides the champions of the $15,000-added Story Book Stables Amateur, the $10,000-added Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Non Pro Novice Horse Derby, the $50,000-added Colston Paving, Inc. Non Pro Stakes, and the American Paint Horse Association Non Pro Chrome Cash. 

As with the Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes, the Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes was quickly embraced, and in 2023, the NRHA supplemented the added money for the event, elevating from an already impressive $20,000 to $50,000!

The current high scores across the many divisions of the Non Pro preliminaries are:

Level 4, Prime Time, Masters – Jose Vazquez & Snow Guns Last Dream – 218.5
Magnum Chic Dream x Snow Gun
Bred by Andre De Bellefeuille, Nominated by Equine Plus, Owned by Smart Like Juice Inc.

Level 3 – Samantha Kapu & Chics Get The Chex – 218
Magnum Chic Dream x Big Gold Chex
Bred and Nominated by Casey Hinton, Owned by Samantha Kapu

Level 2 – Don Bell & Makin A Little Trash – 217
Gunnatrashya x Xtra Voodoo Dora
Bred and Nominated by Kathy Loudamy, Owned by Joetta Bell

Level 1 – Lindsay Baar & Light Me Up Joe – 216
Lil Joe Cash x Light Attack
Bred and Nominated by Devin Warren, Owned by Lorri Petersen

Youth – Mason McDowell & Xtra Fugged About It – 212.5
HF Mobster x Lenas Whizabelle
Bred and Nominated by Silver Spurs Equine, Owned by Mason McDowell

Currently leading the Story Book Stables Amateur, the Colston Paving, Inc. Non Pro Stakes, and the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Non Pro Derby, which will be awarded following the second section of the preliminary round on Wednesday, are:

Story Book Stables Amateur – Samantha Kapu & Chics Get The Chex – 218
Magnum Chic Dream x Big Gold Chex
Bred and Nominated by Casey Hinton, Owned by Samantha Kapu

Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Non Pro Derby – Gina Schumacher & CS Nifty Sailor – 217.5
Gotta Nifty Gun x La Bigia Sailor
Nominated by CS Ranch Management, Owned by XCS Ranch LLC

Colston Paving, Inc. Non Pro Stakes & APHA Chrome Cash –  Jose Vazquez & Snow Guns Last Dream
Magnum Chic Dream x Snow Gun
Bred by Andre De Bellefeuille, Nominated by Equine Plus, Owned by Smart Like Juice Inc.

The Non Pro preliminary competition continues Tuesday. For complete results and other information, visit NRHADerby.com.