Category: Events

On December 1, 2021, reining enthusiasts will come together for Sliders’ Night Out presented by Toyon Ranch. The event, which regularly draws more than 400 attendees, is the Reining Horse Foundation’s largest annual fundraiser.  The celebration is held during the National Reining Horse Association Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships. The 2020 event was cancelled, so the night of philanthropy and celebration is one many in the industry are eagerly looking forward to.

A highlight of the 2021 soiree will be the annual live auction, which is limited to a select group of items. This year’s donations are:

• A John Deere TS Gator donated by Equine Discounts.
  • The John Deere TS 4×2 Utility Vehicle features cushioned bucket seating, a 12-v outlet, and a large, durable cargo box for heavy hauling.
• A private clinic for eight people in 2022 with NRHA Professional and former NRHA Professional of the Year Mirjam Stillo.
  • The clinic will be held at the privately-owned Ranchos Los Vaqueros in Pilot Point, Texas. The clinic includes lunch and post-clinic cocktails in the welcoming event space. Hosted and made possible by Mirjam Stillo Performance Horses, Nancy and John Tague of Toyon Ranch and Debbie and Gary Conway of Ranchos Los Vaqueros.
• A custom-made, handcrafted 18K gold pendant from MS Diamonds TX.
  • NRHA Corporate Partner MS Diamonds TX will create a custom 18K gold pendant set with 1ct GVS quality diamonds complete with the winner’s logo.
• A 2022 embryo for Wind Her Up Chic, donated by NRHA Corporate Partners Tim Anderson and Kim Niven.
  • Wind Her Up Chic (Smart Chic Olena x Wind Her Up Doc) is a former NRHA Futurity, NRHA Derby, and National Reining Breeders Classic Open finalist with lifetime earnings exceeding $100,000. Embryos for Wind Her Up Chic, who holds the 16^th spot on the NRHA Lifetime Producers List, are not available publicly outside of the Sliders’ Night Out Live Auction.

“The proceeds raised from this event and through the RHF benefit our members in a variety of ways, including the Dale Wilkinson Memorial Crisis Fund, youth scholarships, supporting our Hall of Fame, and more,” Clark shared. “Every dollar donated, whether it’s a big donation or small, adds up and makes a difference. The RHF just keeps growing every day, and I, and the rest of the RHF Board, are thankful for every donor. This is our 20^th anniversary, and the RHF is at a level we dreamed of when it started. We have great leaders with a great vision, and I am proud to be a part of it.”

New in 2021, Sliders’ Night Out will offer live, online bidding powered by Auction Mobility, the same platform that will be used for this year’s NRHA Markel Futurity Sales on December 2. To view the Slider’s Night Out Auction, go to auctions.nrha.com, or download the new NRHA Sales App. Proxy and absentee bidding is also available, and those interested can contact RHF Executive Director Leslie Baker.

In addition to the Live Auction, there will be a pledge auction where everyone in attendance is welcome to contribute to the RHF. Unrestricted gifts of $100 or more will receive donor recognition in the Reiners Club.

Hosted by the RHF, the event will honor and recognize the NRHA Hall of Fame inductees as well as the recipients of the NRHA Dale Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2020 and 2021. “We are excited to formally welcome 2020 Hall of Fame inductees Sally Brown and Jerry Kimmel, and the 2021 inductees Doug Carpenter and Jose Vazquez,” said Rick Clark, NRHA President and RHF Development Chairperson. “We will also recognize Mike Carrier and Charles Vaughan, who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2020 and 2021. These are well-deserved honors, and we are excited to celebrate each of these individuals.”

The RHF, which serves as the charitable arm of the NRHA. Through major underwriters and Hall of Fame table hosts, dollars are raised in support of the RHF mission of caring for and honoring the reining community.

Donors of every level are important. They come from individuals, corporations, ranches, training barns, foundations and groups of reiners joining forces to support the event. Baker said a limited number of tables and seats remain available for the event and encourages anyone wanting to attend, to act quickly.

Advance reservations are encouraged to ensure a chance to be in attendance at Sliders’ Night Out and enjoy the chef-prepared dinner and celebration. Individual tickets are available.

To make reservations, contact Leslie Baker, RHF, (405) 946-7400, ext. 106 or email rhf@nrha.com.

Catalogs for the 2021 National Reining Horse Association Markel Futurity Sales are arriving in mailboxes around the globe, while many reining enthusiasts have already begun perusing the consignments through the Sale’s new website and mobile app.

Regardless of how people choose to do their research, it’s clear that the quality of horsepower consigned this year, slated for December 2 at the NRHA Futurity, is high as ever.

Twenty-six NRHA Million Dollar or higher stallions account for 122 foals in the sale, including all three NRHA $12 Million Sires (Wimpys Little Step – 2, Gunner – 8, and Topsail Whiz – 3).

There have only been three stallions to win all three major NRHA events – the Futurity, the Derby, and the National Reining Breeders Classic. Two of those three, A Vintage Smoke* and Not Ruf At All, each have a foal in the sale, while Spooks Gotta Whiz* has 12.

The stallion most represented in this year’s NRHA Markel Futurity Sales is NRHA $5 Million Sire Gunnatrashya, with 22.

The mare power is equally impressive. NRHA Million Dollar Dam Princess In Diamonds has one foal in the Sales, as does All Ruffed Up, dam of NRHA Million Dollar Sire Not Ruf At All.

Ebony Spook, dam of the second and third high sellers for the 2020 Select Yearling Sale (Vintage Ebony and Spook Electric), has the most foals in this year’s Sales, with six.

Cremes Chic Olena, dam of the 2019 Marketplace Sale High Seller Xtra Half N Half, has two foals consigned to this year’s Sales, while Unquestionably Crome, dam of 2019 Select Yearling High Seller Inferno On Ice, has one.

Other notable dams include Gunnersspecialsister (full sibling to NRHA $4 Million Sire Gunners Special Nite), Icing Required (dam of Run For A Million Co-Champion No Smoking Required), and Mifs Doll (dam of NRHA $4 Million Sire Gunners Special Nite).

Prior to the four regular Sales, 11 breedings to great stallions will be auctioned to benefit the National Reining Horse Youth Association. That stallion lineup includes Colonels Shining Gun, Dun It For Whizkey, Gunner Dun It Again, Hey Joe, Inferno Sixty Six, No Smoking Required, Patriot, PS Mega Shine Chic, Spooks Gotta Spark, Tinker With Dreams, and What A Wave.

The Sales will continue with the all-on-one-day concept begun in 2020, so all the Markel Futurity Sales will be held on Thursday, December 2. Also, the two-year-old preview opportunities have been modified and expanded into two-hour sessions in Arena 6 held on November 30 and December 1 at the conclusion of each day’s Futurity Semi-Finals.

The Sales will also return to Barns 3 and 4, where they have been traditionally held, and will begin at 10 a.m. December 2 with the Futurity Prospect Sale, followed by the Elite Yearling Sale and the Preferred Breeders Sale. The Premier Sale will finish out the day.

*Includes Covering Sire

Researching, bidding, and buying a horse at the National Reining Horse Association Markel Futurity Sales just got easier. The Futurity Sales Task Force has unveiled a new and interactive website and app for the Sales, which are slated for December 2 at the NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla.

The new website will also streamline the online bidding process. Instead of several steps across different platforms, everything – from registering to credit card authorization to bidding – will all be done through the new site at auctions.nrha.com.

The NRHA Markel Futurity Sales will also be live-streamed on the new site, and there is are plenty of new features to make researching and sharing favorite horses simpler.

“I think my favorite feature of the new website and app is that the horses’ photos, videos, and pedigree are all on one page. This makes it quick and easy for buyers to see all the information easily on their phone, tablet or computer,” noted NRHA Senior Manager of ReinerSuite and Futurity Sales. “My other favorite feature is the app for your phone. Most people always have a phone handy. The app makes it easy to look at sale horses on the phone or bring up a horse quickly to show it to someone else.”

The website and app boast cool features such as push notifications, the ability to mark favorite horses, and more. “For example, if a buyer ‘watches’ a lot, it will notify them five lots before it sells so they don’t miss it. It makes it quick and easy to buy online,” Honeywell shared.

Honeywell noted that the new website and app are just the latest changes made by the Futurity Sales Task Force to continue upping the game and maintain the Sales’ position as the preeminent sale for reining horses. “The feedback from our consignors has been incredible. They are excited about the increased marketing potential the new platform offers,” she said.

Registration is simple.

1. Visit the website at auctions.nrha.com
2. Click “Login,” which can be found at the top of the page.
3. Registered users can then enter their username and password. New users will have to click the “Sign Up Now” link.
4. Fill in your personal information.

Registering to bid is equally simple.

1. Login to your account.
2. Click “Register to Bid.”
3. Fill in your information and a credit card for verification. The credit card will be authorized for $5,000, but the card will not be charged. Online buyers will be contacted after the sale to see how they want to pay; the card will not be automatically charged.

Honeywell strongly urges all prospective buyers to complete the registration process early, including credit card preauthorization. “We do suggest doing this prior to the Sales in case buyers have any issues we need to help them with. Of course, people can just register by supplying their name and email address to start watching the horses,” she said.

To view the consigned horses, visit auctions.nrha.com

Find the NRHA Futurity Sales app on the App Store or Google Play.

Join the NRHA Markel Futurity Sales Facebook group for Sale Horse previews and the latest news.

For Immediate Release – October 15, 2021 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Even if you are away from home during the NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show, enjoy a meal with your reining family at the Thanksgiving Buffet hosted by the Reining Horse Foundation. The buffet is offered Thanksgiving Day, November 25, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Sale Arena at State Fair Park.

Over the past decade, exhibitors have come to appreciate the meal as a relaxing way to mark the holiday without leaving State Fair Park or searching for other dining options. The delicious buffet prepared by Impact Catering features traditional Thanksgiving dishes like turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables and two flavors of pie—pumpkin and pecan. The turkey carving station is back!

The Reining Horse Foundation, the charitable arm of the National Reining Horse Association, hosts the event to provide goodwill to the reining community. Donors to the Foundation’s annual fund, the Reiners Club, can receive complimentary meals at the Contributor, Partner and Champion levels of $1,000 and above.

Futurity participants and trade show vendors are encouraged to make advance reservations on or before November 24 to take advantage of the lowest pricing: $35 per adult, $14 for children 5-12; and free for ages 4-and-under. The Reining Horse Foundation underwrites children’s meals to encourage families to keep the holiday tradition of dining together.

New in 2021, pay for the event online when making advance reservations.

Reserve your tickets now at nrhafuturity.com/events.

Advance reservations for this event help make sure there is enough food and seating. Walk-up pricing increases to $55 per adult and $20 each for children 5-12.

Excitement for The Run For A Million presented by Teton Ridge is growing, and while the high-stakes event is drawing reining enthusiasts from around the globe to Las Vegas, it’s also sparked a philanthropic push.

Recently the Reining Horse Foundation, the charitable arm of the National Reining Horse Association, and TRFAM event management announced the creation of the Raise A Million Auctions to Benefit the Reining Community. Donations for incredible items – ranging from a breeding to 2019 TRFAM Co-Champion No Smoking Required to awe-inspiring jewelry – flowed in, and expectations are high for the event, which will feature live and silent auctions.

Then a generous group of donors elected to up the ante even more.

“A group of donors stepped forward to contribute funds to match the first $15,000 raised through the auctions, and gifts were pledged from $500 to $2,500,” noted RHF Executive Director Leslie Baker. “We have the best odds in Vegas because the auction is already a winner from the start.”

Baker added that, as more RHF supporters heard of the pledge, more donations rolled in, and currently there is $16,500 pledged.

“These are unrestricted gifts, and all will be accordingly recognized through the RHF Reiners Club. If someone wants to contribute to growing the match even more, that’s possible,” Baker said, noting that the best way to reach her during the event is by calling 405-946-7400 ext. 106, or e-mailing rhf@nrha.com.

Current Donors Include:  
$2,500
Tim Anderson & Kim Niven
Rick Clark
Jennifer Greenleaf
John & Nancy Tague
Jamie Walters

$500
Gary & Marian Carpenter
John & Dawn Foy
John & Terri Mainey
Santa Hill Ranch
Andrea & Mirjam Stillo
Frank & Susan Costantini
Pro Management Inc./Cheryl Cody
Joe & Emmy Wolfe

While both the Live and Silent Raise A Million Auctions will be open to in-person bidding only, Baker and the RHF team offer a proxy bid service. That way, even if a person is unable to travel to Las Vegas, they can still participate from afar. A link to the proxy bid form can be found here.

The Live Auction will be held Friday, August 20, at 3 p.m. at the start of the Million Dollar Draw Party.

The Silent Auction, featuring approximately three dozen quality items, will be set up near the VIP Pavilion inside the South Point Arena, beginning Wednesday, August 18. It will wrap up at 4 p.m. Saturday, August 21, just prior to the million-dollar competition.

For the most up-to-date list of donated items, visit ReiningFoundation.com/auctions.

“Thank you to TRFAM Show Manager Amanda Brumley for facilitating The Run For A Million Auctions, which sparked the idea for donor matching from some incredible benefactors,” Baker said. “We look forward to the auctions and are excited about the positive impact the funds raised will have on our reining community.” 

The mission of the Reining Horse Foundation is to care for and honor the reining community. Core programs include the Dale Wilkinson Memorial Crisis Fund to benefit reiners enduring hardships such as major illness, accidents and disasters; youth leadership development and scholarships for members of the National Reining Horse Youth Association; and perpetuation of the sport’s history through the NRHA Hall of Fame. For more information about the Reining Horse Foundation, visit ReiningFoundation.com.

Hosted by the prestigious South Point Arena and Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, the 2021 The Run For A Million presented by Teton Ridge takes place August 18 through 21. Fifteen riders, including some of the most accomplished NRHA Professionals in the history of reining, will compete for a purse of $1,000,000. In addition to the Million Dollar Competition, The Run For A Million event also includes the $150,000 Teton Ridge Invitational Fence Work Challenge; $100,000 Platinum Performance Open Shoot Out; $50,000 Farnam Invitational Freestyle; $50,000 Non Pro Championships; and Bloomer Trailers Rookie Championships.

Performances can be watched live at horseshowglobal.com. For more information, go to the event’s website or contact brumleyevents@gmail.com.