Shawn Flarida and Shiner On My Eye Slide to Top of NRHA Futurity Open Prelims

The field has been narrowed, and the scene is set for the 2021 National Reining Horse Association Futurity Open finals, to be held Saturday, Dec. 4. More than 396 entries have been whittled down to the cream of the crop, and it’s almost time to see who will come out on top.

The Open first go took place Nov. 25-27, and the top horses from each level advanced to the semi-finals. Levels 3, 2 and 1 went through the pen on Tuesday, Nov. 30, and on Wednesday, the L4 Open semi-finals, presented by Not Ruf At All, featured the top 75 horses, plus ties. From there, the top 30 competitors (plus ties) with the highest composite scores in L4-1, plus the top 10 in the Prime Time, advanced to the clean-slate Finals.

This year, the Level 4 Open exhibitors will be competing for a record-breaking $350,000 during the MS Diamonds TX L4 Open Futurity Finals — the largest limited-age event championship check in the Western performance horse industry. The Reserve Champion will still win a guaranteed $150,000, and third place will bank $100,000. Those places make up a large chunk of the NRHA Futurity’s $2,000,000 purse, made available thanks in large part to NRHA Futurity Challenge sponsors and the NRHA nomination program.

Topping the L4 semi-finals and securing their spot in the finals with a composite 445.5 were NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida and Shiner On My Eye. The duo marked a 223.5 in the first round and a 222 in the semi-finals. Shiner On My Eye, by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Shiners Voodoo Dr and out of Flashy Lil Step, is owned by NRHA Million Dollar Owner Robert Santagata. The colt was bred and nominated by Empire Ranch. Flarida and Shiner On My Eye also top the Prime Time Open.

Flarida, a five-time NRHA Futurity Champion, also took second in the L4 semi-finals on Alpha Jac Sparrow (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Chexanicki) with a 445. Alpha Jac Sparrow, owned by Fritz Leeman, was bred and nominated by Alpha Quarter Horses LLC.

In the L3 Open, Matt McDowell rode Xtra Whiz On Ice, owned by Elisha Irwin, to the highest composite, a 442. Xtra Whiz On Ice, by SG Frozen Enterprise and out of Lil Ruf Whiz Qhiz, scored a 221 in the first go and a 221 in the semi-finals. Silver Spurs Equine bred and nominated Xtra Whiz On Ice.

Jesse Beckley held the top spot in the L2 Open on Trashinyurdreams, owned by Norma Siebert. Trashinyurdreams, who was nominated by Rhodes River Ranch, was sired by NRHA Five Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya and is out of This Chicsdundreamin. The pair scored a 220 in the first go, which combined with their 220 in the semi-finals for a composite 440.

Shining Like Flinn, owned by Pastorino Hay & Ranch Supply and nominated by Mary Jansma, carried Wade McDonald to the No. 1 placing in the L1 with a 432.5 after marking a 216.5 in the first go and a 216 in the semi-finals. Shining Like Flinn is by In Like Flinn and out of Lil Shining Suzana.

The bubble needed to earn a berth in the L4 Open Finals was a 437.5. In the L3, it took a 433.5 to advance. L2 riders had to mark at least a 425.5, while in the L1, it took a 415 or more. To make the Top 10 in the Prime Time Open, riders needed to earn at least a 435.

Riders Advance from CINCH Non Pro Futurity Consolation

Although the preliminary round of the National Reining Horse Association CINCH Non Pro Futurity concluded Monday evening, riders who barely missed qualifying for the finals still had a chance to advance.

That’s because the CINCH Non Pro Futurity Consolation round gives entries that last chance needed to secure a spot in the Finals. In the consolation, the top five from each of the four Levels move on to Friday’s competition.

Ruben Pacheco Cuevas and Shiners Catrey topped the CINCH Level 4 and Level 3 Non Pro Consolation with a 216.5. Shiners Catrey is by Shiners Voodoo Dr and out of Ellie Rey Cat.

Finishing with the high score in the Level 2 Non Pro was Megan Jo Gunther and GT Dun Good (Gunners Tinseltown x Rio Dun Good) with a 212.5.

Marking the high score of the Level 1 was Calla Thomas and her horse Lilymay Cash (Lil Joe Cash x Great Red Juice) with a 210.5.

Bubble scores to advance to the CINCH Non Pro Futurity Finals on Friday, Dec. 3 from the Consolation were a 213 for the Level 4, 209.5 for the Level 3, 207 for the Level 2, and 208 for the Level 1.

Draw positions for the finals will be decided during the Platinum Performance Draw Party on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Platinum Zone.

Sarah Armenta and Morris Kulmer’s Scores Hold to Top Non Pro Ancillary Classes

Section two of the Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Prime Time Non Pro ancillary classes wrapped up Wednesday morning, and the leaders from the previous night held for the win. Sarah Armenta and Morris Kulmer each added more titles to an already successful showing.
 
Armenta, who topped the Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro on Hangin On The Line (Shine On Line x Spooks Hangten), won the Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro titles with her score of 222. She collected $1,864 from the Non Pro and another $1,270 from the Intermediate Non Pro with her Mary Jansma-bred mare.
 
After winning the NAAC Prime Time Non Pro title with NVR What A Lucky Joe (Lil Joe Cash x What A Lucky Hit), who was bred by Gary Vickrey, Kulmer’s score of 218.5 also took the Prime Time Non Pro title. He banked a check worth $232.
 
Section one of the Adequan® NAAC Toyon Ranch Rookie of the Year, which includes the prelims for the Toyon Ranch Rookie of the Year Showdown; Adequan® NAAC Rookie L2, including the prelims for the Bob’s Custom Saddles Showdown; Adequan® NAAC Rookie Prime Time; and the ancillary Rookie Level 1, Rookie Level 2 and Prime Time Rookie will take place Thursday, Dec. 2 starting at 7 a.m.
 
Complete results can be found at NRHAFuturity.com.

DeFreitas and Flinn Got Sandy Lead NRHA Futurity L3 Open Semi-Finals

The sixth day of the National Reining Horse Association Futurity wrapped up on Tuesday, Nov. 30, with the first section of the Open Semi-Finals for Levels 3, 2 and 1. The finalists for all levels of the Open will be determined during Wednesday’s Level 4 Open Semi-Finals sponsored by Not Ruf At All. The top 30 composite scores from the go-round and semi-finals, including ties, will advance to the clean-slate finals on Saturday, Dec. 4.
 
There, the Open Champion, who will be decided during the MS Diamonds TX L4 Open Finals, will be awarded a check for $350,000 – the largest in the Association’s history.
 
Holding the No. 1 spot in the L3 Open are Flinn Got Sandy and Peter DeFreitas, who had a 435 composite after marking a 216.5 in the first go and a 218.5 in the second. Flinn Got Sandy (In Like Flinn x Ritas Sandy Jo) is owned by Molly Morgenstern and was nominated by Double Run Farm.
 
Leading the L2 Open are Lil Voodoo, who is by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Shiners Voodoo Dr and out of Little Gun, and Tanner Boyes. The duo scored a 214.5 in the first go and a 219 in the second for a 433.5 composite. Lil Voodoo was nominated by Equine Plus and is owned by White River Ag Products.
 
The high score in the L1 so far belongs to Shining Like Flinn and Wade McDonald. The horse (In Like Flinn x Lil Shining Suzana), who is owned by Pastorino Hay and Ranch Supply and was nominated by Mary Jansma, marked a 216.5 in go one and a 216 in go two for a 432.5 composite.
 
The high score of today’s Prime Time Open was a 217 (with handicap), which was posted by Patrice St-Onge riding Mabnum Shining Gun (Colonel Shining Gun x Miss Magnum Pine). The pair also leads the composite with a 436.5 after scoring a 213.5 in the first go. The gelding is owned by St-Onge Reining Horses and was nominated by Marc Andre Bourbeau.
 
The L4 Open qualifiers will compete on Wednesday, Dec. 2, during the Semi-Finals, sponsored by Not Ruf At All. The top 30, plus ties, will earn a place in the MS Diamonds TX L4 Open Futurity Finals, to be held Dec. 4. There the L4 Open Champion will win $350,000 – the largest Championship payout in NRHA history.
 
For complete results, visit NRHAFuturity.com.

Armenta and Kulmer Win NRHA Adequan® NAAC Non Pro and Prime Time Championships

The 2021 National Reining Horse Association Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship continued on Tuesday, Nov. 30, with the first section of the Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Prime Time Non Pro finals. Two champions were crowned in the NAAC, while section two, consisting of the remainder of the ancillary riders, is scheduled to continue on Wednesday.

Sarah Armenta Lands NAAC Non Pro and NAAC Intermediate Non Pro Titles on Hangin On The Line

Sixty-six horses and riders ran for the NAAC Non Pro title on Tuesday, but it was Sarah Armenta on board Hangin On The Line (Shine On Line x Spooks Hangten) who bested the crowd when they scored a 222. The pair also won the NAAC Intermediate Non Pro, garnering a total check worth $8,671.

While those were impressive feats in their own rights, what made the duo’s success even sweeter was the fact that the mare is a roping horse belonging to Armenta’s family. It was only by accident that Armenta discovered “Gunny’s” talent in the reining pen.

Gunny was started by Robbie Berti as a 2-year-old, and she had a little reining training then. Unfortunately, an injury, which kept her from changing leads to the right, quickly dashed any show pen dreams. The Armentas purchased her and used her as a rope horse ever since, until one fateful day.

“One day I was bored and I didn’t want to ride my stud, so I got on her and I started turning her,” Armenta said. “She turned very fast with not even practicing at all, and I called my dad and I said, ‘Can you come up to the arena?’

“He watched me turn her each way, and I said, ‘Can I show her?’” Armenta continued. “We put her in training with Robbie Berti, and I went to my first show at Lazy E in May.”

Since then, the duo has excelled, garnering nearly $9,000. Armenta said the mare, who recovered from her original injury and has no problems changing leads, is great at all the maneuvers. The pair competed the day prior in the Novice Horse Non Pro, placing third in the NAAC and ancillary Levels 2 and 1, and taking Reserve in the Level 3.

Thanks to their win in the NAAC Intermediate Non Pro, the duo will compete again on Friday, Dec. 3, in the Bob’s Custom Saddles NAAC Intermediate Non Pro Showdown. For Armenta, qualifying for that event was the icing on the cake of a great event for the mare.

“Obviously you want to win every class you go in, but to win it on a horse like this, when no one expects a roper to go be a reiner, it’s a big deal,” Armenta said. “I cried. It was a big deal to me to win on such a cool mare.

“After we show again on Friday, we plan on sending her down the road for the NFR [National Finals Rodeo],” she added, thanking her parents, Kathleen and Lorenzo; Berti; and everybody in the barn. “We don’t know who we want to ride her yet, but that’s our goal. Then, after one year of the NFR, she’ll be turned out and have babies.”

The top 10 finishers of the Adequan® NAAC Intermediate Non Pro earn a spot in the clean-slate Bob’s Custom Saddles Intermediate Non Pro Showdown, which will be held Friday, Dec. 3. All qualifiers must check in and confirm their spot in the Showdown no later than noon on Dec. 2.
Bob’s Custom Saddles Intermediate Non Pro Showdown Qualifiers:

  • Hangin On The Line & Sarah Armenta
  • The Crowd Goes Wildd & Rebecca Asmussen           
  • Roseswhiz & Raeanna Thayn
  • Neverthoughtiwould & Tiffany Peterson
  • Magnum Starlight & Paige Vernon
  • Lil Gunin Whiz & Brooke Leneatha Whitmarsh
  • Tinker With Pistols & Abby Mills
  • Gunnadream & Abby Budd
  • North Sail Solitaire & Jade Whitmarsh
  • Lil Red Dreamer & Faith Horner

Morris Kulmer and NVR What A Lucky Joe Clinch NAAC Prime Time Non Pro

Two years ago, Morris Kulmer rode NVR What A Lucky Joe to the 2019 NAAC Prime Time Non Pro Championship with a 215. This year, he upped the ante even more with a 218.5, winning the title yet again and $1,956. While he gave a nod to his horse for being so good in the show pen, he said a lot of the credit went to his granddaughter, Alexandra, who he calls “Rosie.”

“One of my mental training coaches is my 16-year-old granddaughter,” Kulmer said. “She’s a competitive tennis player, and she tells me a lot. I generally run off a 50-amp fuse, so I’m kind of amped up, so she tells me to breathe and slow down. She asked me, ‘You expect to win, don’t you?’ I said, ‘Should I?’ She said, ‘Absolutely. If you just hope you’re going to win, that’s not going to work. You have to expect it.’ So, I take lessons from her.”

Rosie’s advice helped, as Kulmer was able to put together what he called an “OK” run — not his best, but certainly not his worst. Some parts were exceptionally good, he said, and some could have been better.

“The run-in today was really good,” Kulmer said. “The one thing about this horse, all year long, in every show he’s been in, there has not been one set of circles left or right that he didn’t get a plus from every judge he’s shown in front of. He circles as good as any horse on the grounds here.”

“Joey,” (Lil Joe Cash x What A Lucky Hit) who will be 8 in 2022, has officially aged out of the derbies, but he went out on a good note, winning the Level 4 Non Pro at the California Reining Horse Association Challenge Derby and Stakes prior to heading to the NAAC. Kulmer hopes to show him in some of the maturities in the future, while his wife, Merrily, plans to use him as her new trail horse at the couple’s ranch in Utah. Whichever path the horse takes, Kulmer is grateful to have had the chance to ride him the last few years.

“It was bittersweet because I know he won’t be able to derby again,” Kulmer said. “I’d like to put him in one of those time capsules so I can back him up to be a 3-year-old again.

“It’s pretty special to win a title in the NAAC,” Kulmer added. “Everybody from all the affiliates around the country is trying to get in there. It means a whole lot. I think that’s the area of the industry that will continue to grow because the numbers are amazing. They’re going to keep on coming, and that’s a really good thing.”

Complete results can be found at NRHAFuturity.com.