The countdown to the world’s most eagerly awaited reining event has begun, and the fervor is tangible at the OKC Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. On Tuesday, Nov. 21, the best horses and riders in the world will vie for incredible prizes, impressive purses, and prestige at the National Reining Horse Association’s premier event, the NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships.
The adrenaline-packed competition extends through Dec. 2 and boasts a staggering payout that exceeds $2 million, enticing participants from around the globe.
In the Adequan® Arena, top riders and horses of all ages from across North America will vie for coveted titles, aiming to secure a championship and make significant strides toward year-end honors. Simultaneously, talented 3-year-old reining horses will be tested on the arena floor of the iconic Jim Norick Coliseum as they navigate through the signature circles, spins, and sliding stops the event is known for.
Known simply as “The Futurity,” this event, evolving since its inception in 1966 in Columbus, Ohio, has transformed into a colossal showcase featuring more than 640 entries in the Futurity competition alone. The payout has seen significant expansion, with the Level 4 Champion guaranteed a substantial $350,000, the Reserve Champion securing $150,000, and the third-place winner taking home $100,000.
The journey to the Level 4 Open Championship involves three crucial steps. All Open entries compete in the first round, which runs Nov. 21–24. The top 75 (plus ties) advance to the L4 Open Semi-Finals sponsored by Not Ruf At All on Nov. 29. There, the top 30 (plus ties) move on to the clean-slate MS Diamonds TX L4 Open Futurity Finals on Dec. 2.
Also competing for big purses and prizes on Dec. 2 will be those riders in Open Levels 1, 2, and 3. The L3 Open Champion will receive $70,000, and the Reserve Champion will take home $50,000. The guaranteed payouts continue in Levels 2 and 1, with the L2 Champion pocketing $50,000 and the Reserve Champion claiming a cool $25,000. The L1 Open winner will win $13,000, and the L1 Reserve will receive $7,000.
Open riders in Levels 1, 2, and 3 who are in the top 75 of their levels (but not in the top 75 of Level 4) will compete in the Semi-Finals rounds held Nov. 27–28. The top 30 in each of those levels (plus ties) will earn a spot in the first section of the Open Finals on Dec. 2.
Non-professional riders will also win big, with the CINCH L4 Non Pro title being accompanied by a check for $75,000, the Reserve Champion securing $45,000, and the third-place winner taking $35,000! The L3 Non Pro division promises substantial payouts of $40,000, $25,000, and $15,000 for the top three, respectively. The CINCH Non Pro Finals will be held Friday, Dec. 1, beginning at 9 a.m. with Levels 1, 2, 3, Youth, and Prime Time, and the CINCH Non Pro L4 Finals beginning at 4 p.m.
In addition to the riveting competition, the Futurity offers an expansive trade show showcasing vendors from diverse sectors, including clothing, furniture, western tack, and décor. Despite spatial constraints, this year’s Trade Show is the largest in recent years. Free admission from November 22 to 24 will facilitate Christmas shopping and give a peak at the top-notch competition.
One of the best, largest, and most exciting shopping opportunities will be Nov. 30. That’s because the NRHA Markel Futurity Sales in the Sale Arena offers an excellent opportunity to see and purchase some of the best horses the industry has to offer from prospects to producers and everything in between. Find more information about the NRHA Markel Futurity Sales at NRHA.com/sales
Tickets for the 2023 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® NAACs are on sale now and can be purchased here.
For comprehensive event details, including draws and results, visit NRHAFuturity.com.
The start of the 2023 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships (NAAC) is just days away, and the event is shaping up to be a memory maker. Slated for Nov. 21 – Dec. 2 at the OKC Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, the event annually draws thousands of visitors from not only across the country but around the globe!
When the draw for the Open Futurity, which will once again award the Level 4 Open Champion a check for $350,000, was posted with 436 entries, it shattered the previous record of 410 set in 2022. As of this press release, there have been four additional late entries, boosting the total to 440. Since books don’t close to late entries until Sunday, Nov. 19, that number will likely grow.
The CINCH Non Pro Futurity entry numbers also hold steady with a total of 195 (including late entries), just slightly below the previous high, also set in 2022.
The NRHA Futurity and Adequan® NAAC is the highest-paying event in reining each year. With the consistent growth the show has experienced, it was necessary to increase the number of days of competition to make it easier on equine and human athletes, judges, stewards, show staff, and more. In early 2023, NRHA and the American Quarter Horse Association reached an agreement to do just that, adding a much-needed two days to the event schedule. Not only will the Futurity begin on Nov. 21 with the Open Futurity preliminary round, but it will also kick off the Adequan® NAAC competition with the Open and Intermediate Open classes.
While the footprint of the Fairgrounds has shrunk over the past several months due to construction on the new Coliseum, the Futurity has experienced an incredible increase in the number of vendors planning to attend the event. That means holiday shopping will be a breeze, and vendors are located on both the East and West concourses of the Jim Norick Arena, in the Super Barn, in Barn 3, Barn 4, and on Barn Row. A complete map of all vendors will be published on NRHAFuturity.com. Join us on November 22, 23, and 30 to enjoy free admission while you shop!
If someone wants a big-ticket item – perhaps a horse to enter in a future NRHA Futurity – they need to plan to be at the OKC Fairgrounds on Thursday, Nov. 30, for the NRHA Markel Futurity Sales. The NRHA Markel Futurity Sales will have more than 250 excellent prospects and producers up for grabs, and the event will feature free admission. Find more information at nrha.com/sales.
Can’t make it to Oklahoma City? There are plenty of ways to keep up with the action. Once again, the NRHA Futurity and the Adequan® NAACs will be available via the live webcast on NRHAFuturity.com. The NRHA Media Team is incredibly active on social media, so make sure to follow NRHA on Facebook and Instagram @nrhareining and on TikTok @nrhareiningofficial. In addition, the latest news is always posted on NRHAFuturity.com, along with the schedule, draws, results, and even videos of the winning runs.
When Andiamoe hit the entrance to the Jim Norick Coliseum, the crowd was already cheering. They’d watched the absolutely masterful go-rounds, where Shawn Flarida and the royally bred mare had marked 228.5 and 224.5. They knew what they were in store for.
When Flarida hit the first stop, the crowd was so loud he wasn’t sure Andiamoe heard him. Regardless, Andiamoe knew the drill, sliding to a stop and scooting her way back to the center. From there, she riled the crowd up even further. On his final stop, Flarida’s smile was visible from the back gate.
As the score of 230 rang out over the audience, Flarida earned his seventh NRHA Open Futurity Championship and a payday of $350,000. With the win, he had launched himself squarely into the mix for The American Performance Horseman.
“She’s a very happy horse. I just tried to stay out of her way,” Flarida said. “She’s so determined, and she’s so confident. Sometimes I’ve just got to be there to pet her and tell her, ‘Hey, you did good.’ Very seldom do I ever have to tell her to work harder. We do a lot of petting and a lot of walking.”
Flarida called Andiamoe a clone of her mother, NRHA Million Dollar Dam Wimpys Little Chic. Flarida earned his fourth Futurity Championship on the palomino in 2007. To make the feat more impressive, Flarida earned an NRHA Open Futurity Championship on Andiamoe’s father, as well, NRHA Eight Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya.
“Andiamoe is just so special. She’s amazing,” Flarida said.
Andiamoe was bred, nominated, and owned by NRHA Two Million Dollar Owner Arcese Quarter Horses.
Flarida credited his steady mindset throughout the intense week to his family, saying his son Sam Flarida is the one who coaches him throughout the process.
“From the time I get my chaps on to the time I go in, he says some of the most important things to me,” Flarida said. “Tonight, he told me to move my hand slow, to trust myself, ‘This is yours. You’ve been building yourself up to do this, and your horse is ready, and she looks cool.’ He was very instrumental in making sure I got through that gate.”
Flarida said the list of those to thank would be too long for the page, but those at the top included his family, friends, wife, Sam, and his owners.
“And my horse. She is absolutely amazing,” he said.
Finishing as the Level 4 Open Reserve Champions were Customize My Dream and NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider Casey Deary. The pair put together a solid 228.5 run, earning a cool $150,000 for owner Devin Warren. Customize My Dream, by NRHA Eight Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream out of Gunna Be Custom, was nominated by Garth Hystad, who received $7,500.
Rounding out the top three and earning $100,000 was Abby Lengel and her horse Bringnthaheat. Lengel bred, nominated, raised, and trained the talented mare by NRHA Million Dollar Sire Inferno Sixty Six out of Tackie Dreams.
Level 3 Open Champions – Matt Mills & Walla Be A Bigstar
Drawing last in the MS Diamonds Level 4 Open Finals is a coup, and NRHA Million Dollar Rider Matt Mills planned to capitalize on it. He knew the scores to beat, so when he rode into the Jim Norick Coliseum on Walla Be A Bigstar, he did so with authority.
From the very first stop to the last, it was clear Mills and the flashy palomino stallion were true contenders. Unfortunately, a bobble on a rollback sparked a judges’ review, and Mills had to sweat.
Once the review was over, his score – a 222 – was announced. It was enough to not only win the Level 3 Open Championship but also good for seventh in the L4. That meant that Mills had won the $70,000 check for first in the Level 3 and an additional $52,634 for the L4.
“I’m just really happy for that horse. He’s incredible – we had that darn rollback, but I’m really, really pleased with this incredible horse,” Mills said.
Walla Be A Big Star, by ARC Gunnabeabigstar and out of Smart Little Walla, was bred and nominated by Danny Dalton. He was trained and started by Garrett Thurner, who was showing the horse at the Kimes Ranch Tulsa Reining Classic when he first came on Mills’ radar.
“I saw him showing that week, and I could see the horse was just oozing talent. I went right to Garrett and asked him if I could be first in line. I got a chance to try that horse there and bought him. Garrett did a phenomenal job training that horse, and I didn’t have a lot of time between here and Tulsa, but I’ve typically done pretty well in that situation,” Mills shared. “What a horse he is! I’m not going to lie – during that review, I was holding my breath wondering if we’d be drinking to celebrate or to cry.”
Making the win even more special for Mills was that Walla Be A Bigstar is owned by his longtime clients, Tim and Marybeth Ruckman. “I’m so happy for them. They have always supported me. I also thank my other owners, including Janice Dickson and Taylor Sheridan. It’s a team effort, and it took us all to get the horse here tonight.”
Tying for reserve in the Level 3 were Martin Larcombe and Jordan Larson, who each marked 221.5.
Larcombe, who passed the million-dollar mark in earnings during the NRHA Futurity, rode Vincent Van Whoa, a stallion he owns with Andrea Costa. Vincent Van Whoa, by Spooks Gotta Gun out of FM Master Tag Chex, was also bred and nominated by Kim Adamic, who received $2,125. Larcombe and Vincent Van Whoa also finished second in the Open Prime Time for total earnings of $44,076.
Larson and HA Tune Of A Mobster took second in the Level 3 and tied for eighth in the Level 4 for total earnings of $83,964. HA Tune Of A Mobster, by HF Mobster out of HA Lena Smart Tune, was nominated by Hillis Akin Family Partnership, who received $4,198, and is now owned by Heritage Farms.
Level 2 Open Champions – Guglielmo Fontana & CD Gunnas Chex Olena
Guglielmo Fontana and CD Gunnas Chex Olena earned the most frequent flier miles when traveling to Oklahoma City to compete in the NRHA Futurity. The pair made it count, putting together solid runs all week. With a 219.5 in the MS Diamonds TX Level 4 Open Finals, they ended the week as the Level 2 Open Champions. They also finished tied for ninth in the Level 3 and 14th in the Level 4 for total earnings of $78,957.
CD Gunnas Chex Olena, by ARC Gunna Sparkya and out of Mistis Chex Olena, was nominated and is owned by Società Agricola CD Horses SRL.
“I’m really happy with my horse. He gave me everything. For me, it’s a dream to be here, and I’m really proud for me and my horse,” Fontana shared. “This is a dream because this is my first time to show here in the states. We decided to come here three months ago, so this is something very special. To just be here tonight, it’s like I won.”
Fontana thanked both Matteo Rondanina and Francesco Martinotti. “Matteo arranged the flight for myself and my horse, and then after showing in Ardmore, I moved my horse to Francesco Martinotti’s,” he explained. “I say a really big thank you to both of them.”
Now Fontana plans to return home, which is in Italy. “We will see with the horse. Maybe we will come back next year. I don’t know yet; I have to speak about it with the owner,” he said.
Tying for second in the Level 2 were Chuy Chavez on Post Palone and Rodrigo Nieves on Spook Lil Whiz. Each marked a score of 218.5.
Post Palone, by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Pale Face Dunnit and out of Blazed By Commander, is owned by Electric Shine Equine. The colt earned $20,000, with $1,000 going to breeder and nominator Alan Chappell.
Nieves and Spook Lil Whiz, by NRHA Five Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz out of Lil Dreamer, qualified for the Finals in Levels 4, 3, and 2, earning a total of $$44,897. Spooks Lil Whiz is owned by Renata Lemannwas nominated by NRHA Professional Eduardo Salgado, who passed away earlier this year.
Graddytude lived up to her name in the NRHA Open Futurity Finals, bringing home the Level 1 Championship from the first section of Open Finals Saturday, Dec. 3. The pair scored a 216.5 and earned $13,000 for the Level 1.
“She’s a really good-minded horse,” rider Ethan Wiley said. “There is nothing that she doesn’t try to think through. Her strength, to me, is that she’s a team player.”
Graddytude is owned by Lisa and Mark Doering and was teamed up with Willey a few months prior to the Futurity.
“She’s gotten better the whole way [including] when we got to this horse show,” Wiley said. “Today, she was like a machine, and I was able to chase her in the circles. The faster we went, the better she was.”
Sired by Thirteen Million Dollar Sire Gunner and out of Miss Little Addy Tude. She was bred and nominated by Toyon Ranch.
“I showed her at the Southwest before this, and we had a couple of turn penalties, [plus] her rollbacks were a little rough. So, we had some stuff we had to clean up,” Willey said. “Our plan [today] was to go in there and either make it or break it. I really thought I made a mistake on my first stop – I missed my timing a little bit – but that mare is so good that she saved me on that.”
Willey thanked Danny and Fred Tremblay, Mike Flarida, and wife Angie Willey.
An exciting week at the 2022 National Reining Horse Association Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships wrapped up on a high note. Two young riders split the Championship of the Youth 14 – 18 NAAC, and in the Coliseum Arena, Madalyn Werner, who finished second in the Toyon Ranch Rookie of the Year, came for redemption, winning both the Toyon Ranch and Bob’s Custom Saddles Rookie Showdowns.
Bob’s Custom Saddles NAAC Rookie 2 and Toyon Ranch Rookie of the Year Showdown Champion – Madalyn Werner and My Lil Whizkey Girl
Madalyn Werner found some sweet redemption aboard My Lil Whizkey Girl in the Bob’s Custom Saddles NAAC Rookie 2 and Toyon Ranch Rookie of the Year Showdown, scoring a 213 and earning a whopping $10,000.
The win came a day after Werner competed in a runoff and finished Reserve Champion in the NAAC Toyon Ranch Rookie of the Year competition.
“I was a little worried about running her three days in a row with the Showdown, but we did what we had to do,” Werner said. “This week, we really figured each other out. I learned how to show, and she’ll do her job if I’ll do mine. This week I’ve finally been able to think while I’m in the show pen.”
My Lil Whizkey Girl is a 6-year-old mare sired by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Whizkey N Diamonds and out of A Smart Gun. She was bred by Jennifer Gilliam and owned by Werner.
“It’s a dream come true to run through the gates here. It was bonus to have this kind of success,” Werner said
Werner thanked her trainer Kim Diercks, her parents and family, and everyone back home.
“Thank you to Toyon Ranch and Bobs Custom Saddles for [sponsoring]. It’s an extra special thing to do for the rookies while we’re down here, and gives us an opportunity to show in the big pen,” Werner said.
NAAC Youth 14-18 Co-Champion – Madison Rafacz and Got Twisted In Vegas
Madison Rafacz garnered her second and third titles of the week following her success in the NAAC Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 on Got Twisted In Vegas. This time, a score of 215.5 earned Rafacz the NAAC Youth 14-18 Co-Championship, as well as the co-title for the ancillary division of the class.
“She was very good today,” Rafacy said. “I was just trying to go in and have a great run, not have any penalties, and we did that. She circled really good, and she was good around the ends this time.”
Got Twisted In Vegas (High Roller Whiz x Wimpys Dun Twistin) is owned by Rafacz.
“She’s been very good all week,” Rafacz said. “I tried to win the novice horse with her earlier this week, then showed the next day in the non pro and it was not super great. I ended up schooling, but I think it helped with this class.”
Rafacz thanked her parents, family, and friends, specifically Bud and Kim Lyon.
NAAC Youth 14-18 and Ancillary Youth 14-18 Co-Champion – Sorrel Schreibvogel and Sparkin Affair
Sorrel Schreibvogel and Sparkin Affair earned the NAAC Youth 14-18 and Ancillary Youth 14-18 Co-Championship on the last day of the NRHA Futurity. The youth scored 215.5 on the 9-year-old gelding.
“He’s always been super consistent, and I really enjoy getting to show him,” Schreibvogel said. “His favorite maneuver is stops, and they’re my favorite too.”
Sparkin Affair is sired by NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Shining Spark and out of Memorable Affair. He is owned by Randy Shepherd.
“He was very fresh going in the middle,” Schreibvogel said. “He didn’t want to listen, but I tried to zero my spins and plus the circles and stops and let him do what he needed to do.”
Schreibvogel thanked Yonathan Baruch, her parents, and her grandparents for their support.
The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Markel Futurity Sales cast off the cold weather, attracting enthusiastic buyers to a crowded sale ring, with bidding reflecting a still-hot market for the sport. The 2022 sale featured 195 horses, up from 168 in 2021, racking up total ring sales of $5,520,900 and an average of $30,231 overall.
The sale kicked off at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds December 1 with the annual breakfast sponsored by Q Stallions, followed by the National Youth Reining Horse Association (NRHyA) Stallion Breeding auction, netting the group nearly $30,000 for its coffers. A breeding to Spooks Gotta Whiz, owned by Michelle Anne Kimball, was the high seller with a bid of $5,800 from Frank Shumate and Kelsie Beal.
Hip no. 250, Chex N The Trash, a 2021 palomino colt by Gunnatrashya and out of the Nu Chex To Cash mare, Snip O Chex, scored the highest overall selling price of the day when he sold for $130,000 in the Elite Yearling Sale. Consigned by Cooper Smith of Whitesboro, Texas, he sold to Anne Tournay of Belgium. The Elite Yearling Sale saw 72 horses presented to buyers, ringing up total sales of $2,985,500 with a ring average of nearly $41,000. Sixty-six head were sold for a total of $2,790,500, bringing a sold average of $42,280.
Bringing the top price in the Preferred Breeders Sale was Hip No 328, A Gal With A Gun. By Gunner and out Roxanne Winder by Docs Sidewinder, the 2006 bay mare was consigned by Shelli Ries and sold to Jim Pirtle of Florida for $110,000. The Preferred Breeders Sale showed an increase in consignments from 29 in 2021 to 47 in 2022, for total ring sales of $1,243,000 and an average of $26,447. Unofficially, 44 horses sold for $1,159,500, averaging $26,352.
In the Premier Sale, B&K Leasing gained the advantage over the buying field, placing a winning bid of $87,000 on Hip no. 405 Spooks Buckaroo. By Spooks Gotta Whiz and out of Wanda On Line by Shine On Line, the 2021 dun colt was consigned by Deleu Ranch. A total of 63 horses brought a final figure of $1,390,300, for a ring average of $22,068, while 59 head sold for a total of $1,296,600, with a sold overage of $21,976.
In the Performance Horse Sale, which replaced the Prospect Sale, Gotta Turn It Up, another son of Spooks Gotta Whiz, brought the top price. A 2020 APHA/AQHA colt of Blazed Commander by Commanders Nic, the bay consigned by Alan and Allison Chappell captured a bid of $80,000 from buyer Donald Schanche. The Performance Horse Sale prices totaled $266,700 with an average of $24,245.
Prices and totals reflected above are unofficial. Final prices will be posted at nrha.com.
