Category: History

Gennaro Lendi recorded his first earnings in the National Reining Horse Association in May 2004, when he won the Non Pro class at the Italian Reining Horse Association Derby on OT Taris High. Less than two decades later, Lendi joined the elite list of riders who have won more than one million dollars in competition.

Recent wins at the 2020 European Futurity, the Austrian Futurity, the German Breeders Futurity, the IRHA Maturity, and ARTA Futurity propelled him past that milestone.

“As I got closer to the million, it became all the more stressful as I wanted to surpass that mark as fast as I could. I put pressure on myself – especially after the pandemic stopped our shows – and it affected my performance in the show pen,” Lendi admitted.

Lendi was less than $8,000 from achieving that goal prior to the NRHA European Derby and the NRHA Germany Breeders Derby. “My focus was mainly to show my horses to the best of my ability,” he said. “I finally made it in Germany, and on top of it being a hugely emotional moment, I was thrilled I had managed to show my two 3-year-olds well and allowed them to demonstrate their talent. They gave me all they had.”

What made the moment even sweeter was that Lendi had made the breeding decisions that resulted in the two talented reiners. “Both OT Taris Yankee (Yankee Gun x OT Tarisme), owned by Cornelia Valentin, and OT Dont Miss To Wish (Dont Miss My Guns x OT Taris Wish Miss), owned by Dominico Giannitti, were also both trained by me,” he explained.

Lendi’s love for horses was fostered by his father, Rino, who bought him his first pony. “My parents simply have always had a passion for animals, even though they were not involved with horses. I decided when I was a child that I wanted to be a horse trainer,” he recalled.

He was still in single digits when he first saw a reining horse. Lendi’s father took him for lessons every weekend, and at the end of each lesson, he would go home to train his pony. “I taught him all the reining maneuvers, except for sliding stops because, of course, he didn’t have sliders. I would wait for it to rain so that, when the ground was slick, I could say ‘whoa’ and get him to stop and slide,” he said.

The first professionals to truly impact Lendi and his career were Cliff Jayhall and Dario Carmignani, and he now regularly works with leading NRHA riders Shawn Flarida and Andrea Fappani. “I truly believe that all those who have helped me along the way managed to have an impact on me because I am passionate about what I do, and I put the passion into every single moment. I think that is the secret to my success,” he shared.

Lendi was quick to give credit to the equine athletes that he’s ridden throughout his career, specifically a few special ones. “My Showbiz Whiz (Topsail Whiz x Hollywood Stunt Girl), owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA at the time, was the 2009 IRHA Open Futurity Champion, and Piccolo Spanish (Spanish Snapper x Jokin Peppy), owned by Sabatino Quarter Horses, was the Open Reserve Champion that year. They left an indescribable mark,” he said. “In this list, I have to add Spatatino and Colonels Dancing Gun, two stallions that allowed me to express reining the way I saw it in my head. I like to see the class and finesse and style in the maneuvers; these are the characteristics I look for in horses I train and ride.”

“The fact that I accomplished this without coming from a horse-oriented family makes me even prouder. I had no one in my family to help in this profession I chose. Even though my family has always supported my passion and my choices, I never had any help. That’s probably the best thing that could have ever happened. They left me free to make my choices and mistakes,” he said. “Of course, they are super happy since this is such an important achievement in Europe, and particularly Italy.”

Lendi added there are several people who have helped him throughout his career. “I have always been very fortunate to have owners that trusted me with their horses and my program. This list is long, and I thank all of them,” he said. “I thank my family, including my father Rino, mother Marianna, my brother Francesco, and my girlfriend, Steffi, who have always been close to me in good and bad times.”

Not resting on his laurels, Lendi is looking ahead to the next career milestone. “In celebrating this million, my aim is now for two million. One goal I have is to qualify for The Run For A Million,” he shared.

The National Reining Horse Association’s newest Million Dollar Sire Not Ruf At All’s career started with a bang when he won the 2013 NRHA Futurity. The following year “Ruf” claimed the NRHA Derby Championship. Just two years later, he added the National Reining Breeders Classic Open title to become one of only a few horses to win the three major events.

By NRHA $2 Million Sire A Sparkling Vintage and out of All Ruffed Up, the sorrel stallion is owned by NRHA Hall of Famer Vaughn Zimmerman. Always ridden by NRHA $2 Million Rider Jason Vanlandingham, he would become one of NRHA’s highest money-earning stallions, with $456,437 in lifetime earnings.

Vanlandingham vividly remembers the day when he realized just what he had in Not Ruf At All. “It was June of his 3-year-old year. My wife, Adrienne, came out, and I asked her to video him stopping. I ran down and stopped, and she just started laughing and said, ‘Oh my goodness, you’ve got to look at this.’ When I looked at the video, I knew we had something special!” he recalled.

That talent was coupled with the stallion’s monstrous heart. “Over the course of his entire career, he never missed a stop in competition. I can’t say that about any other horse I’ve had or ever seen go,” Vanlandingham shared.

He recounted the story of the NRHA Derby when, as a 5-year-old, Ruf stopped just like every time he had been shown. But after he rode the stallion from the Coliseum, Vanlandingham found his slider in the warmup pen! With a shoe or without, he never missed a stop.

For Zimmerman, watching Ruf throughout his career was pure excitement. “He was so dynamic, and I couldn’t wait until the next show,” he said.

The titles – and the purchase offers – rolled in, but there was never a question of parting with Ruf, all because of a discussion Zimmerman and Vanlandingham had early on. “Jason asked me to promise I wouldn’t sell Ruf out from under him. I told him I wouldn’t.” He laughed, then added, “The prices of the offers kept growing, and I asked him if he was sure we shouldn’t sell him. Jason said, ‘No I want to show him!’”

Multiple historic achievements and many magical moments followed, proving the decision sound, but ultimately, it was time for the next stage of Ruf’s career. “We hated to see him quit showing. He’s the best show horse we’ve ever owned,” Zimmerman admitted.

Ruf soon displayed his prepotency as a breeding stallion. “The first crops were small because we weren’t standing him to an open book. But soon we were seeing strong support from people around the globe – even Europe. People have a lot of choices because they can breed to established studs – so when you’re in the proving stages and they support you, it means a lot,” Zimmerman explained.

In the beginning, Zimmerman bred his own set of broodmares to the young stallion. When the first foals came of age in 2018, the journey of becoming a successful sire began.

Not Ruf At All’s highest money earner is Excessive Rufness (Smokin Lady Gunner), a 3-year-old this year owned by Zimmerman. Winning the inaugural Invitational Futurity with Vanlandingham boosted his earnings over the $100,000 mark.

Other notable offspring include Ruf Style Of Play (UB Stylin With Me) owned by Axel Bouchner, who was ridden to the NRHA Futurity Level 4 Non Pro title by Jesse Asmussen and has gone on to earn more than $92,000. Another Zimmerman-owned standout is Its All About Ruff (Dun Pretty Nifty), with $73,715 in lifetime earnings.

NRHA President Rick Clark noted, “Not Ruf At All was a great horse as a show horse and fun to watch. He won the three major events and so many titles, and it’s not a surprise that he has gone over a million already. Vaughn Zimmerman is an asset to the industry, and this is a huge accomplishment. On behalf of the Board and staff of NRHA, congratulations to Vaughn and all the connections of this great stallion.”

The National Reining Horse Association’s newest Million Dollar Rider Ruben Vandorp loves his life. Career-wise he loves reining, reiners, the reining community, and most of all, the horses. He’s equally passionate about his family – wife Melissa, kids Skylar and Peyton – and his church.

In fact, there are very few topics that this Netherlands import isn’t enthusiastic about, and that’s been his mindset since he came to the United States with a duffle bag and a dream. “I started in youth competition, then out of high school got a job with Nedpoint in the Netherlands,” Vandorp recalled.

After a few years, he moved to Pauls Valley, Okla., to continue working for the international exporting company that purchased horses in the U.S., then shipped them overseas. “That got me into it and made me want to buy horses and sell them and put them on airplanes,” he explained.

Indoctrination into this aspect of the reining world shaped Vandorp’s future indelibly and throughout his career, his model has been to get horses started, and then sell them. He also placed other trainers on the talented athletes when he felt that was the right direction. It has been a very successful formula but did make it harder for him to amass his own earnings in the show pen.

One of Vandorp’s friends mused that he’s probably the only rider who has won a million that didn’t set out to win a million – just to sell horses. “I’ve always taken that route of selling them when they started working,” he admitted with a laugh. “Well, with just a few exceptions.”   

Einsteins Revolution (Einstein x Fly Flashy Jac) was the first of those exceptions and the horse that put Vandorp on the reining radar screen. The now $2 Million NRHA Sire was a standout. At the 2007 National Reining Breeders Classic, Ruben won the Level(L) 3 and after a tie was second in the L4, earning more than $80,000.

Another top money earner was Legacy In Lights (Hit The Lights x Doc Berry Miss), which Vandorp rode to earnings exceeding $159,000 as a 3-year-old.  In 2020 it was Spooks Gotta Crush (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Megas Sugar Baby) that headlined with Vandorp when he rode him at the NRBC to win the Level 3 Championship and tie for fourth in the Level 4, earning $46,321.

Ruben passed the million-dollar mile marker in October at the 2021 Best of the West Show in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Mr Farenheit (Magnum Chic Dream x Wimpy Little Girl), a horse he co-owns with Max Morin. “What I’m super excited about in hitting the million is the honor of being in a group with so many trainers I respect and admire – it’s very humbling. So many of them have been so helpful – overall the whole reining community has been encouraging and helpful,” he said.

NRHA President Rick Clark was quick to note, “Ruben has been in the industry a long time. He’s an excellent showman who has worked very hard over the years to achieve this milestone. This achievement is a testament to his dedication.”

What does the future hold for Ruben? “There’s really nothing I want to change. I love what I do and love the customers I have so I want to just keep going and enjoying life.”

Photos are courtesy of Ruben Vandorp

Gunnatrashya, a 2006 sorrel stallion by National Reining Horse Association $12 Million Sire Gunner out of Natrasha, first became an NRHA Million Dollar Sire in 2017. In every subsequent year, the stallion, owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, has passed another million-dollar milestone, and with less than two months remaining in 2021, he’s done it again.

Gunnatrashya foals won more than $30,000 at the recent Southwest Reining Horse Association Futurity, including Makin A Little Trash (Xtra Voodoo Dora), who finished third in the Level 4 Open and reserve in the Level 3 Open.

Gunnatrashya’s first foal crop burst onto the reining scene in 2014, with show pen standouts ARC Gunnabeabigstar (LTE $289,999) and ARC Gunna Sparkya (LTE $119,605). That initial success was just a glimpse into what has become a historic stallion career.

Gunnatrashya, bred by Katarina Dorminy, had just as successful of a career in the show pen as he has had in the breeding shed. With NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider and Hall of Fame Inductee Shawn Flarida at the reins, Gunnatrashya was the 2009 NRHA Open Futurity Champion, the 2010 NRHA Open Derby Champion and the 2009 All American Quarter Horse Congress Open Futurity Champion. Even with limited showing, he accumulated more than $218,000 in NRHA lifetime earnings.  
Gunnatrashya’s top-earning offspring are:

• ARC Gunnabeabigstar (out of Wimpys Little Chic): $298,999
• Super Marioo (out of HA Chic A Tune): $285,348
• Inferno Sixty Six (out of Snip O Gun): $205,690
• Gunna Stop (out of Stop Little Sister): $172,762
• ARC Gunna Mark Ya (out of Shiney Miss Marker): $163,877
• Gunnabebigtime (out of Big Time Jazzy): $147,486
• Gunnarickashay (out of Rondas Tio): $147,229
• Loveya (out of Love Em N Lena): $131,861
• ARC Gunna Sparkya (out of Sailing Spark): $119,605
• Diamond Studded Guns (out of Like To Flo): $110,814

Congratulations to Gunnatrashya and Arcese Quarter Horses USA.

With more than $8,000 in earnings at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress, National Reining Horse Association Professional Brian Bell has unofficially surpassed the two million dollars in NRHA lifetime earnings.

Bell, of Pilot Point, Texas, first became an NRHA Million Dollar Rider in 2013 following the NRHA Futurity, where he qualified two horses back to the Level 4 Open finals. “I first got started around the time Bill Horn became NRHA’s first Million Dollar Rider, and that made me want to have that success, too,” Bell shared. “The first million was the hardest. I’ve learned so much since then and can do a better job now.”

That knowledge made it possible for Bell to earn his second million in less than eight years. In 2020, he won his biggest check to date when he piloted Gunnabebigtime (Gunnatrashya x Big Time Jazzy) to the NRHA Futurity Open Level 4 Reserve Championship for $113,033.

With Turn Down For What (Einsteins Revolution x My Way Marla), Bell finished fourth at the 2015 NRHA Futurity. The pair then finished as the National Reining Breeders Classic Level 4 Open Reserve Champions in 2017.

Recent performances with standout athletes including Mr Royal Hollywood, Cee Mr Stop, Mr Hollywood Cee, Mr Boaz, and Ruf Steppin have all helped propel Bell’s lifetime earnings upwards. “Most of the credit has to go to the good horses I’ve gotten to ride; the ones that want to do the job for you,” he said. “I also thank the owners who have had faith in me and have given me nice horses to ride.”

Bell started his reining career at 18 years old. He moved into the professional ranks in 1995 and quickly made his mark there as well winning several major event titles. He has successfully competed at the highest levels of reining competition, including USET Reining Championship finals, the NRHA Futurity, NRHA Derby, NRBC, All American Quarter Horse Congress and AQHA World Show.

Bell noted his father, George Bell, has been a major part of his career, beginning with youth horses and continuing to support him with good horses over the years. “My dad used to sit out on the track on a stump to watch. He did that so long that the stump finally rotted and we had to put a new one out there,” Bell recalled.

Brian Bell’s Top 10 Wins:

2020 NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open Reserve Champion – Gunnabebigtime – $113,033

2006 NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open Reserve Champion – Collenas Finest Tafy – $103,110

2015 NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open 4th – Turn Down For What – $52,636

2008 National Reining Breeders Classic Level 4 Open 3rd – Great Sun Burst – $43,000

2017 National Reining Breeders Classic Level 4 Open Reserve Champion – Turn Down For What – $41,000

2007 National Reining Breeders Classic Level 4 Open 4th – Starbucks Jazz – $37,000

2006 National Reining Breeders Classic Level 4 Open 4th – Lean With Hollywood – $36,000

2021 National Reining Breeders Classic Level 4 Open 3rd – Mr Royal Hollywood – $30,000

2020 NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open 8th – Mr Boaz – $27,481

2006 NRHA Derby Level 4 Open 4th – Lean With Hollywood – $23,281

Bell and his wife Naike own and train out of their facility in Pilot Point, Texas. For more information, visit BrianBellPerformanceHorses.com.