Category: Industry

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has officially postponed the implementation of new Horse Protection Act (HPA) rules, which could have subjected reining competitions and other equestrian events to additional inspections intended to eliminate intentional soring. The revised effective date for these amendments is now February 1, 2026.

This decision by the USDA allows NRHA to continue its longstanding commitment to ensuring the highest standards of welfare for reining horses across its global events.

The HPA, originally enacted more than 50 years ago, was designed to protect Tennessee Walking Horses and other racking breeds from soring. However, recent proposed expansions have sparked debate within the equine community. The USDA is currently seeking public input on whether this delay should be extended further and is requesting additional information to help determine an appropriate timeline.

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) has actively engaged with its board of directors, staff, committee chairs, affiliates, and show managers to address this legislation.

“This is a short-term victory for the Western horse competition community, maintaining the Horse Protection Act as originally intended—for now,” said NRHA Commissioner Billy Smith. “NRHA remains committed to working with its partners to turn this temporary success into lasting policy.”

NRHA has collaborated with the American Horse Council and a coalition of over a dozen equine organizations and event venue stakeholders to prevent the HPA from exceeding its original scope. This coalition will be engaged in providing testimony to the USDA as they consider the future of the HPA.

Concerns About the HPA Expansion

The HPA was established to prevent intentional soring, a practice widely condemned within the equine industry. However, the Western horse community, within which NRHA is a leader, already invests substantial resources into ensuring animal welfare and preventing soring, making the proposed expansion unnecessary and misaligned with existing standards of care.

NRHA remains committed to protecting horse welfare without the unnecessary misapplication of existing animal welfare law. We will continue a dialogue with the USDA through our coalition partners, provide updates, and encourage our members to stay informed and engaged.

Stay tuned for further developments.

In recognition of outstanding dedication and excellence within our vibrant community, the National Reining Horse Association proudly presents the 2024 Professionals of the Year award recipients. Since their establishment in 2012, these honors have celebrated individuals exemplifying leadership and excellence in the sport of reining.

This award goes beyond accomplishments in the show pen—it acknowledges those who make a lasting impact through their dedication, mentorship, and unwavering support of NRHA and its members. The 2024 recipients embody integrity and passion, working tirelessly to advance and uphold the core values of reining.

Nominations for these prestigious awards—including NRHA Professional of the Year, NRHA Non Pro Coach of the Year, NRHA Youth Coach of the Year, NRHA Becky Hanson Horsewoman of the Year and NRHA Up-and-Coming Professional of the Year—come from NRHA affiliates and the NRHA Professionals Committee. From there, NRHA Professionals cast their votes to determine who will join the ranks of past honorees.

NRHA Professional of the Year: Kaci O’Rourke
Collinsville, Texas
NRHA LTE: $827,816

At the final NRHA Futurity held in the Jim Norick Coliseum, Kaci O’Rourke and The Firemen scored a 229 to win the prestigious NRHA Level 4 Open Futurity, a title never won by a woman. They also topped the Level 3 Open. The wins earned them $420,000 (including nominator incentive). O’Rourke and her husband, NRHA Professional Jack Daniels, bought the horse as a yearling, and Daniels started him as a 2-year-old.

O’Rourke previously earned the NRHA Becky Hanson Horsewoman of the Year Award, demonstrating her consistent support and commitment to NRHA. She serves on the NRHA Professionals Committee, donates her time to support the National Reining Horse Youth Association and the Reining Horse Foundation, and promotes the industry through her well-known art and writing showcased on social media.

O’Rourke is involved in every aspect of the industry: breeding and raising prospects, managing a strong 2-year-old program, showing aged event horses and helping many non pro and youth riders.

NRHA Becky Hanson Horsewoman of the Year: Julia Roshelli
Belle Center, Ohio
NRHA LTE $69,546

While attending the University of Findlay, Julia Roshelli worked as an NRHA show management intern at major events. After graduating in 2019, she began working for NRHA Professional Brandon Brant.

Through opportunities at Brant Performance Horses, she has been a finalist at the NRHA Futurity, National Reining Breeders Classic, All American Quarter Horse Congress, and has multiple Level 1 and Level 2 Congress Futurity Championships.

Roshelli’s 2024 accomplishments include: Levels 1 and 2 All American Quarter Horse Congress Futurity Champion and Levels 3 and 4 Finalist along with Tulsa North American Reining Stakes Level 1 Futurity Reserve Champion.

“This award isn’t just about her success in the show pen, but it is acknowledging her character and strength,” said Brant. “She was there for everybody this year, including our clients and our business, when we were going through an incredibly tough situation. She is resilient and was resilient for many people and continued to be a phenomenal coach for non pros all while making her first Level 4 Finals at [All American Quarter Horse] Congress.”

Alongside Brant, she has coached multiple non pro and youth finalists at NRHA’s major events, coached NRHA Top 10 World Title holders, and All American Quarter Horse Congress championships.

NRHA Up-and-Coming Professional of the Year: Leonardo Kellerman
Purcell, Oklahoma
NRHA LTE: $494, 356

Leonardo Kellerman earned an incredible $410,000 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings throughout 2024, topping the Levels 2 and 1 at nearly every major event.

His season came to a spectacular end when he piloted Frozen Starburst to the Levels 2 and 1 Open Futurity Championships. It all came to fruition in front of his parents, who were able to come to watch him show at the Futurity for the first time. Kellerman is a Brazilian native who now works in Purcell, Oklahoma, at NRHA Corporate Partner 7 Lakes Ranch.

The horse-and-rider team’s 222.5 score earned them a total of $151,564 (including nominator incentives) — $13,000 in Level 1 and $50,000 in Level 2, as well as $35,644 for the Level 3 Open Co-Reserve Championship and $52,919 for an eighth-place tie in Level 4.

Kellerman finished the year in seventh place within the NRHA Top 20 Professionals list.

NRHA Youth Coach of the Year: Dan Huss
Scottsdale, Arizona
NRHA LTE $854,881

Dan Huss had success in the show pen in 2024, including earning the Level 2 Open co-reserve championship at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel. He is not only a competitor and judge but also brings 20-30 horses to shows and is known for his excellent youth coaching.

Huss’s nomination for the award came from the Arizona Reining Horse Association, which included the following:

“His incredible attention to detail, methodical approach, and high expectations gave me the confidence to strive for more,” said 2024 NRHA Level 2 and Youth Non Pro Futurity Champion Michelle Fumagali. “This newfound confidence helped lead to increasing results in the show pen, solidifying a belief in myself I didn’t have before. However, shows don’t always go as planned, but Dan always makes it a lesson to learn and grow from, which has taught me how to deal with setbacks and doubt. Overall, Dan has had an immense impact on my skills, mindset, and work ethic which has carried over beyond horses. This is why there is no one better to nominate for this award because he is not only a coach but a mentor as well.” Fumagali also was the Youth Non Pro Champion at the 2024 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel.

NRHA Non Pro Coach of the Year: Yonathan Baruch
Whitesboro, Texas
NRHA LTE $576,376

Israeli NRHA Professional Yonathan Baruch managed one of the largest riding schools in Israel, with over 200 students and five instructors. He regularly took at least 30 to 35 youth and non-pro students to surrounding American Quarter Horse Association shows. During the last year of his management, Baruch won many titles along with producing 14 Israeli champions and co-champions in various disciplines, including reining.

Since moving his business to the United States, Baruch has been a Level 4 finalist at every major NRHA event. He was co-champion at the 2024 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel in Level 2 Open and was reserve champion in Level 3 Open. He has also won championships at the AQHA World Championship Show and the American Paint Horse Association World Championship Show.

When he is not in the show pen, you will see him helping many non pros who have also experienced great success.

What could be better than access to the top stallions in the industry starting at just 60% of their advertised breeding fees? Automatic eligibility to enter the NRHA Futurity and NRHA Derby (no nomination required), reduced entry fees, and later entry deadlines!

There is no better opportunity for a Futurity-bound foal than Sire & Dam. With a lineup of over 100 premier stallions, Sire & Dam is the only stallion program offering NRHA major event benefits. 

Since 1966, the Sire & Dam program has delivered substantial value to its participants while contributing to the support of NRHA. It’s the perfect addition to any breeding program. Mare owners can purchase breedings they may not otherwise have access to, often at reduced rates.

Offspring produced from the program have added value even before hitting the ground. Some of those benefits include:

• No nomination to the NRHA Futurity and Derby required; resulting foals are automatically eligible
• Reduced entry fees (up to 50%) to the NRHA Futurity and Derby
• Later entry deadlines for the NRHA Futurity
• Sire & Dam offspring eligibility remains with the horse even if it is sold

Stallion owners who contribute a breeding to the Sire & Dam auction receive promotion through program advertising and inclusion in the NRHA stallion directory. They also become eligible for NRHA Futurity and Derby sire incentives including cash awards.

There’s still time to enroll a stallion in the Sire & Dam program for 2024, whether through the auction or as a buyback, and anyone interested in participating can contact NRHA Sire & Dam program director Haley Carmen at hcarmen@nrha.com or visit the Sire & Dam page for more information.

To view and bid on participating stallions, visit the Sire & Dam auction at reiningauction.com.

Mare owners are encouraged to contact the participating stallion owners or agents to ask about additional fees before purchasing. Winning bidders will be notified by email after the auction closes on January 8. After the conclusion of the auction, stallions will be available through the breeding season at 60% of their advertised fee (minimum of $500).

Five of the National Reining Horse Association’s most accomplished professionals will compete for $1 million in prize money at The American Performance Horseman (TAPH) presented by Teton Ridge.

The top five riders who qualified to represent the reining community are NRHA $8 Million Rider Andrea Fappani, NRHA $2 Million Rider Brian Bell, NRHA $4 Million Rider Casey Deary, NRHA $2 Million Rider Cade McCutcheon, and NRHA $3 Million Rider Jason Vanlandingham.

These NRHA Professionals will join the top five riders from the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) and National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) to compete for a $1 million payout in a first-of-its-kind competitive exhibition format.

“This is an event that’s showcased in the same venue as Major League Baseball’s World Series. Let that soak in,” said Billy Smith, NRHA Commissioner. “It’s a rare and splendid opportunity to tell our story to a worldwide audience.”

The American Performance Horseman debuted in 2023 and was the largest event of its kind. In 2024, TAPH will again join The American Western Weekend on Friday, March 8th, 2024, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

For more information and to purchase tables or tickets, please visit americanrodeo.com.

Notes related to other year-end standings and rankings lists:

• The reiners selected will be the top five NRHA Professionals determined by total 2023 earnings in NRHA Categories 1-10 and does not include nominator incentives. TAPH will utilize a modified version of an NRHA pattern. Earnings for the event will be recorded in NRHA as Category 11 money.
• NRHA Top 20 Professionals, Non Pros, and Owners lists for 2023 will be published on nrha.com/results. (These include Category 11 earnings.)
• NRHA World Title Top 10 Standings for 2023 are published on nrha.com/results
• At present, the ReinerSuite team is testing the 2024 Eligibility Tool so it can be released by the second week of January

The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) and the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) have furthered their partnership with the creation of a new reining education module on horseIQ, APHA’s popular virtual learning site. 

HorseIQ is an innovative online platform that provides a comprehensive range of courses designed to educate horse owners, exhibitors, enthusiasts, and judges. The platform offers discipline-specific judge education, exhibitor insight, and courses on topics such as horse health, training, and care. HorseIQ is a leading resource for horse owners of all levels.

“Our goal is to create a visual, interactive guidebook both for exhibitors and judges,” said Dave Dellin, APHA chief executive officer. “We are committed to providing educational opportunities that help the equine world, and this partnership is a huge step in the right direction.” 

This collaboration creates a unique opportunity for APHA and NRHA members to access educational content tailored specifically to reining. The partnership enhances the educational offerings of both organizations to provide clarity and knowledge about the NRHA Judges System so that riders know exactly what judges evaluate in the sport of reining.

“The NRHA Judges Committee strives to offer our judges and members the very best in innovative education,” said Patti Carter, NRHA senior director of education and officials. “We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with APHA and horseIQ to take our educational opportunities to the next level.”

APHA and NRHA encourage members of their organizations, from green reiners to owners, professionals, and fans, to take advantage of this online learning opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills, thereby helping improve their relationships with their horses.

For more information, visit horseIQ.com.