Category: Members

In the Spring of 2021, the NRHA Executive Committee began discussions on updating the current Animal Welfare & Medications policy. Since then, the executive committee, board of directors, and staff have consulted with experts in the field, committee members, and current competitors. There have been countless conversations aimed toward developing a revised policy to ensure fairness of competition by leveling penalties to those who knowingly violate NRHA rules, regulations, and policies.

At the August 21, 2022, NRHA Board of Directors meeting held in Las Vegas, a revised Welfare & Medications Policy was voted on and approved.

“The NRHA Medications Policy has been reformatted to make it easier to understand and contains amended definitions and examples to fall in line with our industry peers. It is important to have a policy that will allow our horses to be shown safely without creating an unfair advantage,” said NRHA President Rick Clark.

According to Clark, it was a goal of all who contributed to the recommended policy changes that the policies and penalties should align with other western performance industries. Another goal was simplification.

The penalty chart and classification system have been restructured to include increased penalties such as publication of offenses, suspension and disqualification. The updated policy is easier to understand and more transparent to the NRHA membership – even those who are just getting started in reining.

Exhibitors will notice increased testing at leading events and NRHA-owned events, as well. An official change in the Welfare & Medications Policy that has already been implemented is plasma-only testing, which has a quicker turnaround time.

“The NRHA Executive Committee and staff have worked to learn new and better practices to keep our horses healthy. We invested both time and research to better understand medications that can help our horses in a safe manner, and also to find what is best for the industry and horses using today’s knowledge and technology,” noted Clark.

“I am proud of the NRHA Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and staff for their work and leadership in taking this step toward presenting reining at its best on the world stage,” Clark added.

The complete, revised Animal Welfare and Medications policy, which will go into effect at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel in June, can be found here.

Answers to common questions about the Revised Animal Welfare and Medications policy can be found here. 

The National Reining Horse Association staff welcomed a new team member in mid-July. Christy Landwehr is now the Senior Director of Corporate Relations and brings with her decades of experience working with and developing relationships with corporate and event sponsors.

“I am thrilled to be joining the staff of NRHA for many reasons. One of them is my love of horses, and another one is my excitement for the discipline and how fast it is growing and how popular it has become not just in America but around the world,” Landwehr shared. “I believe there is so much opportunity for sponsors and others to become involved in the sport, and I can’t wait to be able to share reining with others.”

Since 2007, Landwehr has served as the Chief Executive Officer for the Certified Horsemanship Association and the CHA’s Marketing Director prior to that. She is also the Treasurer for the Interscholastic Equestrian Association and serves on the American Horse Council Board of Trustees, on the Professional Horse Councils for both the American Quarter Horse Association and American Paint Horse Association, on the Colorado State University Equine Sciences Advisory Council, and is the Vice President for the Colorado Society of Association Executives.

NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter said, “Christy brings a wealth of energy, industry contacts, and experience to NRHA. We are excited to have her join our team and help us capitalize on the many opportunities that are in front of us.”

Landwehr, who lives in Colorado with her husband, John, and two sons, Sean and Kyle, noted that horses have always been her passion. “They’re kind, and they’re always in the present. To me, every breed and every discipline brings something to the table.” She added, “Reining is growing so much right now, and there are so many opportunities to continue that trajectory.”

The new Director has a solid vision for this new position. “I feel the most important step is to ensure that all our current Partners and Sponsors are happy with our agreements. We are excited about the future and want them to come along for the ride,” Landwehr said. “That means making sure we provide very helpful and unique benefits to both current and future sponsors.”

For information about NRHA’s Sponsorship Program, reach out to Christy Landwehr at CLandwehr@nrha.com