Category: Members

The National Reining Horse Association Board of Directors recently updated the NRHA Amateur Conditions for those events wishing to host a trial of the proposed division. This move extends the existing trial that was set to end April 1, 2022.

These amended conditions are effective April 2, 2022 and will extend through December 31, 2023. During that time frame, NRHA events may apply to host an Amateur division with an approved non pro derby. Amateur division added money cannot exceed half of the Level 4 added money, and also cannot exceed the Level 1 added money.

“Continuing with the trial will give members, committees and the board of directors more examples to evaluate before officially adding it as an aged event division. This also aligns with the timing of a 2024 rule change proposal that will be voted on in 2023. The advocates for the division feel it encourages participation by giving another option to non pros who may not have consistent access to training programs but are ready to move into aged event competition.

To compete in the Amateur division, the same horse and rider must be cross-entered into the NRHA-approved non pro derby. The show conditions will govern which level or levels must be entered. For the NRHA Derby, for example, this would be the eligible level plus one up.

There is only one level of Amateur, and riders who enter the Amateur division must be Non Pros and abide by the NRHA Non Pro ownership rules.

Youth, legal dependents of professional equine trainers, spouses or legal partners/mates of professional equine trainers, and anyone who has exceeded NRHA lifetime earnings of $100,000 in Categories 2, 6, 8, and 11 in the previous year, or is currently only eligible for L4 Non Pro, or only L4 and L3, are excluded from competing in the Amateur division. NRHA judges and breeders are eligible to enter the Amateur division if they meet the required criteria.

Shows wishing to have an Amateur Division must submit a written request, and a confirmation that the division will be run using the approved Amateur conditions must be included in the event’s approval application.

For more information, contact the NRHA Non Pro Committee Liaison Christa Morris-Stone at cmorris@nrha.com.

It’s long been a tough decision for any Non Pro rider who contemplates a career as a horse trainer. In the past, if they tested the waters, so to speak, they would be ineligible to go back to being a Non Pro for three years. The National Reining Horse Association’s Apprentice program was put in place years ago to give reiners the opportunity to be more confident about their choices for the future.

The program allows current NRHA Non Pros who are at least 18 years of age to learn, train, and show under an NRHA Professional as an Open rider. This gives Non Pros the opportunity to decide if becoming an NRHA Professional is a fit. If it turns out to not be the right career path, the Non Pro can return to Non Pro status without facing the three to five-year wait.

An apprentice can do so under one or more members of the NRHA Professionals concurrently or consecutively during a 12-month period. All earnings that an individual has on record will be used to determine his or her eligibility while participating in the Apprentice Program. At any time during the 12 months should an individual decide not to continue with his or her apprenticeship, he or she must continue to sit out of Non Pro competition until the end of the 12 months. At the end of the year of apprenticeship, individuals can do one of two things:

• Choose to remain an Open rider and completely relinquish Non Pro status. If this is the case, all previous Non Pro earnings will be backed out and any Open earnings accumulated during the apprenticeship will be used to determine eligibility.
• Re-apply for Non Pro status. In this instance, all earnings accumulated during the apprenticeship will be used to determine eligibility.

During the apprenticeship, individuals may not show in Non Pro classes. For more details about the Apprentice Program, please contact the NRHA Member & Show Services Department at (405)946-7400 or memberships@nrha.com. Complete rules can be found in the NRHA Handbook under the “NRHA Apprentice Program” section.

In early March 2022, the National Reining Horse Association headquarters played host to 20 men and women who took the first major step to becoming NRHA-accredited judges by participating in the Judges Applicant Seminar. The Applicant Seminar was then followed by a Judge’s School, which boasted 15 additional participants.

“Consistent and fair judging promotes a healthy association, and it’s exciting to have new talent coming into the reining industry,” noted Patti Carter, NRHA’s Sr. Director of Education and Officials. “I look forward to watching this group continue through the accreditation process.”

There is one Judges Applicant Seminar held in the United States each year, and during the Seminar, attendees are walked through and instructed on every aspect of judging, from equipment use to maneuver evaluation and more. Seminar attendees must pass testing requirements, and once that’s accomplished, they are eligible to attend an NRHA Judging School, which is held three times a year in Oklahoma City and multiple times internationally. Only after passing the testing requirements of an NRHA Judges School will prospective judges’ names be submitted to the NRHA Board of Directors for consideration for final judging privileges.

Three members of the NRHA Judges Committee, who also serve on the Teaching Panel, were on hand to give instruction at both the Applicant Seminar and the Judges School. That included Chairman Dean Latimer of Marietta, Okla., Doug Allen of the United Kingdom, and Kelly Sapp of King, N.C.

“The education over the entire five days was outstanding and provided a lot of great information. The Seminar and School were both well-thought-out and well taught, and I commend the Committee and Panel for putting together a thorough curriculum for both the applicants and the already-carded judges. I am very proud to be part of such a knowledgeable group of horsemen and horsewomen on the Judges Committee and the Teaching Panel,” Carter said. “I also have to commend Kristen Liesman, the NRHA Staff Liaison for the Judges Committee. She does a great job of organizing the content and coordinating the entire event to ensure it runs smoothly.”

Other members of the Judge’s Committee include Liesman, Bob Kail, Bub Poplin, Maik Bartmann, Margaret Fuchs, Matt Lantz, Nick Baar, Sebastian Petroll, Todd Sommers, Manuela Maiocchi and Patrick Wickenheiser. Teaching Panel members include Mike McEntire, Bub Poplin, Dean Latimer, Doug Allen, Eugenio, Margaret Fuchs, Manuela Maiocchi, Ollie Griffith, Maik Bartman, and Kelly Sapp.

“The NRHA Judges Program is an industry leader in education for its judges. The members of the Judges Committee and the Teaching Panel look forward to expanding that education to all exhibitors, and to provide insight into the thought process behind the judging,” Carter shared. “On behalf of the Judges Committee and Teaching Panel, I thank NRHA’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee for recognizing the importance of these schools and educational opportunities for all members.”

Find more information about NRHA’s Judges Program at NRHA.com/judges