Category: Partner

A reining legacy began in the 1980s when the Arcese family of Italy was introduced to reining through a family friend. “He had a quarter horse gelding he didn’t want anymore. The horse was supposed to be a reining horse, so we started to learn about reining horses and then moved on to better reining prospects,” recalled Leonardo Arcese, who, with his father Eleuterio and sister Paola, own and operate Arcese Quarter Horses.

In typical Arcese family fashion, they spent a great deal of time studying the horses and sport, pouring over results and standings. “We wanted to have the best horses and believed in investing in excellent pedigrees, performance records, and people,” Leonardo explained.

Arcese Quarter Horses USA is in Weatherford, Texas, and is managed by Jeff Oswood. “I was lucky to meet and get to know Jeff Oswood at the end of the last century. He has always been a leader in everything he does. When the opportunity came up to partner on our ranch in 2006, I didn’t think twice. With Jeff’s expert experience and guidance, along with a handful of top trainers, we have been able to develop a small but highly successful breeding program by concentrating on a couple of very special mares. We love to breed, raise, and show our own exceptional show horses,” he said.

The game plan worked, and now Arcese Quarter Horses is a Two Million Dollar Owner of the National Reining Horse Association, while patriarch Eleuterio is in the NRHA Hall of Fame. The business has owned and produced countless winners, including NRHA Eight Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya, Four Million Dollar Sire Walla Walla Whiz, Hall of Famer and Million Dollar Dam Wimpys Little Chic, and countless NRHA Futurity and Derby champions.

Recently, the Arceses elected to increase their support of the reining industry, elevating their sponsorship level from an Event Sponsorship to an NRHA Corporate Partnership.

“Continuous growth and new development are extremely important. That is why we have been extremely involved with the Italian Reining Horse Association and reining in general within Europe for many years. My father has served several terms as a Board member or President of the IRHA and is President of that Association now,” Leonardo explained. “The majority of our horse businesses are in the United States, primarily with our stallions Gunnatrashya and Walla Walla Whiz. We believe it is important to support the NRHA.”

NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter was excited to welcome the Arceses to NRHA’s Corporate Partner lineup. “The Arcese family has been a stalwart of the reining community both in Europe and North America for many years. Their success in the show arena and the breeding barn is a hallmark of countless accomplishments,” he said. “Personally, it is gratifying to have them join NRHA as Corporate Partners. This is an extension of years and years of their support and success.”

The Corporate Partnership is just another indicator that the Arcese name will be written in the history books for years to come. “’The desire to win never sleeps’ is a motto of ours that references our sincere commitment to excellence in everything we do. We never give up after defeats and always stay focused on what’s important to us. Our desire to have the next champion will always be there,” Leonardo said. “We have a group of people that we work with that are as committed as we are. They are like our family, and we are very grateful to all who share a never-ending passion about our vision.”

For more information about Arcese Quarter Horses, visit ArceseQuarterHorses.com.

Photos by Cam Essick

Cedar Ridge Stallion Station, created and owned by NRHA Million Dollar Owner Casey Hinton and his wife, Kathy, has been a mainstay in the reining industry. The ranch has produced, through both the breeding and training programs, countless winners and has been home to some of the most elite sires in the reining industry.

Now, with new owners Josh and Kelsey Crawley, the ranch has elevated its support of reining with a Ranch Partnership with the National Reining Horse Association.

“On behalf of NRHA, I am excited to welcome Cedar Ridge Stallion Station as a new NRHA Ranch Partner,” said Christy Landwehr the Senior Director of Corporate Relations for NRHA. “They stand wonderful stallions and provide excellent mare care.”

The Crawleys have a long history with Cedar Ridge Stallion Station, as both worked for the ranch for several years – Josh as an assistant trainer to former owner Casey Hinton and Kelsey as the breeding manager. “It’s wonderful because it has kind of come full circle. We have put so much time and effort here and lived here for ten years or so,” Kelsey shared.

Josh, an NRHA Professional, added, “I started Crawley Performance Horses in 2018, and we had begun looking for a place of our own. We have some partners in the business, and it just happened that the opportunity came up to buy Cedar Ridge, and we were in the right place at the right time. It just felt right.”

The Crawleys noted they look forward to building on the solid foundation and reputation that Cedar Ridge Stallion Station boasts. “We are putting as much time and effort into it as we can to help it grow. Just last year, we were able to get in some great new stallions that will fit our program,” Kelsey shared. “While our focus is primarily reining, we do have several great stallions from other disciplines, from roping to cow horse.”

The couple also plans to continue providing mare care and training services and intends to add sale prep services as well. “The ranch is one of the few places that has a setup where we can really offer services in all aspects of the industry. We can breed the mare, foal her out, raise a yearling, prep it for a sale, or, if the owner wants, we can train it and make it a show horse, and then repeat that cycle,” Josh explained.

Cedar Ridge Stallion Station, located in Whitesboro, Texas, is home to an impressive stallion lineup which in 2023 will include Not Ruf At All, In Like Flinn, Gotta Twist It Up, Gunnabebigtime, Rubys Radar, Justa Swinging Gypsy, High Roller Whiz, and Spooks Gotta Outfire. Find more information about the Crawleys and Cedar Ridge Stallion Station at CedarRidgeStallions.com

To find out more about the National Reining Horse Association, please visit nrha.com and to see the full list of NRHA Partners visit nrha.com/partners

Although Mark Doering just rode his first reining horse in January 2022, he, his wife Lisa, and their Classic Canyon Ranch are quickly making waves in the industry. That recognition is being perpetuated even further by their new Ranch Partnership with the National Reining Horse Association.

“We at NRHA are thrilled to have Classic Canyon Ranch on board as a Ranch Partner,” said Christy Landwehr, Senior Director of Corporate Relations for NRHA. “Mark and Lisa Doering are so unique in that they breed both quality deer and quality reining horses.”

The Doerings echoed that enthusiasm. Lisa said, “We are just getting started in the reining business, and we love the sport and enjoy the people so much. We are just happy to be a part of it.”

“We love the organization. We have met so many great people, such as John and Nancy Tague of Toyon Ranch; and Tim Anderson and Kim Niven,” Mark added. “We are also excited about the future of reining. If you look at how many are in the Green Reiner and Youth classes, you can tell this industry is just going to keep growing.”

Classic Canyon Ranch, located in Valley Mills, Texas, began as a private hunting ranch for Mark and expanded into a state-of-the-art deer breeding farm that specializes in trophy bucks with classic, typical antlers. As its growth continues, the ranch currently features top-notch equine facilities including a covered arena with Kiser footing and water features and a 22-stall barn with apartments and a cozy lounge area.

While Mark owned a horse when the couple met, being in the horse business was far from his mind at that time. He was led into showing and breeding reiners by Lisa, a horse lover since childhood. “I decided that if I wanted to see my wife, I’d better start showing!” Mark said with a smile, and he was hooked after his first stop.

While Lisa had bred a few mares each year, even before she met Mark, she soon wanted to step up her game. Mark, who doesn’t believe in doing things halfway, made it happen when he purchased five breedings (to NRHA Million Dollar Sire Smart And Shiney) from his cousin, Lyle Lovett.

From there, the Doerings have continued to upgrade their horses, their facilities, and their name recognition in the reining industry. They hired young trainers, Adam and Filippa Miller, to train and promote their horses. “We’ve put a lot of money and effort into building a world-class facility, and we have excellent trainers with big futures. I want people to know that we are real. We’re not just working out of a shed in somebody’s backyard. We’ve got the foundation to be a top-notch player in the reining industry. We could either wait a few years to get really involved, or we can let everybody know who we are now,” Mark said.

Some of the horses that the Doerings are excited about include Mark’s new show horse that he purchased just before Americasnexttopgun won the 2022 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel. Americasnextbest, by NRHA $4 Million Sire Walla Walla Whiz out of Americasnextgunmodel, is a 4-year-old full brother to “Maverick.” Princess Josephine, a 3-year-old filly they raised by NRHA Million Dollar Sire Little Joe Cash out of Lenas Guns N Stars (by $13 Million Sire Gunner), looks like a Level 4 Open prospect, and her 2022 full sister, Princess Jolene, seems just as talented. CCR Wonder Woman (HF Mobster x West Coast Cruel Girl) is their other Futurity prospect they are anxiously watching, and another filly, CCR Chex Her Guns, purchased from NRHA Global Event Partner Toyon Ranch, is also showing promise. Although the filly, by Gunner out of Chexanicki, is only a yearling, her early abilities are certainly noteworthy.

For more information about Classic Canyon Ranch, follow their Classic Canyon Reining Horses Facebook page.

In May, Clark’s Pump-N-Shop became the newest Global Partner for the National Reining Horse Association. As a Global Partner, Clark’s Pump-N-Shop will directly support the NRHA European Futurity and Derby, the NRHA European Affiliate Championships, in addition to the North American events.

The company, headquartered in Ashland, Kentucky, will also become the naming sponsor of the Open and Non Pro Novice Horse Derbies at this year’s 6666 Ranch NRHA Derby presented by Markel.

Clark’s Pump-N-Shop, which operates nearly 70 stores in Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Florida, was established in 1976 by John W. Clark. The convenience store chain is now co-owned by John’s sons, Rick Clark and Brent Clark.

Rick Clark is a familiar name to those in the reining horse industry. He is currently serving his second term as NRHA President and has been a member of the association for nearly three decades. He has been involved in all aspects of reining, as an owner, breeder, competitor, Board and Committee member for NRHA and the Reining Horse Foundation. He’s also served on the NRHA Sale Committee and as a leader in the Futurity Challenge.

“Rick has contributed to NRHA on a variety of levels and has for so many years. A lot of that commitment has been behind-the-scenes through the volunteering of his time, but this Global Partnership is a more visible representation of the support he’s given to reining over the years,” noted Gary Carpenter, NRHA Commissioner.

Clark said, “I’ve been around the sport for over 25 years now and I love it – it’s my passion. My brother Brent is my business partner and he’s come to some events – even bought a cowboy hat and we now partner on some horses. The more we looked at it, we knew becoming involved in a sponsorship capacity was a good idea.”

Clark has long sponsored individual events across the country, so it was a natural way to extend his support of the industry. He said, “NRHA is not just about the big events – it’s all over – and when there is a reining in Kentucky, Ohio or Florida, I have felt like it was good to be involved. Reiners reciprocate by doing business with Clark’s Pump-N-Shop and we appreciate their support! Our hope is to keep promoting our sport along with our convenience store chain. We’re still building stores.”

His goal of giving back to the sport and helping the shows made upgrading to a Global Partnership a natural progression. He continued, “I personally sponsored the European Futurity this year, and I thought as president of NRHA, it was the right thing to do. We are an international organization and if dollars go over there, I’m fine with it. Supporting reining worldwide is important.”

Carpenter added, “Clark’s Pump-N-Shop’s expansion around the globe it is a testament to how far-reaching our sport has become. The friendships made and the cultural exchanges through reining events strengthen the fabric of NRHA.”

Creating opportunities for reiners is a consistent theme for Clark, and the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Derby does just that. The $15,000 added Open Derby and a $10,000 added Non Pro division are for horses that have won less than $10,000 before May 15, 2022. Horses may also be entered into the Open or Non Pro Derby, but cross entry is not mandatory and there are no nomination requirements to enter only the Novice Horse Derby.

Clark said, “We are honored to be the title sponsor of this event. The novice derby provides a great opportunity and every time we can add an opportunity it’s an advantage to owners and exhibitors.”

For more information about Clark’s Pump – N – Shop, visit myclarkspns.com.

When the 2022 Level 4 champions of the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel leave Oklahoma City, they’ll be doing so in style. This year’s largest prizes, a year’s usage of a Hart Tradition Four Horse Gooseneck with the Original Smart Tack for the winner of the Open Futurity, a Solution Four Horse with Smart Tack II for the Open Derby, and Hart Solution Three Horse trailers with the Smart Tack II in the Non Pro divisions of both the Derby and Futurity, come courtesy of NRHA’s newest Corporate Partner, Hart Trailers.

For more than 54 years, Hart Trailers has been privately owned and operated by the Hart family. That kind of longevity has become increasingly rare in today’s fast-paced environment and is one of the numerous reasons NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter is excited to have the brand as an NRHA Corporate Partner. “In a world where everything is moving fast, it’s a comfort to be partnered with a business that has the reputation of being steady and reliable, and Hart Trailers is the epitome of endurance,” Carpenter said.

Tracy Hart Graham, Hart Trailer CEO, added she looks forward to seeing this new partnership flourish. “The NRHA has a wonderful name and is a great organization, and it was something that we felt would be a good fit for us. We strive to make a good quality product, and we like to be partnered with people and organizations who feel the same way we do,” Hart Graham shared.

An exciting addendum to this new Corporate Partnership is that Hart Trailers is also NRHA’s Official Para Reining Sponsor. That stemmed from Hart Graham’s involvement with Amberley Snyder, a professional barrel racer who is paralyzed from the waist down but still competes at the highest levels.

“We built a trailer for Amberley in 2018, and it was our first time to work with someone who was in a wheelchair. We developed a great relationship with her, and she came back to us in 2020 to design a trailer with a living quarter that would accommodate her and her team on the road,” Graham Hart recalled. “To be a part of her journey, and to design this trailer for her specific needs so that she can continue to strive to reach for her goals, has been very inspiring. When we realized that NRHA had a program to support the riders in para reining, we knew it was something we wanted to be a part of.”

Hart Graham’s parents, Anthony and Kay Hart, started the company in 1968. From the age of 10 years old, she was working in the shops. “I drove my father crazy until he eventually handed me a broom one day and said, ‘Go to work,’” she recalled. “I went to work that day, and I have never looked back. There is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for what I do.”

Hart Graham added that it’s not only the company that has proven to have staying power; the Hart employees do, too, with many having been there for more than a decade!

“When you learn about Hart Trailers, you immediately get a sense of family. This partnership between our reining family and the Hart Trailers family just feels right,” Carpenter said.

To learn more about Hart Trailers, watch this short documentary, or visit HartTrailer.com.