Category: Shows

With Monday’s classes in the books, the 2022 National Reining Horse Association Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship has passed the halfway point. The Adequan® NAAC titles have grown over the years to be one of the most prestigious awards a reiner can win, with competitors traveling hundreds of miles to compete at the State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.

NAAC Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 Champion, NAAC Non Pro Level 2 Co-Champion – Stephanie Gentile and Joes Lil Wrangler

After taking a few months to get acquainted, Stephanie Gentile and Joes Lil Wrangler have hit their stride together. The pair garnered their second, third, fourth, and fifth title of the week in the Adequan® Arena – this time, an NAAC Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 Championship, an NAAC Non Pro Level 2 Co-Championship, and they finished in the same placings for the ancillary divisions of those classes. The duo also split a reserve title in the ancillary Novice Horse Non Pro Level 3.

“I’ve only been riding this horse since about August, and it’s taken us a while to click, but we’re finally getting there – and it’s perfect timing,” Gentile said.

The pair scored a 218 to garner the titles, earning a total of $4,552. The win comes on the heels of their NAAC Limited Non Pro Championship on Friday.

“He felt really good today. He was with me the whole time, and he’s a very consistent horse. I just trusted him and went with it. We had a couple of tiny little spots that could have been a little better, but he was super solid, and I was very happy with him,” Gentile said.

According to Gentile, Joes Lil Wrangler’s (Lil Joe Cash x A Chic In Wranglers) best maneuver is his spins. But she said the gelding’s stops are hitting a new gear.

“I thank my husband Jesse Gentile, he’s always there to help me, and I thank Lori Baker, who owns [Joes Lil Wrangler], as well as all my family and friends,” Gentile said.

NAAC Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 Co-Champion, Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 Co-Championship and Novice Horse Non Pro Level 3 Champion – Rebecca Asmussen, TR Hot Dream, and The Crowd Goes Wildd

Family favorite TR Hot Dream brought home the bacon with Rebecca Asmussen in the NAAC Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2, nabbing a Co-Championship with a score of 218. In the ancillary divisions, the pair tied for the win of the L2 and the reserve of the L3.

“We got him as a 3-year-old from Tamarack Ranch, and he’s a super sweet gelding. My husband has shown him and done really well on him,” Asmussen said. “My kids ride him. He’s a great little horse and a lot of fun.”

Adding to the bounty was mare The Crowd Goes Wildd (Not Ruf At All x Check Yer Gun Lady), who won the ancillary Novice Horse Non Pro Level 3 Championship with a 218.5.

Asmussen earned $2,663 for the day on TR Hot Dream and an additional $784 for the win on The Crowd Goes Wildd.

“The Crowd Goes Wildd is 15.2 [hands] and 1400 pounds. She’s a big, strong mare who is a lot of fun to run and stop. She’s super aggressive everywhere and just a nice mare to go show,” Asmussen said.

Asmussen thanked her family, husband, children Layne and Owen, Kelsey and Kole Price, as well as their vet and farrier. “Everybody who keeps our horses rolling,” Asmussen said.

NAAC Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 Co-Champion – Madison Rafacz and Got Twisted In Vegas

Got Twisted In Vegas is often referred to as the little mare that could. Started and trained by Madison Rafacz and her father, Mark, it was initially uncertain if the mare would grow large enough to be a show horse.

Now, the 5-year-old mare has proven herself capable in the reining pen, gathering affiliate and derby titles from across the country. The pair added another two co-championships to their list on Monday, November 28, in the NAAC Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2, as well as the ancillary division of that class, with a score of 218. The pair also tied for reserve in the ancillary Novice Horse Non Pro L3, winning $2,663. The win comes after a stressful ride the night before the class, which left Rafacz a “wreck.” Luckily, Got Twisted In Vegas (High Roller Whiz x Wimpys Dun Twistin) came through.

“Today, I went in, and she was there like she always is,” Rafacz said. “I thank my mom and dad, of course. They’re my biggest supporters and allow me to do this. All the people in my barn are super great supporters. They’re like family.” 

Over the past several days of competition, the top 3-year-old reining horses and riders from across the country have vied for a spot in the finals of the National Reining Horse Association Futurity. With the conclusion of Monday’s preliminary round, most of the field is set for the CINCH Non Pro Futurity Finals, which will be held on Friday, December 2.

Topping the Level 4 of the CINCH Non Pro Futurity first round with a 221.5 is Jack Medows and Fire N Rein. The 3-year-old mare is sired by 2022 NRHA Hall of Fame inductee and NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz and out of Chicsdreamofdiamonds. Earlier this year, Medows and Fire N Rein, who is owned and was nominated by Amy Medows, won the L4 Non Pro Futurity Reserve Championship at the All American Quarter Horse Congress.

Medows and Fire N Rein also won the American Paint Horse Association’s Chrome Cash incentive, which was paid out in the preliminary round.

William Clutter and Smokinintheboyzroom (Magnum Chic Dream x Green Smokin Jacket) marked a 221, the second-high score of the round. It also topped Levels 3, 2, and 1. Owned by Jay Clutter, Smokinintheboyzroom was nominated by Alicia Rapp.

Marking the high score of the Non Pro Prime Time was Steven Mitchell and Wimpys Voodoo Dr with a 220.5 (includes handicap). The pair also qualified for the CINCH Non Pro Finals in Levels 2, 3, and 4. Wimpys Voodoo Dr, by Two Million Dollar Sire Shiners Voodoo Dr and out of Wimpy Cee Wimpy Do, was nominated by Hannah Layman.

Topping the Youth and tying for sixth in the Level 4 was Samuel Flarida and PS Whiz On Ice with a 218. P Whiz On Ice, by Million Dollar Sire SG Frozen Enterprize and out of PS A Whizzen Chic, is owned by Flarida’s father, Shawn, and was nominated by Patsy Shelton Schutz.

To secure a spot in the CINCH Level 4 Non Pro Futurity, it took a score of 214.5, while a 212 was the magic number for the Level 3. Riders with a 211 or higher earned a place in the Level 2, as did those in the Level 1 with a 207.5 or higher. The bubble for the Prime Time is a 211 (including handicap), while the one for the Youth is 200.

For those not advancing directly to the finals from the first go, hope is still alive. That’s because of the CINCH Non Pro Futurity Consolation Round on Wednesday morning. The next 30 horses (plus ties) in the Level 4, next 12 in the Level 3, and next 10 in Levels 1 and 2, will compete for a spot in the finals. The top five in each of the four Levels will earn a spot in Friday’s finals.

The National Reining Horse Association CINCH Non Pro Futurity kicked off Sunday, November 27, with fierce competition from the more than 100 riders in the first section of the first go. In the end, Jack Medows of Cuba, Missouri, led the group with a score of 221.5.

Riding Fire N Rein, a mare sired by NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire and 2022 Hall of Fame inductee Spooks Gotta Whiz and out of Chicsdreamofdiamonds, Medows cruised moved through the NRHA Pattern 8. The two are no strangers to success, finishing as Reserve Champions in the All American Quarter Horse Congress L4 Non Pro Futurity. The mare was nominated and is owned by Amy Medows.

Medows and Fire N Rein also lead the American Paint Horse Association’s Chrome Cash incentive, which will be paid out following the preliminary round.

Level 3, 2, and 1—William Clutter and Smokinintheboyzroom (Magnum Chic Dream x Green Smokin Jacket), owned by Jay Clutter, nominated by Alicia Rapp—220

Prime Time—Greg Hall and Not Ruffin Tonight (Not Ruf At All x Miss Whiz Biz), owned by Greg and Mary Anne Hall, nominated by Mary Anne Hall—217

Youth—Emma Vanlandingham and SHR Hollywood Kid (The Kids Gotta Gun x Shinin In Hollywood), owned by Jason Vanlandingham, nominated by Robert Santagata—217

Competition continues Monday with the second section of the Non Pro Futurity preliminaries. The top 25 in Levels 4–1, the top 20 in the Prime Time, and the top 15 from the youth advance directly to the clean-slate finals on Friday, December 2.

Non Pro entries not advancing from the first round have one more shot through the CINCH Non Pro Futurity Consolation, which is held Wednesday in the Adequan® Arena. There, the top five in each level will move on to the CINCH Non Pro Finals.

For complete results, visit NRHAFuturity.com. 

Competition in the Adequan® Arena of the State Fair Park in Oklahoma City continued Saturday with the Rookie Professional and Limited Open classes of the Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships.

NAAC Limited Open Champion – Sparkys Shining Doll & Tyrel Pole

Sparkys Shining Doll and Tyrel Pole have been riding a wave at the Adequan® NAACs, picking up several titles, including the NAAC Limited Open Championship Saturday, November 26.

“He’s been an absolute trooper. We’ve shown him all year, and two days ago, we got lucky enough to win the NAAC Intermediate Open. He’s just a show horse. You can call on him whenever you need him,” Pole said.

With a score of 220.5, Pole earned $1,082 for owner and wife Rhea Pole. The score also secured Sparkys Shining Doll the Limited Open ancillary win. The 10-year-old stallion is sired by Friday Night Shiner and out of BB Holly Doll.

“If you want to go have a 72-style run, he just podunks around, but if you want to go mark big scores, he will every time,” Pole said. “When you need him the most, and you call on him—that’s when he’s his best.”

Pole set out to earn a Limited Open World Title on the stallion this year and has unofficially secured the Open Reserve World Championship. The Intermediate and Limited Open standings are not decided yet, but Pole is hopeful.

Pole thanked wife Rhea, employee Sophia Kent, his children, and his parents for coming down from Canada to watch.

NAAC Rookie Professional Champion – Sugarwhizngun & Katie Davis

At nine years old, Sugarwhizngun is as honest and pure in the show pen as ever, according to rider Katie Davis. The two of them secured the NAAC Rookie Professional Championship on Saturday, November 26, with a score of 216, worth $727. The team also claimed the win in the ancillary division of the class.

“I first showed him at the NRBC two years ago and made the Level 1 Open Finals, and he’s since [gotten] a new owner. A wonderful little girl, Peyton Langford, let me borrow him for this,” Davis said.

For Sugarwhiznguns’ and Davis’ run together, she focused on keeping the energy up for the often-lazy gelding.

“He’s a Gunner, so you have to be a little careful on the slow down, but he was really clean and smooth for me,” Davis said. “He’s an honest horse in the pen. He doesn’t know what pattern he’s doing even though he’s been doing it all these years.”

According to Davis, Sugarwhizngun (Gunner x Starlights Sugarwhiz) has been a great confidence builder for his young owner. She’s been competing in the rookie classes, and Davis believes she’ll be shooting for Rookie of the Year in 2023.

“I want to thank the whole Langford family, the Deary team, our farrier Glenn Spalding, and our vet Frank Fluitt,” Davis said. 

The stakes are higher than ever before at the National Reining Horse Association Futurity, with a record-breaking number of Open entries and $2,010,040 up for grabs in the Open alone. The first round of Open competition concluded Saturday, Nov. 26, with more than 400 riders vying for a spot in the Semi-Finals.

The top 75 from the Level 4 will advance to the L4 Open Semi-Finals sponsored by Not Ruf At All on Wednesday, Nov. 30, while the top 75 from L3 and L2, and the top 50 from L1, will compete in the Semi-Finals round on Tuesday.

The NRHA continues to build momentum, and the Futurity boasts the highest payouts ever in all four levels of the Open, breaking records that were set as long ago as 2012. From 2021 – a record-breaking year – the total Open payout has increased by $202,516 to break the $2 million mark for the first time ever.

The mare who topped the Level 4 Open, Andiamoe, has NRHA Open Futurity Champions on both sides of her pedigree. Guided by Seven Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida, the All American Quarter Horse Congress Open Futurity Champion posted a bold 228.5 to take control of the leaderboard. Her balanced stops and stylish circles were rewarded by a gentle pat from Flarida at the end of NRHA Pattern 12.

Bred and owned by Two Million Dollar Owner and NRHA Corporate Partner Arcese Quarter Horses, Andiamoe is sired by Eight Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya and out of Million Dollar Dam Wimpys Little Chic.

With scores of 224.5, CD Gunnas Chex Olena and Guglielmo Fontana tied for the lead of the L3 Open with CS Especially Moody and Duane Latimer.

Fontana and CD Gunnas Chex Olena (ARC Gunna Sparkya x Mistis Chex Olena) also finished with the high score in the L2 Open. CD Gunnas Chex Olena was bred, nominated, and owned by Società Agricola CD Horses SRL.

CS Especially Moody, bred, nominated, and owned by XCS Ranch of Gordonville, Texas, is sired by Five Million Dollar Sire Gunners Special Nite and out of Judys A Little Moody.

Shineoncrazydiamond and Vanessa Strotmann topped the L1 Open with a score of 220. The stallion, bred and nominated by Stefano Calcagnini, is owned by Strotmann and is sired by Million Dollar Sire Shine Chic Shine and out of Cashing In Diamonds.

It took a 218 to advance to the Level 4 Open Semi-Finals sponsored by Not Ruf At All, a 215.5 to advance to the Level 3 Open Semi-Finals, a 212 to advance to the Level 2 Open Semi-Finals, and a 208.5 to advance to the Level 1 Open Semi-Finals. Prime Time entries already advancing in other levels also earned a spot in the Semi-Finals.

Find complete results, news, and more at NRHAFuturity.com.