The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) proudly announces the group of judges chosen for the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel, held June 13-25, 2023. As the second largest NRHA-approved event of the year, preparation for the prestigious show has started, including finalizing who will evaluate each run.
Kelly Hedges, Jan Hay, Dean Bogart, and BJ Riberio have been chosen for the Adequan® Arena classes. The Judges Monitor will be Bob Kail.
The Jim Norick Coliseum will be judged by Bub Poplin, Ollie Griffith, Mack Weaver, Gabe Davide, and Manu Maiocchi, with Jeff Buckley as equipment judge. The Judges Monitor is Eugenio Latorre.
“The selection of judges for an NRHA Event is thorough, fair, and rigorous,” said Patti Carter, Senior Director of Education and Officials. “The NRHA Judges Committee is confident this group of judges will represent NRHA and its athletes with consistent and accurate maneuver and penalty application throughout the event. We look forward to working with this amazing group of selected NRHA Judges.”
The NRHA Derby and Futurity judges are recommended by the Judges Committee, submitted to a sub-committee appointed by the NRHA President, and given final approval from the Executive Committee. The recommendations are made by the following criteria:
Each eligible judge is contacted for their availability for the event
All available judges are compiled into a list and sent to each member of the Judges Committee
Judges Committee members make selections from the list to fill the allotted slots for the event
These names are compiled into a shortlist and discussed on a conference call with all members of the Judges Committee.
The committee members, except for the chair, then rank their choices, and each ranking equates to a certain number of points. The points are compiled and submitted to the committee chair.
The committee chair reviews and makes recommendations based on the outcome of the vote and the needs of NRHA.
The ranked list with the Judges Committee Chair recommendations is submitted to the subcommittee for final selection.
The Teton Ridge American Performance Horseman gets prepared for the bright lights of Arlington, Texas, at the home of the Texas Rangers MLB team, Globe Life Field. The American Western Weekend will kick off with the Top Five professionals from the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA), National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA), and National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) on Friday, March 10, 2023.
Each team will include a reining professional, reined cow horse professional, and cutting professional. This highly anticipated competition will open with cutting, then move into the reining, and close out with the reined cow horse competitors. The performance horse industry will witness history with the first team concept competition battling for $1 Million in prize money.
Each NRHA professional announced their two equine athletes of choice to ride for this inaugural event during The American Performance Horseman Team Selections event held on February 6th. The horsepower will be off the charts, and riders must declare their official decision by March 8th at noon.
First up, NRHA $7 Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida selected Alpha Jac Sparrow, owned by Fritz Leeman. This is a stallion sired by NRHA Hall of Famer Spooks Gotta Whiz and out of Chexanicki, with lifetime earnings (LTE) of $126,953. He chose Shiner On My Eye as well, with a lifetime earnings of $169,999 and owned by Bob Santagata. The stud is out of Flashy Lil Step and sired by NRHA $3 Million Sire Shiners Voodoo Dr.
Second up, NRHA $3 Million Dollar Rider Casey Deary, with his choice of Down Right Amazing, a stallion owned by DAG Ventures LLC with lifetime earnings of $224,250.
The 2022 Run for a Million Shootout Champion is sired by NRHA $13 Million Sire Gunner and out of Shesouttayourleague. His other pick is lifetime earner of more than $369,059, the 2021 NRHA Futurity Champion Ten Thirty, owned by Rancho El Fortin and sired by Gunnatrashya and out of Dainty Little Step.
Next in line, NRHA Professional Fernando Salgado chose Gunnabeabrightstar, owned by Neiberger Performance Horses, carrying a lifetime earnings of $157,017. This stud is out of the mare Abbie Be Tuff and sired by ARC Gunnabeabigstar. Salgado’s other option is Pale Dun Star, owned by Ian and Kristen Cantacuzene. The stud with $78,208 in NRHA LTE is sired by NRHA $3 Million Sire Pale Face Dunnit and out of the mare Get Ya Some Stars.
Next, NRHA $7 Million Dollar Rider Andrea Fappani plans to pair up with Trash Talkin Spook with $154,770 NRHA LTE owned by Marilyn Overgaard. A stud sired by Gunnatrashya and out of I Spook. Fappani, in addition, chose a stud owned by Teton Ridge, Starjac Vintage, with a lifetime earnings of $172,769. The stud is an NRHA $3 Million Sire A Sparkling Vintage and out of Starjac Miss.
Last to draw, NRHA Million Dollar Rider Matt Mills electing to pilot Guns And Dynamite sired by NRHA $5 Million Sire Gunners Special Nite and out of Chic Olena Starbuck. The stallion chosen is proudly owned by Tim and MaryBeth Ruckman and has an LTE of $250,424. He also elected Stopping In Jersey owned by Bosque Ranch Performance Horses, lifetime earner of $96,864. The stud is out of Stop Little Sister and sired by Yellow Jersey.
Reined Cow Horse: Justin Wright, Santa Maria, California
The American West Weekend is one you won’t want to miss. The American Performance Horseman event will commence at 6:45 p.m. CST on Friday, March 10. The evening will conclude with a concert featuring Darius Rucker and Sheryl Crow, which is included in your admission fee. The American Rodeo will be held at Globe Life Field on Saturday, March 11, with admission to a Cody Johnson concert included. For a 25% discount on your tickets for the weekend, use code NRHA23 at checkout.
Buy your tickets TODAY by visiting americanrodeo.com/tickets, and be sure to download Teton Ridge + to stay in the know regarding all things American West Weekend at tetonridgeplus.com. We can’t wait to see you there!
Teton Ridge is a multi-platform, wholly American-owned brand and media company devoted to the iconic American western way of life; dedicated to elevating classic Western sports and America’s western culture on the world stage.
In 2021, Teton Ridge acquired The American Rodeo, The Crown Jewel of Rodeo, with the vision to expand the audience and create innovative events like The Western Weekend, which includes The American Performance Horseman. On the eve of The American Rodeo—Friday, March 10—at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, The American Performance Horseman will premiere.
This unprecedented event will showcase western equine sports of cutting, reining, and reined cow horse in a fast-paced, made for television exhibition. This historic event will be the first time the associations NCHA, NRHA, NRCHA, APHA & AQHA have joined together to compete under one roof.
The innovative exhibition format offers all three sports to be showcased to a wider audience and on a new global platform, vying for $1 Million dollars in the prize pool. Not only will competitors contend as individuals but also in a team format. There will be 5 teams consisting of three athletes from each discipline.
Tickets are now available at www.americanrodeo.com
Q: What will be the order of events?
A: The competition order will run as follows:
Cutting competition
Reining, using an NRHA-approved modified pattern 10
The Reined Cow Horse performance will close out the event with “down the fence” runs.
(The Reining portion of the Reined Cow Horse event will be done in the morning to ensure complete scoring. This section will not be televised.)
Presentation of awards
Entertainment (Yet to be announced – Will be an A-Lister entertainer)
Q: What will the payout be of the $1 Million prize pool?
Individual Prize Money per discipline event:
$100,000
$75,000
$50,000
$25,000
$25,000
Team Money:
$75,000 ($25,000 PER CONTESTANT)
$25,000 ($8,333.33 PER CONTESTANT)
$25,000($8,333.33 PER CONTESTANT)
$25,000($8,333.33 PER CONTESTANT)
$25,000($8,333.33 PER CONTESTANT)
Q: What will the earnings count towards?
A: NCHA: TAPH does not count towards: NCHA world standings, horse of the year, or any other championships.
NRHA: Does not count toward Top 10 (Category 1) World Title awards.
NRCHA: Currently, category 2 earnings count toward year-end earnings. TAPH counts only open-aged event money won in the 2022 year, incentive program monies or subclasses do not count.
TAPH will count towards horse and rider’s LTEs.
Q: Can the competitor show any horse?
A: NCHA – Competitors can show any horse of any age. The TAPH is classified as an Open Cutting.
NRHA – Competitors can show any horse of any age. The TAPH is classified as an Open Reining class.
NRCHA – Yes, however, the TAPH is classified as an open bridle class. Per NRCHA Rules: Open to horses of any age, to be ridden in an NRCHA-approved bit, and reins with a romal are required.
Q: When will the athletes need to name their show horse?
A: Competitors can name up to two horses prior to February 7th, 2023.
Final selection of horses will take place one week prior to the competition on March 3rd, 2023.
Q: How did the athletes qualify to compete at The American Performance Horseman?
A: The qualification is based on the open rider, not the horse. The qualified riders are the Top 5 athletes with the highest aged event money from the 2022 show season, not including subclasses or incentives. For NRHA, all money earned in Category 1–10 counts toward qualifying.
Q: Is there any entry fee to compete?
A: No
Q: What is the team portion of the competition?
A: Five teams of one cutter, one reiner, and one reined cow horse competitor will compete in a team format and for individual prize money.
The accumulative score of each rider on a team will determine the placings of the team portion of the competition.
i.e. Reining score + Cutting score + Reined Cow Horse score = Team Score
Team Colors: Royal Blue, Regal Red, Imperial Purple, Racing Green, and Burnt Orange
Q: In the event of a tie, will there be a tiebreaker?
A: Individual Competition – In the event of a tie, a work-off will not be held and a tiebreaker will be used to determine the winner.
Tiebreaker one: All five judges’ scores will be added to determine the winner
Tiebreaker two: If still tied, the tiebreaker judge will determine the winner
*Within the reined cow horse competition, the first tiebreaker will be determined by the highest cow work score. If still tied, tiebreakers one and two will be used to break the tie.
B: Team Competition
Tiebreaker One: All five judges’ scores in each of the individual competitions will be added to determine the winning team.
If still tied, the scores from the tiebreaker judges from each of the individual competitions will be added together to determine the champion team.
If still tied, a coin toss will determine the champion team.
Q: Globe Life Field will be transformed into a show arena. How will that work for each discipline?
A: The field will be transformed into a 150 ft x 250 ft arena; after each discipline, the arena will be adjusted accordingly to suit the next discipline.
Q: When will the draw be available?
A: The draw party will be shared live on NRHA social media and will be available on February 10, 2023.
Q: How are the judges chosen?
A: There will be a 5-judge panel from each association for each corresponding discipline. Each association will provide the highest accredited judges from each discipline.
Q: In the event that one of the competitors is unable to compete, what is the protocol?
A: In the event that a competitor chooses to or is not able to compete in the event, it is their responsibility to notify event organizers with little or no delay upon their decision to withdraw.
If a Top 5 American Performance Horseman qualifier withdraws from the competition, event organizers will notify the first alternate on the list of 2022 Top Professionals provided by the event’s respective governing association. If the first alternate declines, the next highest alternate will be notified.
Q: How will the teams be chosen?
A: There will be five teams of three.
Each team will consist of a cutter, reiner, and reined cow horse athlete. Teams will be drawn at random. Draw order will be segregated by discipline and ordered starting with the highest year-end money earner.
The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) is thrilled to announce the top five NRHA Professionals who will compete at the unprecedented The American Performance Horseman (TAPH) presented by Teton Ridge.
The top five riders who qualified to represent the reining community are NRHA Seven Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida, NRHA Seven Million Dollar Rider Andrea Fappani, NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider Casey Deary, Fernando Salgado and NRHA Million Dollar Rider Matt Mills. 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 event is an unparalleled opportunity to showcase our sport along with other exciting western performance events like fans have never seen before,” said Gary Carpenter, NRHA Commissioner. “We have been here all along with great horses and great riders, this puts it in the front shop window for all to see. What it means to these riders, their careers, and all NRHA riders is something that we could have only dreamed of before.”
The American Performance Horseman will make its debut at The American Western Weekend, Friday, March 10th, 2023, 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 2022 earnings in NRHA Categories 1-10. TAPH will utilize a modified version of an NRHA pattern. Earnings for the event will be recorded in NRHA as Category 11 money.
TAPH Reining Qualifiers are being published in advance of the 12/31 official year-end as all events that could affect the top five are published
NRHA Top 20 Professionals, Non Pros and Owners lists for 2022 will be published after the official year-end
NRHA World Title Top 10 Standings for 2022 will be published after the official year-end
At present, the ReinerSuite team is testing the 2023 Eligibility Tool so it can be released by the second week of January
When Andiamoe hit the entrance to the Jim Norick Coliseum, the crowd was already cheering. They’d watched the absolutely masterful go-rounds, where Shawn Flarida and the royally bred mare had marked 228.5 and 224.5. They knew what they were in store for.
When Flarida hit the first stop, the crowd was so loud he wasn’t sure Andiamoe heard him. Regardless, Andiamoe knew the drill, sliding to a stop and scooting her way back to the center. From there, she riled the crowd up even further. On his final stop, Flarida’s smile was visible from the back gate.
As the score of 230 rang out over the audience, Flarida earned his seventh NRHA Open Futurity Championship and a payday of $350,000. With the win, he had launched himself squarely into the mix for The American Performance Horseman.
“She’s a very happy horse. I just tried to stay out of her way,” Flarida said. “She’s so determined, and she’s so confident. Sometimes I’ve just got to be there to pet her and tell her, ‘Hey, you did good.’ Very seldom do I ever have to tell her to work harder. We do a lot of petting and a lot of walking.”
Flarida called Andiamoe a clone of her mother, NRHA Million Dollar Dam Wimpys Little Chic. Flarida earned his fourth Futurity Championship on the palomino in 2007. To make the feat more impressive, Flarida earned an NRHA Open Futurity Championship on Andiamoe’s father, as well, NRHA Eight Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya.
“Andiamoe is just so special. She’s amazing,” Flarida said.
Andiamoe was bred, nominated, and owned by NRHA Two Million Dollar Owner Arcese Quarter Horses.
Flarida credited his steady mindset throughout the intense week to his family, saying his son Sam Flarida is the one who coaches him throughout the process.
“From the time I get my chaps on to the time I go in, he says some of the most important things to me,” Flarida said. “Tonight, he told me to move my hand slow, to trust myself, ‘This is yours. You’ve been building yourself up to do this, and your horse is ready, and she looks cool.’ He was very instrumental in making sure I got through that gate.”
Flarida said the list of those to thank would be too long for the page, but those at the top included his family, friends, wife, Sam, and his owners.
“And my horse. She is absolutely amazing,” he said.
Finishing as the Level 4 Open Reserve Champions were Customize My Dream and NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider Casey Deary. The pair put together a solid 228.5 run, earning a cool $150,000 for owner Devin Warren. Customize My Dream, by NRHA Eight Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream out of Gunna Be Custom, was nominated by Garth Hystad, who received $7,500.
Rounding out the top three and earning $100,000 was Abby Lengel and her horse Bringnthaheat. Lengel bred, nominated, raised, and trained the talented mare by NRHA Million Dollar Sire Inferno Sixty Six out of Tackie Dreams.
Level 3 Open Champions – Matt Mills & Walla Be A Bigstar
Drawing last in the MS Diamonds Level 4 Open Finals is a coup, and NRHA Million Dollar Rider Matt Mills planned to capitalize on it. He knew the scores to beat, so when he rode into the Jim Norick Coliseum on Walla Be A Bigstar, he did so with authority.
From the very first stop to the last, it was clear Mills and the flashy palomino stallion were true contenders. Unfortunately, a bobble on a rollback sparked a judges’ review, and Mills had to sweat.
Once the review was over, his score – a 222 – was announced. It was enough to not only win the Level 3 Open Championship but also good for seventh in the L4. That meant that Mills had won the $70,000 check for first in the Level 3 and an additional $52,634 for the L4.
“I’m just really happy for that horse. He’s incredible – we had that darn rollback, but I’m really, really pleased with this incredible horse,” Mills said.
Walla Be A Big Star, by ARC Gunnabeabigstar and out of Smart Little Walla, was bred and nominated by Danny Dalton. He was trained and started by Garrett Thurner, who was showing the horse at the Kimes Ranch Tulsa Reining Classic when he first came on Mills’ radar.
“I saw him showing that week, and I could see the horse was just oozing talent. I went right to Garrett and asked him if I could be first in line. I got a chance to try that horse there and bought him. Garrett did a phenomenal job training that horse, and I didn’t have a lot of time between here and Tulsa, but I’ve typically done pretty well in that situation,” Mills shared. “What a horse he is! I’m not going to lie – during that review, I was holding my breath wondering if we’d be drinking to celebrate or to cry.”
Making the win even more special for Mills was that Walla Be A Bigstar is owned by his longtime clients, Tim and Marybeth Ruckman. “I’m so happy for them. They have always supported me. I also thank my other owners, including Janice Dickson and Taylor Sheridan. It’s a team effort, and it took us all to get the horse here tonight.”
Tying for reserve in the Level 3 were Martin Larcombe and Jordan Larson, who each marked 221.5.
Larcombe, who passed the million-dollar mark in earnings during the NRHA Futurity, rode Vincent Van Whoa, a stallion he owns with Andrea Costa. Vincent Van Whoa, by Spooks Gotta Gun out of FM Master Tag Chex, was also bred and nominated by Kim Adamic, who received $2,125. Larcombe and Vincent Van Whoa also finished second in the Open Prime Time for total earnings of $44,076.
Larson and HA Tune Of A Mobster took second in the Level 3 and tied for eighth in the Level 4 for total earnings of $83,964. HA Tune Of A Mobster, by HF Mobster out of HA Lena Smart Tune, was nominated by Hillis Akin Family Partnership, who received $4,198, and is now owned by Heritage Farms.
Level 2 Open Champions – Guglielmo Fontana & CD Gunnas Chex Olena
Guglielmo Fontana and CD Gunnas Chex Olena earned the most frequent flier miles when traveling to Oklahoma City to compete in the NRHA Futurity. The pair made it count, putting together solid runs all week. With a 219.5 in the MS Diamonds TX Level 4 Open Finals, they ended the week as the Level 2 Open Champions. They also finished tied for ninth in the Level 3 and 14th in the Level 4 for total earnings of $78,957.
CD Gunnas Chex Olena, by ARC Gunna Sparkya and out of Mistis Chex Olena, was nominated and is owned by Società Agricola CD Horses SRL.
“I’m really happy with my horse. He gave me everything. For me, it’s a dream to be here, and I’m really proud for me and my horse,” Fontana shared. “This is a dream because this is my first time to show here in the states. We decided to come here three months ago, so this is something very special. To just be here tonight, it’s like I won.”
Fontana thanked both Matteo Rondanina and Francesco Martinotti. “Matteo arranged the flight for myself and my horse, and then after showing in Ardmore, I moved my horse to Francesco Martinotti’s,” he explained. “I say a really big thank you to both of them.”
Now Fontana plans to return home, which is in Italy. “We will see with the horse. Maybe we will come back next year. I don’t know yet; I have to speak about it with the owner,” he said.
Tying for second in the Level 2 were Chuy Chavez on Post Palone and Rodrigo Nieves on Spook Lil Whiz. Each marked a score of 218.5.
Post Palone, by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Pale Face Dunnit and out of Blazed By Commander, is owned by Electric Shine Equine. The colt earned $20,000, with $1,000 going to breeder and nominator Alan Chappell.
Nieves and Spook Lil Whiz, by NRHA Five Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz out of Lil Dreamer, qualified for the Finals in Levels 4, 3, and 2, earning a total of $$44,897. Spooks Lil Whiz is owned by Renata Lemannwas nominated by NRHA Professional Eduardo Salgado, who passed away earlier this year.
Graddytude lived up to her name in the NRHA Open Futurity Finals, bringing home the Level 1 Championship from the first section of Open Finals Saturday, Dec. 3. The pair scored a 216.5 and earned $13,000 for the Level 1.
“She’s a really good-minded horse,” rider Ethan Wiley said. “There is nothing that she doesn’t try to think through. Her strength, to me, is that she’s a team player.”
Graddytude is owned by Lisa and Mark Doering and was teamed up with Willey a few months prior to the Futurity.
“She’s gotten better the whole way [including] when we got to this horse show,” Wiley said. “Today, she was like a machine, and I was able to chase her in the circles. The faster we went, the better she was.”
Sired by Thirteen Million Dollar Sire Gunner and out of Miss Little Addy Tude. She was bred and nominated by Toyon Ranch.
“I showed her at the Southwest before this, and we had a couple of turn penalties, [plus] her rollbacks were a little rough. So, we had some stuff we had to clean up,” Willey said. “Our plan [today] was to go in there and either make it or break it. I really thought I made a mistake on my first stop – I missed my timing a little bit – but that mare is so good that she saved me on that.”
Willey thanked Danny and Fred Tremblay, Mike Flarida, and wife Angie Willey.
