Category: Shows

Although the weekend is drawing to a close, the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel is just heating up. While the Non Pro preliminaries were being held in the Norick Coliseum, the Adequan® Arena played host to the Green and Rookie Reiners.

Classic Equine Green Reiner Level 2 Champion & Highpoint – Teresa Roller & Surprized

Teresa Roller managed to pull off both the Classic Equine Green Reiner Level 2 (2) Championship and Level 2 High Point Sunday, June 19, in the Adequan® Arena.

The Corinth, Texas resident has been riding reining horses for five years and gradually increasing her skills.

“I enjoy the process to get there. It isn’t just the win. It’s taken me a little while to get here and I’ve learned so much,” Roller said.

She’s been learning with 8-year-old gelding Surprized (Hang Ten Surprize x Snow White Dun It), known as “Cheeseburger.”

“He’s super cute, he’s a gentleman. He is the best little horse and I couldn’t be happier with him. He tries for me and I think you can ask for more from a horse,” Roller said. “He likes to eat a lot, he can’t miss dinner-bucket time.”

Roller trains with Luke Gagnon and credited Gagnon with her success.

Classic Equine Green Reiner Level 1 Champion – Morgan Hobson & Trendsettter

From the last draw, Morgan Hobson and Trendsettter (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Timed To Shine) grabbed the Classic Equine Green Reiner Level 1 (2) Championship with a score of 140.5.

“It felt pretty good. This is my second time ever showing him so I’m really proud of him. He was a good boy,” Hobson said.

The 2017 gelding is slated to show in the Open Derby with Josh Tishman later in the week.

“I wanted to have a clean run. I wasn’t even going in to win, I just wanted to have a clean run because he is showing in the Level 4 Open. I was going to go in and school him, and have a run. I was very happy with the circles, and he gets a little tense in the rundowns, but he waited on me today,” Hobson said.

Trendsettter has lifetime earnings of more than $70,000, including the 2021 Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes Championship with Kole Price.

“He’s kind of weird. He loves attention and he’s always fun to ride. He’s a pleasure to have,” Hobson said. “When he stands in the cross ties, he will lick you and bite the crossties until he gets your attention.”

Next year, Hobson hopes to compete in the Non Pro with Trendsettter and qualify for The Run For A Million.

“I want to thank Josh Tishman, Casey and Nicole Deary, and especially my mom and dad,” Hobson said.

Classic Equine Green Reiner Level 1 Highpoint – Sidney Karr & Gunmetal Whiz Girl

Sidney Karr and Gunmetal Whiz Girl earned the Classic Equine Green Reiner Level 1 High Point Montana Silversmith’s buckle Sunday, June 19, in the Adequan® Arena.

“We’ve only been together for just shy of two months. I picked her up right before the NRBC. This is our third show together and she’s just a unicorn, she takes really good care of me,” Karr said.

The high point award was a bit of redemption for Karr, since she and Gunmetal Whiz Girl’s (Spooks Gotta Gun x Koolwhix N Wranglers) run in the Non Pro Derby preliminaries didn’t go to plan.

“I think it was my jitters. Hopefully next year we can be pretty competitive in the level 1 [derbies],” Karr said.

Coming from an all-around show background, Karr said she loves the reining for the environment, people and challenge. She trains with Jonathan Gauthier and thanked the entire Gauthier team for their help.

“They’re amazing, the entire crew. Johnathan, Janina, I couldn’t ask for a better crew. My mom, my dad, just everyone that gets me here and gets me into the show pen,” Karr said.

Jackpot Rookie Level 1 & $200 Rookie Level 2 Champion – Raegan Shepherd & Shining Spook Dancer

NRHyA member Raegan Shepherd and Shining Spook Dancer swept the Rookie Level 1 and Rookie Level 2 Sunday afternoon, June 19, in the Adequan® Arena. Thanks to NRHA Global Event Sponsor Toyon Ranch, all Rookie entry and judges fees for both slates of classes are paid at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel.

The resident of North Carolina marked a 141.5 to secure the title on the nine-year-old gelding called “Sunny.”

“I was really happy with my run. The plan was to just go out there and show my strengths and get through the parts where I didn’t have him as prepared as I wanted to,” Shepherd said. “He was there with me every part of the way.”

According to Shepherd, Sunny (Smart Spook x Shining Dancer) keeps people guessing at home with his mischievous behavior.

“He’s kind of a goofball and we never know how he’s going to be. Some days he’s great and some days he’s wild. He keeps us guessing, which is good,” she said.

With the $272 payday, Sunny’s lifetime earnings pushed to more than $15,000.

“I want to thank my friends and family, my trainer and everyone who got me to this point today,” Shepherd said.

TRFAM Rookie Qualifiers

Five riders advanced from the first slate of Rookie The Run For A Million Qualifier Sunday afternoon in the Adequan Arena at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel. Long rosettes in hand, the riders joined the ranks of rookies vying for the TRFAM Rookie Championship, which will be held in August at the South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Amanda Johnson

Whitesboro, Texas – Arise The Pheonix (Pale Face Dunnit x Talk About Janie)

Pip Brown

Anna, Texas – Roosters Myra (SR Roosters Kid x Miss Magnum Chic)

Harper Lawson

Lincoln, Nebraska – Spooksgottachicolena (Spooks Gotta Gun x Braz Us)

Staci Ann Lawson

Lincoln, Nebraska – Stary Nite (Gunners Special Nite x Dunna Quintana)

Charlotte Trojanovich

Calahan, Colorado – Custom Cocktail (Wimpyneedsacocktail x Custom Topgun)

Qualification for TRFAM is based on rider, not horse. Riders do not have to compete on the horse they qualified on but are required to lease or own their TRFAM the horse based on NRHA rules.

A record-breaking 305 entries competed in this year’s Non Pro preliminary round at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel, which began Friday, June 17, at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.

As the weekend waned, the competitors were whittled down to the top 30 in the Non Pro Levels 4-1; top 20 in the Prime Time Non Pro and Youth Non Pro; and top 15 in the Masters Non Pro. Those riders will advance into the clean-slate finals, to be held Friday. For the second year in a row, the Champion of the Non Pro Level 4 will win $30,000, while Level 3 wins $20,000, Level 2 earns $15,000, and Level 1 will pocket $5,000.

It doesn’t end there! The Non Pro Prime Time Champion is guaranteed $5,000, while both the Masters and Youth winners will take home $2,000 each.

Unofficially the bubble for advancing to the finals are:

Level 4 – 215
Level 3 – 214
Level 2 – 213
Level 1 – 211
Prime Time – 213.5*
Masters – 211*
Youth – 210.5

*Includes handicap.

Winning each division of the Non Pro preliminaries were:

Level 4 – Jack Medows & Tribbiani (Gunnatrashya x Chicsdreamofdiamonds) – 220.5

Level 4 – Gina-Maria Schumacher & Gunnastepya (Gunnatrashya x SDP A Lasting Step) – 220.5

Level 3, Level 2, and Prime Time – Rodion Cantacuzene, Jr. & Pale Dun Star (Pale Face Dunnit x Get Ya Some Stars) – 218.5

Level 1 – Christine Trautman & Smart Whizard Spook (Smart Spook x Miss Poco Whizard) – 217.5

Masters – David J Silva, Sr. & Good Time To Trashya (Gunnatrashya x Good Time Gota Shine) – 217

Masters – Lance Griffin & Spooks Gotta Tinsel (Spooks Gotta Gun x Tinsel Tiara) – 217

The draw for the Non Pro finals will be held during the Platinum Performance Non Pro Draw and Welcome Party Wednesday evening, June 22, which will also feature Reiners Rope, a fundraiser to benefit the Reining Horse Foundation Dale Wilkinson Memorial Crisis Fund.

Three championships were decided during the Non Pro preliminaries and awarded immediately after. Christine Trautman and Smart Whizard Spook (Smart Spook x Miss Poco Whizard) won the Story Book Stables Amateur division, while Jack Medows double-dipped, winning the Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes on Tribbiani (Gunnatrashya x Chicsdreamofdiamonds) and the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Non Pro Novice Horse Derby on Jewells (Gunner x Surprizentheprincess).

The preliminary round of the Open Derby kicks off on Monday, June 20. This round, which continues through Wednesday, will determine the winners of the $15,000-Added Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby and the $40,000-added Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes, along with the finalists of the Open Derby. The Finals, slated for Saturday, June 25, also feature guaranteed payouts to each Open Level winner, including $75,000 to the Level 4 Champion.

Complete results, draws, news, and more can be found at NRHADerby.com.

The second day of the preliminaries of the Non Pro at the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel is in the books. The round began with a record-breaking 305 entries, and the field is being whittled down to the crème de la crème that will compete Friday in the clean-slate Finals.

The championships of the Story Book Stables Amateur, the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Derby, and the Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes will also be awarded following the last section of the Non Pro preliminaries.

The current high scores across the many divisions of the Non Pro preliminaries are:

• Level 4 – Jack Medows & Tribbiani (Gunnatrashya x Chicsdreamofdiamonds) – 220.5
• L3, L2, & PT – Rodion Cantacuzene & Pale Dun Star (Pale Face Dunnit x Get Ya Some Stars) – 218.5
• L1 – Kelsey Flessner & Chics Guna Dream (Magnum Chic Dream x Gun Whiz It) – 215.5
• Masters – David Silva & Good Time To Trashya (Gunnatrashya x Good Time To Shine) – 217
• Youth – Samuel Flarida & Hollywooddirtysecret (Hollywoodstinseltown x Maximum RPM) – 220

Currently leading the Story Book Stables Amateur, the Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes, and the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Non Pro Derby are:

• Story Book Stables Amateur – Maria Danieli-Krueger & Fridee Spook (Smart Spook x Dun It Fri Dee Nite) – 217
• Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro Stakes – Jack Medows & Tribbiani (Gunnatrashya x Chicsdreamofdiamonds) – 220.5
• Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Derby – Mandy McCutcheon & Johnny Loves June (Gunnatrashya x Good Time Gota Shine)

The Non Pro preliminaries wrap up Sunday night. The top 30 in the Non Pro Levels 4-1, the top 20 in the Prime Time Non Pro and Youth Non Pro, as well as the top 15 in the Masters Non Pro, will advance to the clean-slate finals on Friday, June 24. The draw for the finals will be decided during the Platinum Performance Non Pro Draw and Welcome Party on Wednesday evening, June 22. This welcome party also features Reiners Rope, a fundraiser that benefits the Reining Horse Foundation Dale Wilkinson Memorial Crisis Fund.

For complete results and other information, visit NRHADerby.com.

Another exciting day of competition drew to a close in the Adequan® Arena Saturday evening, June 18, with three open champions crowned.

The taste of Open reining competition was an exciting reminder of what’s to come as the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel inches closer to the Open Derby preliminaries next week.

$6,000 Open & $1,000 Intermediate Open Champion – Lil Dreamin Magnum & Jeremy Gates

With a score of 148, Lil Dreamin Magnum and Jeremy Gates brought home the win of the first slate of the ancillary $6,000 Open and $1,000 Intermediate Open for owner Kathy Biesecker, pocketing $2,795.

“He’s 11 and overcame a lot of things to be here today,” Gates said. “He’s had two colic surgeries, the first one was exploratory and the second one was a bypass.”

Lil Dreamin Magnum (Magnum Chic Dream x Myo Starlight) was bred by Spence Bell of Maysville, Oklahoma, and was purchased out of the NRHA Markel Futurity Marketplace Sale as a yearling by current owner Biesecker.

“He’s a huge turner and a big stopper,” Gates said. “I’d like to take him to Vegas and qualify for The Run For A Million.”

Gates works for Tom McCutcheon in Aubrey, Texas, and said his list of people to thank is long.

“We could be here for a while,” Gates said good-humoredly.

$500 Limited Open Champion – Light Me Up Joe & Nick Valentine

For Nick Valentine, the Ancillary $500 Limited Open class Saturday, June 18, in the Adequan® Arena was an opportunity to prepare Light Me Up Joe for the Open Derby Preliminaries taking place next week.

“I go on the last day [of the prelims] so I just wanted to make sure he connected all the dots and relaxed in there,” Valentine said.

The trip got a little sweeter with a score of 142.5, a championship title, and a payday of $286.

“He’s really good-minded—he’s physically talented, too, but he’s good-minded. He’s a little green and he’s getting show broke now,” Valentine said.

Light Me Up Joe (Lil Joe Cash x Light Attack) was bred by Devin Warren and is owned by Valentine. The team has been working together since late last year and is set to show in section three of the Open Derby on Wednesday, June 22.

“He’s a big stopper, pretty mover,” Valentine said of the gelding. “He minds the heat a little bit so I just try to work him early and put him by the portacool.”

$500 Rookie Professional Champion – CBK A Nu Kinda Spark & Eric Grondin

Canadian Eric Grondin is getting a feel for the show pen aboard CBK A Nu Kinda Spark (Jacs Electric Spark x HR Wright On Cash). On Saturday, June 18, the pair nabbed the win of the ancillary $500 Rookie Professional with a score of 141, winning $275.

“I’ve showed him four times. He’s a good horse—he’s not very complicated. I think he has lots of experience, lots more than me,” Grondin said.

With more than 10 years of riding reining horses, Grondin is no stranger to the industry but has mostly worked behind the scenes.

“I need practice in the show pen. I’ve trained horses for many years but have not had lots of opportunities to go show. My friend Luke Gagnon, I work [for] him, and he’s shown me lots of things,” Grondin said.

Luckily CBK A Nu Kinda Spark is willing to show Grondin the ropes. The 11-year-old gelding was bred by William & Corliss Kellogg and is owned by Patricia Ann Jackson.

“I think his best maneuver is the stop. In the run down he waits [the whole time] and focuses on you. When you say whoa, he stops,” Grondin said.

Classic Equine Green Reiner Level 1 Champion – Joetta Bell & Silver Gunn

Joetta Bell and Silver Gunn navigated their way to a score of 141 in the Adequan® Arena Friday, June 17, in the Classic Equine Green Reiner Level 1, earning the championship by half a point.

The Millsap, Texas, resident got into reining this year and competes with daughter Trinity under the guidance of Casey Deary and Josh Tishman.

“It’s my first Derby to show,” Bell said. “My biggest goal is to just stay on pattern, be clean and be safe. [Friday] was really just practice for me for the Derby.”

Bell and the 2017 gelding are slated to compete in Section three of the Non Pro at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel on Sunday, June 19.

“I didn’t run him as hard as I will in the Derby for the circles,” Bell said. “I wanted him to be confident and work on where I needed to be in the arena, which is always something Casey and Josh teach. I want to get past those markers.”

According to Bell, Silver Gunn (Gunnatrashya x Silvernbluestarbuck) got plenty of rest in preparation for the show.

“He’s not one that requires a lot of training. He’s really my kid’s horse, and I just wanted him to rest his legs and body before all of this heat and concrete,” Bell said.

Find the latest news, draws, results, and more at NRHADerby.com.

A productive day of competition drew to a close in the Adequan® Arena Friday evening, June 17, with four new champions crowned.

The smiles and enthusiastic horse pats were just a sampling of the action unfolding at the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel, which is gathering steam as it moves into the weekend.

Non Pro, Intermediate and Limited Non Pro (1) Champion – Rita Clausen & Smart Tinseltown

Rita Clausen swept the ancillary non pro divisions Friday, June 17, in the Adequan® Arena. With a score of 145.5, Clausen and Smart Tinseltown won the first slate of the Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Limited Non Pro ancillary classes for a total of $1,697.

“I can trust my horse so much, so I was pretty confident coming in. I was looking for a clean run, wanted to work on the run downs and make it pretty,” Clausen said.

To date, Smart Tinseltown has earned $162,762 in the NRHA. The 2010 gelding is sired by NRHA Seven Million Dollar Sire Smart Spook out of Tinseltown Lil Step, was bred by Charles Vaughn and is owned by Clay Clausen.

According to Clausen, of Scottsdale, Ariz., her teammate Smart Tinseltown is a powerful circler. “I like how much I can rely on him and he’s so fun to show. His circling is his best maneuver. I can really lay my hand on his neck and slow down really pretty,” Clausen said.

Prime Time Non Pro (1) Champion – Cady Shaw & Faceit Sheza Digger

Cady Shaw was a little misty-eyed at the conclusion of the first slate of the ancillary Prime Time Non Pro astride Faceit Sheza Digger (Pale Face Dunnit x TC West Coast Wendi) Friday, June 17, in the Adequan® Arena. Scoring a 143.5, Shaw earned $244 for the title.

“She’s a new horse to me. I’m figuring her out, we’ve been together 90 days. She just fits me,” Shaw said. “She’s really sweet and likes to be treated nice. The nicer you treat her the better she is.”

The pair finished third in the Non Pro and second in the Intermediate Non Pro for an additional $1,010 in winnings.

The Washington, Okla., resident unexpectedly lost her competition horse last year and had been searching for a new partner. She purchased Faceit Sheza Digger off the internet after trying the mare in person.

“I wanted to find a horse I could go have fun on,” Shaw said.

TRFAM Non Pro Qualifiers

Two riders advanced from the first slate of Non Pro The Run For A Million Qualifier Friday morning in the Adequan® Arena. Long rosettes in hand, the riders joined the ranks of non pros vying for the $50,000 TRFAM Non Pro purse, which will be held in August at the South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Robert Peterson

Jacksonville, Florida – Always A Specialnite (Gunners Special Nite x Always A Dunit)

Barbara Hanaghan

Sulfur Springs, Texas – Revolvingwithmagnum (Einsteins Revolution x Magnum Done It)

Qualification for TRFAM is based on rider, not horse. Riders do not have to compete on the horse they qualified on but more are required to lease or own their TRFAM the horse based on NRHA rules.

Classic Equine Green Reiner Level 2 Champion – Taylor Overmier & Wimpy Code Red

Taylor Overmier and Wimpy Code Red got their Derby jitters out of the way Friday afternoon, June 17, in the Adequan® Arena, winning the Classic Equine Green Reiner Level 2 Championship in the process.

“We’re showing [Saturday] in section two of the Non Pro Derby, and this was actually my first time in the show pen this show,” Overmier said. “I went in trying to be smart and see what I had underneath me, push him where I was able to, check him where I needed to, and make sure I had enough horse left in his heat.”

Scoring a 143.5, Overmier and Wimpy Code Red (Electric Code x Wimpys Little Play) topped the field of more than 30 riders. The gelding was bred by Kjersten Davis and is owned by Overmier.

“He’s a huge spinner. He’s about 14.1 hands and we joke that he’s about 13 hands when he spins because he crunches down and gets into it,” Overmier said.

Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, Overmier made the 900-mile trek to Oklahoma City with boyfriend Matt in tow.

“This is his first time to Oklahoma, he’s not a horse person so this is a lot for him. I thank him for [his help],” Overmier said.

Hart Trailers Para Reining Champion – Elizabeth “Beth” Kelley & Nite At The Roxbury

Elizabeth “Beth” Kelley and Nite At The Roxbury (Gunners Special Nite x Lulus Freckles) brought home the Hart Trailers Para Reining Championship Friday afternoon in the Adequan® Arena.

“We’ve only been riding together for three months. He’s so much fun. We’re still learning, but every day I get on him I just have a blast,” Kelley said. “He is such a trier. I ask him to go and he goes. He never gives up.”

Under the watchful eyes of trainer Brice Briggs and service dog “Wookie,” Kelley cruised through her pattern with precision.

“Today we wanted to go clean, get my lead change, get my circles. I wanted to do a little bit better on the stops, but we’ll work on it,” Kelley said.

Kelley and Briggs have been working together for six weeks, and according to Kelley, Briggs’ instruction has her and Nite At The Roxbury, or “Ham Bone,” dialed in.

For complete results and a competition live stream, visit NRHADerby.com.