Category: Shows

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) has challenged its members over the last few years to grow the purse at the NRHA Futurity. Many members came forward to do just this, the most recent being Robert and Linda Rosenfeld from London, Ohio.

“My reason for sponsoring Level 1 Open is that NRHA has more than 14,000 members, and not everyone can participate in the higher levels due to the cost of horses at those levels or finding the right trainer that can compete at those levels,” says Bob. “We all pay the same entry fees, so I thought I would help richen the pot for those riders and owners in Level 1.”

Bob got into the sport back in 2000 because of his son’s love of horses, and now it has become a family affair with him and his wife, Lin, both riding and showing. They have 15+ horses, the majority at home in Ohio with their in-house trainer Bill McGuire and others with Brandon Brant and Shawn Flarida.

“When Bob called me to ask, ‘why does Level 1 Open Futurity not have a guaranteed payout?’ I explained we did not have a Futurity Challenge Sponsor for Level 1,” said NRHA President Rick Clark. “Bob immediately stepped up as a Challenge Sponsor, and all the money goes into the Level 1 Open Futurity. I am extremely grateful to Bob and Lin Rosenfeld for their Futurity Challenge Sponsorship. This will help to grow our reining industry even more.”

“The best thing about NRHA is the friendships that we have developed over the years,” says Bob. “Some of our very best friends have come through NRHA, and those friendships make it easy to want to help and contribute to a great sport and a great organization.”

To see the list of current NRHA Futurity Challenge Donors, visit nrhafuturity.com/sponsors, and to find out more about donating, contact NRHA Sr. Director of Corporate Relations, Christy Landwehr, at clandwehr@nrha.com

8.25.22: 2022 NRHA European Derby: Non Pro Action Opens the Show

8.26.22: $208,000-Added NRHA European Derby: The Non Pro Qualifier

8.27.22: $208,000-Added NRHA European Derby: The Non Pro Qualifier

8.28.22: 2022 $84,187-Added NRHA European Non Pro Derby: Youth Riders Steal the Show In Lyon

8.29.22: 2022 $153,234-Added NRHA European Open Derby: Fonck and Ludwig Share the Championship

8.30.22: Successful $237,422-Added NRHA European Derby Closes in Lyon, France

Follow the action at nrhaeuropeanderby.com

The National Reining Horse Association Futurity, long-standing as the world’s largest reining show, has been hosted by State Fair Park since 1986. Along with the steady growth of the show, the economic impact on Oklahoma City’s surrounding communities has also increased exponentially. In outstanding merit of that impact, the city management has approved a request to illuminate the Skydance Bridge in hues of gold on Saturday, December 3, during the NRHA Open Futurity Finals.

Inspired by Oklahoma’s state bird, the scissor-tailed flycatcher, Skydance bridge soars over Interstate 40. The bridge is a 380-foot-long pedestrian bridge with a 197-foot-tall sculpture. Completed in 2012, the double-winged structure serves as a sculptural landmark and provides support to a pedestrian deck that connects two portions of Oklahoma City’s Scissortail Park. The design includes fully programmable LED lights that illuminate the bridge from dusk to dawn, often shifting between a wide range of colors; however, in honor of the NRHA Futurity, the bridge will display a golden glow after the sun goes down.

The 2022 National Reining Horse Association Futurity, set for November 24 through December 3, is the premier reining event in the world. Fans travel to Oklahoma City from around the globe to watch NRHA’s top trainers and riders make the big stage debut for elite 3-year-old reining horses.

The landmark event will pay $350,000 to the Level 4 Open Champion and $75,000 to the Level 4 Non Pro Champion, and will also determine the Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships. Not surprisingly, being chosen to score the performances of the exhibitors as a judge is both an honor and a serious responsibility.

The individuals chosen to officiate at the NRHA Futurity this year blend veteran experience with freshman enthusiasm. For the Open Futurity in the Jim Norick Arena, the team includes Sandy Jirkovsky from Mississippi, Van Luse of Texas, Italian Manuela Maiocchi, Kim Myers of Pennsylvania, and Mark Turner from Indiana.

Evaluating performance for the Non Pro Futurity will be Buddy Fisher from Pennsylvania, Oklahoman Don Flohr, Margaret Fuchs of Ohio, Hiram Resende Silva Filho from Goias, Brazil, and Pat Wickenheiser from California.

Jan Dublin of Texas, Linda Hitt from Colorado, and New Yorker Kelly Hedges are the judges chosen for the NAAC classes in the Adequan® Arena.

Ed Cridge and Jeff Buckley, both from Texas, will serve as Equipment Judges in the Jim Norick Arena and the Adequan® Arena, respectively. Monitors for the event will be Eugenio Latorre of Spain and Doug Allen of Arizona.

The group includes four first time Futurity judges, including Maiocchi, Dublin, Hedges and Buckley.

The Futurity Show Steward team is headed by Ed Bricker. He will be joined by Lyle Jackson, Alessandro Dezzutto, Walt Larson and Marlin Holroyd.

“The Judges and Stewards committees take the task of Futurity Judge, Monitor and Steward selection very seriously. These are key positions that move the reining industry forward and set the standard for future competition. We are proud of this year’s lineup of officials and look forward to an exciting event,” said Patti Carter, NRHA Senior Director of Education & Officials.

Additional $100K Added to 4-Year-Old Division at 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel

Exciting changes were voted on and approved during the August 21 National Reining Horse Association Board of Directors meeting, with several being implemented by the end of 2022.

A major development is the increased added money at NRHA’s premier events, beginning with the 2022 NRHA Futurity. While the Level 4 Open Champion is already guaranteed a check for $350,000 as part of an earlier initiative between the NRHA and members of the Futurity Challenge, contestants in the Level 3 and Level 2 Open, as well as the Level 4 and Level 3 Non Pro, will also be vying for guaranteed checks that far surpass those of previous years.

In 2021, the Level 3 Open Champion was awarded $32,236, while the Level 2 title came with $15,123. This year those amounts have risen to $70,000 and $50,000, respectively.

The Level 4 Non Pro Championship was guaranteed $60,000 in 2021 but has now been elevated to $75,000, while the Level 3 Non Pro winner’s payout has nearly doubled to a guaranteed $40,000.

As with the Level 4 Open, which guarantees $150,000 to the Reserve Champion and $100,000 to the third-place contender, the new guaranteed payouts for Open Levels 3 and 2, and Non Pro Levels 4 and 3, extend through third place.

2022 NRHA Futurity Guaranteed Payouts

• Level 4 Open Champion – $350,000
• Level 4 Open Reserve Champion – $150,000
• Level 4 Open Third Place – $100,000
• Level 3 Open Champion – $70,000
• Level 3 Open Reserve Champion – $50,000
• Level 3 Open Third Place – $35,000
• Level 2 Open Champion – $50,000
• Level 2 Open Reserve Champion – $25,000
• Level 2 Open Third Place – $15,000
• Level 4 Non Pro Champion – $75,000
• Level 4 Non Pro Reserve Champion – $45,000
• Level 4 Non Pro Third Place – $35,000
• Level 3 Non Pro Champion – $40,000
• Level 3 Non Pro Reserve Champion – $25,000
• Level 3 Non Pro Third Place – $15,000

NRHA President Rick Clark is excited about all the new guaranteed payouts. He said, “When we guaranteed the payout in the Open Level 4 at the Futurity, it elevated our industry, and now we are building on that for other Open levels and for the Non Pro. We needed to do this, and I feel that it will help riders in these levels to have something bigger to shoot for.”

He continued, “We are also excited to increase the championship payout at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel.” Beginning with the 2023 event, the championship payout for the Level 4 of both the Open and Non Pro will increase, with the Open Champion receiving $100,000 (up from $75,000) and the Non Pro Champion taking home $50,000 (up from $30,000).

Total of $160,000 Added to the 2023 4-Year-Old Stakes

Also debuting at the 2023 Derby will be the revamped 4-Year-Old Open and Non Pro Stakes with an additional $100,000 added. Last year the Tamarack Ranch Open featured $40,000 added with $20,000 in the Colston Paving Non Pro. With the additional $100,000, those added money totals will grow to $110,000 in the Open and $50,000 in the Non Pro.

It was the consensus of the NRHA Board that this will give 4-year-old horses the opportunity to show one more year for good money while not having to compete against older, more finished horses. As in the past, the division will be run concurrently with the Derby preliminaries, and the placings will be decided in the first round. Entry in the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel will be optional.

Clark continued, “We feel that growing this 4-year-old division at the Derby will give a huge boost to our industry. It will provide more opportunities for owners, breeders and riders.”

Information regarding the NRHA Futurity and Derby can be found online at NRHAFuturity.com or NRHADerby.com.