Category: Shows

The State Fair Park in Oklahoma City is bustling with activity in preparation for the reining industry’s second-largest event. This year’s 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel is predicted to break entry records, and the payout should once again exceed $1.3 million.

Move-in for the Derby begins at noon on Tuesday, June 14, but NRHA Show Staff members are already on-site to begin setup for this year’s event. “The Oklahoma State Fair Park staff have been working diligently to ensure the grounds are ready to receive horses on Tuesday,” noted Cheryl Cody, NRHA Events Manager. “This year OSF officials allowed reining exhibitors from the Redbud Spectacular to leave their stall set up in place if they would be in the same location for our event. This is the first time our exhibitors have had this opportunity, and we appreciate OSF for making this happen.”

Ancillary competition begins Wednesday in the Adequan® Arena, then the first section of the Non Pro Derby preliminaries kicks off Friday in the Jim Norick Coliseum, while the first section of the Open starts June 20. Although final entry numbers for the ancillary classes won’t be known until competition ends on Sunday, entries for the aged event alone already exceed the record set in 2021.

The Non Pro Finals will be held Friday, June 24, and the Open championships will be decided during the Finals on Saturday, June 25. Continuing the tradition that started in 2021 with the naming sponsorship from the historic 6666, the champions for all levels of the Open and Non Pro derbies are guaranteed big checks. This year’s Level 4 Open Champion will win $75,000, while the Level 4 Non Pro Champion is guaranteed $30,000.

Other sponsors have sweetened the pot for exhibitors, with special divisions including the Tamarack Ranch Open 4-Year-Old Stakes, the Colston Paving Inc. Non Pro 4-Year-Old Stakes, the Story Book Stables Amateur, and the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Open and Non Pro Novice Horse Derbies.

Beginning with this year’s Derby, entry fees for all ancillary rookie classes have been paid by NRHA Global Event Partner Toyon Ranch. That means that rookie competitors in both slates of classes do not have to pay entry or judges fees. Another exciting addition is The Run For A Million Non Pro and Rookie qualifiers, which will be held in both slates of ancillary classes. The top five in each slate will earn a spot in their respective classes at this year’s The Run For A Million in Las Vegas.

Special events at the NRHA Derby are highlighted by the $20,000 NRHA Invitational Freestyle Reining presented by the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau which will be held on Thursday, June 23, at 6 p.m. At 4 p.m. that same day, reining fans will get the exciting opportunity to meet and mingle with 2021 NRHA Derby Level 4 Open Champion Jerseys Baby Driver during the Hercules Kids’ Reception. The reception, which will include photos with the champion, hors d’oeuvres, and more, will be held in the Super Barn warmup arena.

Other special events include the Platinum Performance Welcome Party featuring Reiners Rope benefiting the Reining Horse Foundation, the Platinum Performance Non Pro and Open Draws, the Rider’s meeting, the NRHA Buckle Ceremony, the Markel Ice Cream Social, the NRHyA Dance and the CINCH Youth Gathering, and Cowboy Church. A complete schedule can be found at NRHADerby.com/schedule

There are several ways to follow along with the excitement of this year’s Derby. The live webcast, as well as live scoring, can be accessed on the website at NRHADerby.com. Receive text alerts regarding schedule updates or events here. NRHA Official social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram will be regularly updated not only with up-to-date news but also with additional photos and fun facts.

The 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel, held June 15-26 in Oklahoma City, will host Non Pro and Rookie qualifying events for one of the most exciting events in reining. The Run For A Million, held at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, Nev., is slated for August 17-20. In addition to the million-dollar competition, there is a $100K Open Shoot Out, a $50K Invitational Freestyle, a $50K Non Pro Championship, as well as a Rookie Championship. The event, created by award-winning screenwriter/producer and NRHA member Taylor Sheridan, debuted in 2019.

Qualifiers are being offered across the United States and Canada and the NRHA Derby is slated to be one of them. “We at NRHA are truly excited to partner with Taylor Sheridan on this impactful event. This is part of a growth trend we are seeing in the sport, and it will continue to send ripples throughout our industry for years,” noted NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter.

The Rookie and Non Pro Qualifiers will run concurrently with the corresponding Ancillary classes (Non Pro and Rookie Level 2). Those wishing to qualify to compete at The Run For A Million must enter the concurrent class, fill out the TRFAM Qualifier form found on the NRHA Derby website, and pay the $200 fee per slate that they wish to enter.

The top five placings, plus ties, in each slate will be able to compete in Las Vegas at TRFAM. Qualification is based on the rider, not the horse, and each rider can only qualify once. Riders do not have to compete at TRFAM on the horse that was used to qualify but must own or lease the horse based on NRHA rules.

For more information about The Run For A Million, go to trfam.com. To learn about the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel and access the TRFAM Qualifier form, visit NRHADerby.com.

A highlight for the 2022 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel will be the $20,000 Invitational Freestyle. Sponsored by the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau, the popular event will take place on Thursday, June 23, at 6 p.m.

NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter said, “The OKC CVB has been very loyal to NRHA. We are proud that our events have a substantial economic impact and grateful that Oklahoma City continues to invest in the NRHA Futurity and Derby.”

Freestyle reining has been popular at the NRHA Futurity in the past but was moved to the Derby in 2022 to give it a more prominent position. Often compared to figure skating routines, Freestyle Reining pairs the athleticism and finesse of reining moves choreographed to music, often with clever costuming and props.

NRHA Professional and Executive Committee member Shane Brown said, “By being held during the Derby, the Freestyle is returning to its roots. The freestyle event was created and began at the NRHA Derby in St. Paul, Minnesota. We are happy to have it as a crowd favorite in Oklahoma City to showcase our sport.”

Brown noted that the invitation-only lineup will feature some of the top freestyle performers from around the country. He said, “It should really be a showcase of entertaining performances.”

Confirmed Freestyle contestants include Shane Brown, Randy Dooley, Abby Bud, Tanya Jenkins, Jessicah Keller, Madison Rafacz, and Troy Heikes.

While the Freestyle Reining starts at 6 p.m., the excitement of Thursday night kicks off even earlier, beginning with the Hercules Reception at 4 p.m. in the Super Barn Warmup Arena. There, 2021 Derby Champion Jerseys Baby Driver, known as Hercules, will be available to meet fans and take pictures.

“We are excited that Janice Laney has chosen to bring her great stallion Hercules to the Derby for this reception. He is known for his great demeanor and love of kids, so this is a great opportunity for kids – both in reining and from the local area – to learn about horses and meet a great one,” noted NRHA Events Manager Cheryl Cody. “While this particular reception is geared towards the younger crowd, there will be plenty for adults to enjoy as well.”

Prior to the start of the Freestyle, the Derby Level 4 Non Pro Finalists will be introduced in the Coliseum Arena.

To keep up with the latest news and updates from the 6666 Ranch NRHA Derby presented by Markel, visit NRHADerby.com, or follow NRHA on Facebook at Facebook.com/nrhareining

National Reining Horse Association Corporate Partner Toyon Ranch recently announced plans to expand support of Rookie competitors. At this year’s 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel, rookie competitors will have their judges’ and entry fees paid for by Toyon Ranch. That also includes contestants competing in the ancillary Rookie Professional classes!

This new development is a continuation of Toyon Ranch’s patronage of rookie competitors that began in 2019 with the Toyon Ranch Rookie of the Year, and was increased in 2021 with the Toyon Ranch Rookie Showdown during the NRHA Futurity.

John Tague, who owns Toyon Ranch with his wife, Nancy, explained, “Supporting NRHA classes across the board has been a priority for Nancy and me. This sponsorship is a great way to deepen our commitment to rookie competitors – extending from the Toyon Ranch Rookie of the Year. By making it easier for people to get involved with reining, we can increase the number of reiners we have in the future.

“Recently, many supporters have made significant efforts to target industry growth and enhance experience. Together these efforts make a difference. We want to continue to create growth from the entry level classes to the top level.”

The deadline for entering the ancillary classes at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel is June 1, and entry forms can be found at NRHADerby.com/forms

About Toyon Ranch

Toyon Ranch is located in the heart of horse country in beautiful Pilot Point, Texas. Its focus is on breeding and raising top reining prospects. The ranch is known for an exceptional band of broodmares that has over $4 million in combined earnings and offspring earnings and 30 Big Four champions. The Tagues breed their mares to the industry’s top stallions to create a quality and diverse group of exceptional prospects each year.

In addition to the mare program, Toyon Ranch stands several of the industry’s top stallions: No Smoking Required, Shine Chic Shine, Inferno Sixty Six, Dun It For Whizkey, Gunner Dun It Again, Shine N Spook, Shining In Town, Shiners Voodoo, Gunna Stop and Colonels Smart Spook. For information on Toyon Ranch, visit the website at toyonranchllc.com.

$344,514-Added AMBPT/BO Ranch NRHA European Futurity Presented by Markel Insurance:

La Chapelle-la-Reine, May 3—Originally scheduled to be held in Austria, BO Ranch’s proposal to host the 2022 edition of the NRHA European Futurity was accepted in February this year. The response from sponsors in support of the event held in France—as well as the work done by the BO Ranch team— has been huge and includes the addition of NRHA Corporate Partners Toyon Ranch and MS Diamonds TX who extended their contribution to NRHA owned events outside North America.

NRHA Corporate Partner Markel, Official Insurance Partner of NRHA, Presenting sponsor of the NRHA European Futurity, Derby, and European Affiliate Championships, has invested in NRHA European owned events since 2009. Cardinal Reining Horses, gold sponsor for European events, decided to ‘go global’ in 2014.

Toyon Ranch, owned by John and Nancy Tague, is one of a few major NRHA North American sponsors who have increased their support to include Europe. “We sell horses all over the world, both through auctions, such as the NRHA Markel Futurity Sales, and privately on the ranch. It feels appropriate to extend our brand and support in a tangible way so that our international customers recognize we’re actively supporting the business, not just at our home, but where they live as well,” John shared about Toyon Ranch’s Platinum Sponsorship of the two major European events.

Oded Fein of MS Diamonds TX, Official Diamond Jeweler of NRHA and sponsor of the NRHA Open Futurity Championship Ring, has extended his sponsorship to the Italian Reining Horse Association Open Futurity and Elementa Masters Championship Rings in the past years. “I felt it was important to be part of the NRHA global sponsors as we believe our Futurity Champions worldwide should be awarded a Championship ring reflecting the NRHA ring and we look forward to presenting the inaugural trophy ring at BO Ranch,” said Fein about MS Diamond TX’s Euro Futurity Level 4 Open Presenting Sponsorship.

A special thank you to all the 2022 AMBPT/BO RANCH NRHA European Futurity Sponsors: You make it happen and we look forward to seeing you all at BO Ranch, May 23-29.

PLEASE NOTE THE EUROPEAN FUTURITY DEADLINE ENTRY DATE HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO MAY 9

• Entry Form and Conditions
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For further information: nrhaeuropeanfuturity.com

NRHA European Futurity Media Contact
Simona Diale/International Horse Press
internationalhorsepress@gmail.com

The National Reining Horse Association is not responsible for the information contained in this press release. Please contact the author or submitting organization for further information, requests, or questions.