Category: Shows

Dear Reiners:

Despite the incredible challenges created by COVID-19, NRHA has fared reasonably well. This is not to minimize the personal losses of family and friends that many of us feel acutely.

When facing uncertainty of any kind, we must continue to plan, prepare and move forward. The purpose of this communication is to do just that – so we have steps to follow in any contingency.

NRHA will not cancel the Futurity of its own volition. We have not, at this point, been notified that the City of Oklahoma City will prohibit our holding it, either.

We do not expect this, and we are prepared in every way imaginable to hold the Futurity this week. We have made plans for replacement of officials and staff in every role. These steps are manageable. An order from the City would not be. They have given every reasonable assurance that they are planning to go forward, but understandably, they simply cannot give guarantees.

We know that the City required that the Oklahoma Youth Expo, with its approximately 8,000 livestock entries, be shut down mid-event in March of 2020. To be as prepared as possible, we have proactively developed plans for the unlikely event that we would begin the Futurity and not be able to finish.

Below is the update to the conditions which identifies the steps NRHA would take if the Futurity were to be interrupted. Please read carefully to understand the plan for going forward if there were to be an interruption of the futurity.

We look forward to seeing you in just a few days.

NRHA Executive Committee

Remember, Cowboy up, Mask up! Now more than ever we know lives may depend on it!

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Update to 2020 NRHA Futurity Terms and Conditions as of November 20, 2020:

The National Reining Horse Association is fully committed to holding the 2020 NRHA Futurity & Adequan© North American Affiliate Championship at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, November 26-December 5.

Under no circumstances will NRHA cancel the event unless required by state or local government.

The safety and welfare of our members and equine athletes remain paramount, and every effort and precautionary measure has been taken to ensure the event meets local guidelines and CDC recommendations. However, in the unlikely event that the NRHA Futurity is closed due to orders issued by the City of Oklahoma City and/or the State of Oklahoma; the NRHA is fully prepared with the following contingency plans.

The NRHA Executive Committee has proactively approved the following:

If the NRHA is forced to cancel the Open or Non Pro Futurities prior to the completion of the first go-round:

• Every effort will be made to reschedule the event within in a timely manner. Entry fees will automatically be put toward the new event and eligibility will remain the same. The first go-round will be started over. Ancillary and NAAC classes will be re-scheduled as well.

If the NRHA is forced to cancel the Open Futurity after the completion of the first go-round but before the completion of the second go-round:

• The results of the first go-round will be accepted as the final results and recorded and paid out as such.

If the NRHA is forced to cancel the Open Futurity after the completion of the second go-round but prior to the finals:

• Composite scores from the first two go-rounds will determine the final results. Results will be recorded and paid out as such.

If the NRHA is forced to cancel the Non Pro Futurity after the completion of the preliminary round but prior to the consolation round:

• The results of the first go-round will be accepted as the final results and recorded and paid out as such.

If the NRHA is forced to cancel the Non Pro Futurity after the completion of the consolation round:

• The top 25 horses (plus ties) from the L4, L3, L2 and L1  preliminary round and the top 5 horses (plus ties) from the consolation round will be accepted as the final results and recorded and paid out as such.
• The top 20 Prime Time from the preliminary round and Top 15 Youth from the preliminary round will be accepted as the final results and recorded and paid out as such.

If the NRHA is forced to cancel any ancillary and NAAC classes, but the Futurity classes do not need to be rescheduled:

• Every effort will be made to reschedule these classes to be added to a future event, with the 2021 NRHA Derby being a likely choice.
• Entries in any ancillary and/or NAAC classes that are cancelled and are unable to be rescheduled will receive a full refund on their entry fees.

If the NRHA Is forced to cancel the NRHA Sales held at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds on December 3:

• The event will be rescheduled as a stand-alone event at a nearby private facility
• The event will be held as a virtual event only

For Immediate Release – November 18, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Just days from move-in, the  55^th National Reining Horse Association Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships looks to be a record-breaker – and not just with its historic, first-ever quarter of a million dollar payment to the Open Futurity  Champion!

Stall numbers now exceed 1,660, up from last year’s 1,394. Similarly, entries for the show have risen across the board. Along with increased futurity entries, the Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships and horse show classes promise record days as well, with 50% growth in most classes. Since entries do not close until the day before the class, the numbers are expected to expand even more by show time.

Competition begins with the first section of the Open Preliminaries on Nov. 26, and in recognition of rising numbers, the NRHA is emphasizing the necessity for attendees to comply with COVID-19 mandates and masking requirements.  NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter noted, “We expect great compliance from our NRHA members who are so passionate about this sport and our ability to hold this Futurity during this admittedly difficult time. It’s pretty simple, you must wear a mask, wash your hands and maintain social distancing.”

He will soon be joined in urging exhibitors and attendees to “Cowboy Up, Mask Up” by Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, whose video message will be played on the arena jumbotrons and on the live feed. Carpenter added that the NRHA Board and Executive Committee are united in their support of the mask mandate as they remain excited about going forward with this historic Futurity.

Association President Mike Hancock echoed Carpenter’s sentiments. “We are committed to providing a safe environment for all who attend. We are asking industry leaders and top professionals to show their leadership by complying with the rules set in place. A complete list of protocols can be found at nrhafuturity.com.”

The NRHA Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships,  although closed to the general public, is open to all horse enthusiasts, who may enter through the barn areas to attend performances, the Futurity Trade Show held during the entire show and the NRHA/Markel Futurity Sales, set for Thursday, Dec. 3. The event will follow whatever health mandates are in place for Oklahoma City at the time of the show, currently including masks being required and restrictions pertaining to social distancing.

When the 55^th National Reining Horse Association Futurity begins Nov. 26, it will launch a new chapter in its history. In early February of this year, the association made the landmark announcement that, thanks to the support of a committed group of donors, the 2020 NRHA Futurity champion will receive a quarter of a million dollars – a hundred thousand dollar increase from the previous year!

The news came during the association’s Annual General Meeting and was accompanied by the additional announcement that the Cinch Non Pro Futurity Champion would receive $60,000 and that the added money for the Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship classes would be doubled.

Now, as the momentous event approaches, the task force created to increase the futurity payout continues to plan ahead. Under the leadership of NRHA Vice President Rick Clark, the task force, which also includes NRHA President Mike Hancock, John Tague, Mark Blake, Doug Carpenter, Ginger Schmersal, Roseanne Sternberg and Shane Brown, is looking forward to even more growth in the next five years.

Clark said, “This is the beginning. We want to grow to awarding a half-million dollars to the open champion in the next five years and this will come from a combination of resources.”

Tague added, “The growth will initially come from supporters until we bridge to a more permanent and stable funding plan. There are many ways to build structural support for the purse. The most positive of all would be entry growth as a result of bigger purses. The work the association has done to become more efficient, along with the insights of its Board and the Executive Committee could well position the NRHA to be able to increase the added money in the years ahead.”

While the highlighted goal of the committee is the $500K Level 4 Open purse, its members also want to impact other open levels and the Non Pro divisions as well as funding additional improvements to the NAAC portion. In the coming weeks, members will reach out to other industry stakeholders, owners and trainers to join the effort.

It seems that this futurity, the exclamation point to an admittedly challenging year for the equine industry, is a perfect place to celebrate a new record payout for the Open and Non Pro Champions. With 344 entries in the Open Futurity and 176 in the Non Pro Futurity and the level of talent seen in earlier competitions, it promises to be an incredible show.

These numbers came in spite of the unfortunate cancellation of 20 international entries due to riders or horses not being able to enter the country due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter noted, “Our hearts are with our international members who have devoted the last two years to preparing horses for this event. We share their disappointment in having their dreams delayed.”

The NRHA Futurity, although closed to the general public, is open to all horse people, who may enter through the barn areas to attend performances, the Futurity Trade Show held during the entire show and the NRHA Futurity Horse Sales, set for Thursday, Dec. 3. The event will follow whatever health mandates are in place for Oklahoma City at the time of the show, currently including masks being required and restrictions pertaining to social distancing.

The 2020 National Reining Horse Association European Futurity has been postponed to 2021 due to complications and restrictions related to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The Futurity, originally set for November 20–28 in Cremona, Italy, will be rescheduled and new dates for the event will be announced as soon as details have been finalized.

President of the NRHA European Council, Roberto Cuoghi, along with the Italian Reining Horse Association, made the decision based on current health considerations and government restrictions. The number of COVID-19 cases in Europe has risen significantly and new mandates have forced border closures, imposed strict quarantine regulations, and limited events.

NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter said, “Unfortunately, we have become accustomed to a world where plans change and then they change again. As the virus continues to run its course, we must respect local conditions, government restrictions, and follow the guidance of health authorities who are striving to protect their families and friends.”

Following extensive discussion with its European Executive Board, the National Reining Horse Association announced plans for the future of the 2020 and 2021 NRHA European Derbies. The eleventh-hour cancelation of the 2020 Derby previously set for October 28–November 1 in Lyon, France had been made in consideration of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following that decision, the goal was to create a pathway to maintain the ability of derby age horses to compete in four derbies in their careers and to create a plan in the best interest of European members, riders, owners, breeders, nominators, and fans. Ultimately, it was decided to go forward with the events with the following modifications.

The 2020 NRHA European Derby will be held in Wels, Austria May 13–16, 2021. It will be open to NRHA nominated horses that are 6 to 9 years old in 2021.

The 2021 NRHA European Derby will be held in Lyon, France in conjunction with Longines Equita Lyon October 27–31,  2021. This event will be open to NRHA nominated horses that are 5 to 8 years old in 2021.

“I have always believed in the NRHA European Futurity and Derby and have been a keen supporter of both events since their inception,” said NRHA Hall of Fame Inductee and NRHA European Council president Roberto Cuoghi. “In 2009, my good friend [NRHA Hall of Fame Inductee] Eleuterio Arcese took it upon himself to provide financial support for the first three editions of the Euro Futurity. In 2011, as I was serving on the NRHA BoD, I did the same for the Euro Derby.”

Cuoghi continued, “The NRHA European Council and I are thrilled to acknowledge that great organizers such as renowned GL events of Equita Lyon, France, and Otto Ziehfreund of Western Horse Show Wels, Austria, are willing to host the prestigious 2020 and 2021 NRHA Euro Derby next year. We truly appreciate their support and enthusiasm.“

NRHA Commissioner Gary agreed, “Both Otto and Christine Rigolet with GL events have been understanding throughout this process. I appreciate the flexibility of both the event organizers and the riders and commend their willingness to be innovative on solutions.”