Posted on

NRHA Board Supports Approved Events Resuming on May 1

For Immediate Release – April 28, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Board of Directors supports resuming NRHA-approved events beginning on May 1, 2020, as long as show producers and exhibitors adhere to local and state regulations surrounding COVID-19 and take measures to assure the safety of all involved.

NRHA understands that not all areas of the world have lifted restrictions to allow for approved events to take place. With this in mind, the NRHA Board decided that earnings will not count toward world championship titles until further notice.

“Our members are ready to show and, where possible, we think it’s important to get back to what they love,” said NRHA President Mike Hancock. “Show management needs to be prepared to address any and all local conditions or requirements, and the exhibitors must be willing to accept those guidelines.”

NRHA continues to monitor changing conditions and recommendations from local, state, and federal entities. Show management must take all necessary precautions to protect their teams, facilities’ personnel, and exhibitors if they do host an NRHA event.

If a state or local government suspends public activities, it is the responsibility of the organizing party to cancel or postpone the NRHA-approved event accordingly. The health and safety of the reining community is the top priority for NRHA.

To assure the safety of those involved in an event, NRHA recommends the following at minimum for show staff and exhibitors:

  • Provide handwashing and sanitation stations in barns and competition areas
  • Allow the use of face masks for all production team members and exhibitors
  • Promote social distancing in all areas surrounding the show
  • If possible, provide stalling separation and sanitize all stalls before and after use
  • Ensure that food service eliminates lines and streamlines service
  • Clean and sanitize all areas frequently
  • Minimize traffic in the show office
  • Minimize hand-to-hand contact (examples include giving out awards, sharing pens in the show office, using radios for the judges, etc.)

It is everyone’s responsibility to take safety precautions for preventing the spread of any disease. NRHA is excited to get back to the show pen but expects all affiliates and show producers to put the health and safety of their teams and the exhibitors at the forefront of every decision.

For more information about coronavirus recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), visit cdc.gov/covid19.

Posted on

Entry Deadline Extended for NRHA Derby Presented by Markel

For Immediate Release – April 24, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) has extended the entry deadline to May 15 for the rapidly approaching 2020 NRHA Derby presented by Markel, giving reiners two additional weeks to make plans to compete. If significant changes to the show date should occur, reiners can rest assured that all entry fees will be refunded.

“Given the uncertainty of today’s pandemic, this extension gives people a little extra time to decide if they’ll show in Oklahoma City in June,” said NRHA President Mike Hancock. “We currently plan to move forward with the event, but we want to give people more time to make the best decisions for their circumstances.”

Set for June 13–21, 2020, the NRHA Derby presented by Markel highlights the most talented 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old reining horses from all over the globe and historically awards more than an estimated $1 million in total purse and prizes.

To stay up-to-date on the latest information about NRHA events and recommendations, visit NRHA.com and follow NRHA on Facebook.

Posted on

2020 NRHA European Affiliate Championships Canceled

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Executive Board met to discuss the 2020 NRHA European Affiliate Championships in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. Due to governmental restrictions surrounding the pandemic, the European Affiliate Championships can’t be held in Denmark in July. Considering this fact, the safety of our members, and the unknown conclusion of the pandemic, the 2020 NRHA European Affiliate Championships are canceled.

Thanks to the camaraderie and collaboration of our affiliates and event teams, we’re happy to announce the 2021 European Affiliate Championships will be held in Denmark, hosted by NRHA’s Danish and Norwegian Affiliates. The 2022 and 2023 Championships will be held at CS Ranch in Switzerland. NRHA thanks our hosts for working together to make the best of the situation.

We’re thankful for all NRHA members and affiliates who have pulled together to make these decisions for the best welfare of our members and horses, and we know that we will come back stronger than ever for an exciting event in 2021.

Media Contact:
Simona Diale/International Horse Press
internationalhorsepress@gmail.com

Posted on

2020 NRHA European Derby to Be Held During Equita Lyon 2020, France

For Immediate Release — Oklahoma City, 03.23.20 — The unfolding coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has significantly affected National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) approved and owned shows across the globe. The NRHA European Derby, scheduled to be held during the Western Horse Show in Wels, Austria, on May 21-24, has been postponed due to the cancellation of the Austrian show.

In an effort to best accommodate horses, riders, breeders, and owners, the NRHA European Executive Board reviewed potential dates and venues. After careful consideration, the decision was made to host the Euro Derby on October 28 through November 1 during Equita Lyon 2020, the renowned international equestrian trade fair show — organized by GL events Equestrian Sports — held in Lyon, France.

For updates and further information nrhaeuropeanderby.com

NRHA European Derby Media Contact:
Simona Diale/International Horse Press
Internationalhorsepress@gmail.com

Posted on

NRHA Announces Judge’s Rating System

For Immediate Release – March 5, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – During the 2020 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) winter meeting, members learned about a new judge’s rating system that’ll be used on a trial basis during 2020. The rating system aims to serve as a guideline for show management in regard to hiring judges.

The proposed system will rate judges from high to low on the following scale: AAA, AA, and A. The ratings will be generated from seven areas of criteria: years of judging, number of shows judged, number of major events judged, lifetime earnings (LTE), personal conduct, ability as a horseman, and performance at judging schools.

“During my first year as chair of the NRHA Judges Committee, I asked everyone what their number one priority was and they all agreed it was developing a rating system for judges,” said Mike McEntire, former Judges Committee chair and NRHA Professional. “There are several reasons we needed this rating system, but one of those is to give show committees a better idea of who they are hiring.”

Many shows already have a preference for who they hire, but what if that pool of candidates got a bit bigger? Higher-ranking judges—AAA—are typically hired for events such as the National Reining Breeder’s Classic (NRBC) or the NRHA Futurity. NRHA hopes the rating system will provide judges with more opportunities to work in the industry.

“The biggest thing we want to do is know who the judges are and track their work better,” McEntire added. “With the rating system, we feel like we can do that better and be able to educate the judges. We’ve had a lot of A judges that get their card but don’t get any work. Hopefully, with this program, the show’s management can look at the list and use the A and AA judges more. We are also hoping that we can pair our AAA judges with our AA and As to get them more experience.”

Since 2020 is a trial period for the rating system, judges will be re-evaluated at the beginning of 2021. For a complete list of judges by rating, visit nrha.com/judges.