His flowing white mane is a stark contrast against his shining golden body, making Smart And Shiney one of the easiest stallions to recognize in the reining industry. The stunner recently reached a new career milestone when he became a National Reining Horse Association Million Dollar Sire.
Bred by Jack Kelley and born in 2003, the stunning stallion is by NRHA Level 3 Open Derby Champion Smart Shiner and out of Tronas Pearl, who produced multiple winners in the western performance horse industry. The colt was bred to do great things.
NRHA Hall of Famer and Three Million Dollar Rider Tim McQuay purchased the colt in 2006 and then partnered with longtime friend and client, Lyle Lovett, later that year.
McQuay trained and showed the colt for most of his career, in which he amassed earnings of more than $151,000. He was an NRHA Futurity Finalist, won the preliminary round of the National Reining Breeders Classic and finished in the Top 10 of the Finals, and was also a Top 10 finisher at the NRHA Derby.
“He was very easy to be around, and just so good-minded all the time that it was easy to train him. He was pretty green when I bought him in March of his 3-year-old year, but he let me teach him and would figure things out,” McQuay recalled. “I was ecstatic when we made the Futurity finals because he had been so behind, but it was because of his attitude that we were able to.”
In 2010, NRHA Professional Marco Ricotta took the reins at the World Equestrian Games, and the pair helped earn a Team Bronze Medal.
That same year, Lovett purchased McQuay’s share of the stallion, and in 2011, showed him in the Non Pro Classic Challenge at the NRBC, placing in the Top 10 or higher in all levels entered. “Lyle’s schedule kept him from being able to come ride much, and then he was still able to do well with him at the shows,” McQuay explained. “That’s a testament to that stallion’s mind that they were still able to be successful.”
Smart And Shiney’s biggest wins in the performance arena are:
2009 NRBC Level 4 Open 9th Place – $26,000 with Tim McQuay
2006 NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open 12th Place – $17,079 with Tim McQuay
2009 NRBC USEF Level 4 Open Champion – $12,352 with Tim McQuay
2008 NRHA Derby Level 4 Open 9th Place – $11,375 with Tim McQuay
2007 NRBC Level 4 Open 15th Place – $10,625 with Tim McQuay
Smart And Shiney’s first limited foal crop was born in 2008 and included standout performers Shiney Tinseltown (out of Dun It In Tinseltown), earner of $44,660, and Shiney Enterprise (out of My Royal Enterprise), who has won more than $73,690.
Smart And Shiney’s highest money earner is Shiney Workboots (out of Reminic At Work), who was bred by NRHA Million Dollar Owner David Silva and is owned by Tim and MaryBeth Ruckman. The gelding, whose lifetime earnings top $114,000, has been ridden to wins by several riders, including NRHA Million Dollar Riders Matt Mills and Dr. Jim Morgan, Ginger Schmersal, Addisyn Schmersal, McQuay, and MaryBeth Ruckman.
Just a few hundred dollars behind Shiney Workboots is Designed With Shine (out of Taris Designer Genes). The mare, bred by NRHA Two Million Dollar Owner Rancho Oso Rio, has won $114,294 with 11 different riders. Most recently, the mare finished as Reserve Champion at The Run For A Million in the Non Pro with McKinnon Larcombe.
McQuay added, “I’ve been able to train and show some of his foals, and the best thing about them is that they were all good-minded like he was. They may not all be superstars, but they’re going to try their best.”
Smart And Shiney now stands at Tom McCutcheon Reining Horses in Aubrey, Texas. He was immortalized as a Breyer Horse in 2014.
Smart And Shiney’s Top Earners:
Shiney Workboots (Reminic At Work) – $114,908
Designed With Shine (Taris Designer Genes) $114,294
Shiney Enterprise (My Royal Enterprise) – $73,690
Got That Iowa Shine (SLJ This Is My Juice) – $63,762
Shiney Little Queen (Tivios Little Queen) – $52,810
Shiney Tinseltown (Dun It In Tinseltown) – $44,660
All About Business (Anne Get Your Gunner) – $41,045
The National Reining Horse Association’s newest All Time Leading Rider, Andrea Fappani, said recently, “My father always felt that if we were going to do something, we were going to do it all the way. It wasn’t only for fun; it was about work and responsibility, but with that came a lot of reward.”
With recorded NRHA earnings well into the millions, it’s apparent the work has paid off. Prior to the 2021 NRHA Futurity, Fappani was just $207,000 from passing the $7 million mark and was close behind NRHA All-Time Leading Rider Shawn Flarida.
On Saturday, December 4, Fappani showed three horses in the MS Diamonds TX Level 4 Open Finals, tying himself for the Reserve Championship on Winding Inferno (Inferno Sixty Six x Wind Her Up Chic, owned by Teton Ridge) and Mr Farenheit (Magnum Chic Dream x Wimpy Little Girl, owned by Morin/Vandorp).
With each reserve title paying $125,000, plus an additional $9,906 won on his third entry, Fappani unseated Flarida to become only the fourth All Time Leading Rider. That accomplishment has only been achieved by three NRHA Hall of Famers – Bill Horn, Tim McQuay, and Flarida.
NRHA President Rick Clark said, “Andrea is an amazing horseman who has worked so hard at it. Who would have thought seven million dollars would ever be achievable? I think he is showing us all that the sky is the limit. On behalf of NRHA’s Board of Directors and Staff, I congratulate Andrea and his incredible family.”
For Fappani, the moments following the completion of the Futurity L4 finals were emotional. He said, “This means so much. It’s what I have been working on all my career. It wasn’t so much the number, seven million, it was more the accomplishment of coming from another country, setting my mind to it, and becoming the best I could be. It’s a great feeling. It’s been a long way and a lot of hard work, and both my family and my help have sacrificed a lot to help me get here.”
The Shaping of a Champion
The intensity, drive, dedication, and commitment all began in the late 1970s on a dairy farm in Bergamo, Italy. Fappani’s parents, Sergio and Maddalisa, were fourth-generation dairy farmers. It would have been the natural step for the young man to follow in the well-worn and successful footprints of his parents, but a different desire drove him.
Tinker With Guns
“My dad introduced me to horses when I was about four years old, and I began taking lessons. He wanted me to have a hobby that we could share together,” Fappani recalled.
At the time, western performance equine events were almost non-existent in Europe. “Most everything in Europe was English riding, and jumping in particular. I took to it pretty fast. That’s how I started and what I did for the first two or three years before a friend introduced us to reining,” he said. “He told us there was something amazing that we needed to check out. I took my first reining lesson at eight years old, and never looked back.”
For Fappani, who says he was a small and skinny kid, the demeanor, training, and athleticism of the American Quarter Horse was the perfect fit. “That first lesson on a reining horse gave me a lot more confidence than what I had with the horses I was riding at the time. I was a bit timid, so those big warmbloods were intimidating to me,” he admitted. “I was comfortable with the reining horses and was able to create a whole new personal relationship with them. That’s why I stuck with it.”
Fappani experimented with different sports but never found anything that gave him the same feeling as being horseback. “I never thought I was that good at anything else. Horses gave me confidence to get past my shyness. It was easy for me, even at an early age, to communicate with them, and teach them a trick or a maneuver, or whatever it was,” he said. “That sparked my interest in training and eventually showing.”
His parents, particularly Sergio, instilled a sense of responsibility and work ethic. That mindset fostered a drive for greatness, and as long as Fappani put in the effort and did well in school, Sergio promised he would have the opportunities to learn as much as he could.
He took lessons with Alberto Serena, NRHA Hall of Fame inductee Guy Gauthier, Gaethan Gauthier, and two-time NRHA Futurity Champion Craig Johnson.
RR Star – 2001 NRHA Futurity
When he was 14 years old, Fappani began to spend summers in the United States and Canada to learn from different trainers. “I wanted and needed to learn as much as I could and to be better all the time. I think that was a big part of my success later on…it’s not that I can’t look back and be happy with what I’ve done, but I never want to get complacent. I want to always strive for more both with the horse, with my personal life, and everything else,” he said.
By the time Fappani was in his late teens, he was getting help from several trainers spending time in Italy, including Jim Kiser, Don Boyd, and Mike Davis. “There were a lot of Americans in Italy at the time training for Italian owners, and I was fortunate to learn from them,” he said. “Their help played a big part in my upbringing and were the basis of what I developed later in my own program. I learned a lot of pieces from different people, and I feel lucky that I had those opportunities.”
A turning point in Fappani’s career came when he met Todd Bergen, a young reining trainer who would eventually garner more than two million dollars in earnings in both the NRHA and the National Reined Cow Horse Association.
“Todd came to the Italian Futurity; it must have been around 1995. He saw me riding, and said he would give me a job if I ever wanted to come work in the United States. I felt he saw something in me, and maybe there was something more in the back of my mind,” he said.
Bergen, of Eagle Point, Oregon, recalled, “Andrea was so focused, and reining was all he thought about. He was very serious about what he was doing. It doesn’t surprise me at all he has gone on to be so successful. He is one of the most driven people I have ever been around.”
Fappani soon found himself on the West Coast, riding with Bergen and NRHA Futurity Champion John Slack. “I took a chance and came to the United States as a Non Pro. I also rode with Brett Stone at the Stone Ranch for a few months,” he shared.
RR Star
In 1998, Fappani returned to Italy to complete the military service required of all Italians. When that was completed, he surrendered his non pro status and returned to Oregon to work with Bergen full time.
“Andrea was already very talented on a horse, but just like any young trainer, he had to find a way and find a program. Once he got ahold of that and understood that part of it, the possibilities were endless with him,” Bergen shared.
“Those five years in Oregon changed everything for me. Todd showed me so much about what needed to happen on a horse to be successful and he is the person I would say has had the biggest impact on who I am,” Fappani said.
It was while at Bergen’s that Fappani got his first big chance at success. A young American Paint Horse Association registered colt named RR Star (Like A Diamond x RL Miss Kitty) was in the barn, and Fappani was handed the reins. At the 2001 NRHA Futurity, Fappani piloted RR Star to the Open title, becoming one of the youngest Open Futurity Champions ever at just 24 years old, just two years after becoming an NRHA Professional. “That was the peak of my career as an assistant trainer,” he said.
In 2003, Fappani and his wife Tish set out on their own. “The big question to me had always been was I good enough to win the Futurity. Then when I reached that goal, I thought I should just put my head down and see if I could get to the top. It’s been a process ever since, and what has pushed me to keep going,” he said. “You know, winning a year-end deal was never enough for me. For me it was always the big picture of getting better, having better clients, developing consistent show horses for my clients, and creating a business that represented excellence. I wanted to connect my name and my brand to a real professional way of doing things.”
Fappani became an NRHA Million Dollar Rider in 2006, less than eight years after becoming an NRHA Professional.
A student of the game, Fappani has spent his life studying horses, the work of others, learning what makes a legend, and what combination would prove to have the greatest long-term benefit for the horse. “The ones who have been competitive at the highest level for a long time are the ones that have everything in place to be successful at every aspect of the business.” His gold standard? Shawn Flarida.
“Shawn has always been a person I looked up to, because he wants to win so much, and has been able to stay competitive for so long. There’s just something special about him and his program, and I have talked to him about it, studied it, and learned as much as I could,” he said. “He has won so much that it’s obvious he has something figured out that I feel like I myself don’t have yet. He can deal with pressure; he can get the best out of his horses and get them to peak at the right time. Those are all special qualities.”
Big Chex To Cash – 2005
So how does it feel to surpass Shawn on the leading rider list? “It’s something that I never thought could be done. I am happy I achieved it. I told my family that if I only get past Shawn for a year, or even just a month can be in that same league, because I know him and how hard he’s worked to get where he’s at,” Fappani said.
The Owners
“I feel lucky because when I started on my own, there were two or three customers of Todd’s who kept their main horses with him, but gave me the opportunity right away to train some of their second string,” he recalled.
Capitalizing on those opportunities, Fappani finished second and third at the 2003 NRHA Futurity with NQH Little Jac and Command With Me.
There are a few owners whose names are almost synonymous with Fappani’s, one being NRHA Two Million Dollar Owner and Hall of Fame inductee Eleuterio Arcese of Italy. In 2011, Fappani piloted Arcese’s Spook Off Sparks (Smart Spook x Setting Off Sparks) to the Open Futurity Reserve Championship, then in 2020, Fappani piloted All Bettss Are Off (Gunner x Wimpys Little Chic) to the NRHA Open Futurity Championship. “Mr. Arcese saw me growing up in Italy and has always been a part of my career. His remarkable breeding program has given me some amazing horses to ride,” Fappani said. “I’m proud that over the years I have been able to win on some of his really good ones.”
Fappani also credits Two Million Dollar Owner Pat Warren of Rancho Oso Rio, the Scottsdale, Arizona headquarters of Fappani Performance Horses, for his success. “Twelve years ago, I came to Arizona to manage this ranch, and I think, together, we have won more than a million dollars on horses that were born and raised here,” he said. Standout Rancho Oso Rio-owned horses include NRHA Open Derby Champion Tinker With Guns and Custom Spook, earner of more than $235,000.
Custom Spook
Other notable owners and horses include Manuel Bonzano and Big Chex To Cash (Nu Chex To Cash x Snip O Gun, LTE $194,260), Steve Simon and Custom Legend (Custom Crome x Dry Doc Bobbie, LTE $228,364), and Michael and Michelle Miola’s Platinum Vintage (A Sparkling Vintage x Starjac Miss, LTE $249,908), SG Frozen Enterprize (Frozen Sailor x RS Rose SJ, LTE $274,083), Chic Dreamin (Magnum Chic Dream x Skeets Red Dunit, LTE $247,272), Epic Titan (Gunner x Princess In Diamonds, LTE $82,298), and Custom Cash Advance (Custom Crome x Cash In Roan, LTE $228,607).
For Fappani, his owners have become like family, and they trust him explicitly with the care and training of their horses. “They’ve always understood that I put the horse first and not myself, and they trust me to make the decisions. That means a lot because I don’t have that weight on my back. I do things the way I want them done, and it’s paying off. I believe that’s what has allowed my program to succeed,” he said.
The Horses
With hundreds of horses he has ridden to NRHA earnings over the years, there are a few that stand out.
There is one horse that Fappani says is the quintessential “Fappani” horse, and that’s NRHA Million Dollar Sire Lil Joe Cash, on whom Fappani won the 2011 NRHA Open Futurity Championship. “I always use Lil Joe as the example of what I want. He clicked with my program from day one, and we just melted together at the beginning,” he remembered.
It’s Fappani’s desire to never stop learning from the horses and honing his horsemanship skills that have made each and every one that has stepped foot into his arena significant. “The ones that are more challenging, that I might not have won as much on…those are the ones who made me a better trainer and horseman. Those are the ones that made my program stronger, made me change my approach, and gave me a much different perspective.” He added, “I’m going to remember them because they made me better.”
The Support
NQH Little Jac – 2003 NRHA Futurity
There is no part of Fappani’s program that hasn’t been subject to his intense scrutiny, and that includes the people who he works with daily, his assistant trainers. “I’ve had some great ones over the years. The first few years aren’t as much fun, but you do it for the passion of the horses and because you want to learn. It’s a lot of hours and not much exposure,” he said. “Even though they aren’t in the arena making it happen, they’re a big part of the program.”
Professionals that have passed through his barn include Marco Ricotta, Arno Honstetter, Luke Gagnon, and Adam Hendrickson. NRCHA Professional Nick Dowers also spent some time at the Scottsdale ranch. “He only worked for me for a little bit, but I learned more from him than he learned from me,” Fappani said.
In fact, Fappani says he’s learned from almost every assistant trainer he’s had. “One thing I tell people is that you can learn something from everybody. I truly believe that anyone who has a passion for a horse has something that they’re good at. They may not be great at everything, but there is something you can learn from them,” he said.
Fappani listed his veterinarian, Dr. John Newcomb, farriers Randy Toon and Arek Boulding, and marketing manager Cam Essick and her husband Jim, as valuable team members who have been with him for 19 years. Another long-time team member at 15 years is equine dentist and veterinarian Dr. Roy Mausling.
The most important person to his career is even closer, and that’s his wife, Tish. “She takes care of everything so I can concentrate on what I like to do, which is training horses and spending all day in the arena. She organizes everything and raised our two great boys. I wouldn’t want her job; she does so much,” he said.
Custom Legend
In fact, their two sons, Jeremy and Luca, are the accomplishments he is most proud of. “They are our greatest achievements. We told them it didn’t matter what they wanted to do, if it was horses or not. All that mattered was that they put their mind to it,” he said. “I am proud of how committed they are.”
Luca, now 17 years old, is following in his father’s footsteps and has already won more than $388,000 in competition. Jeremy, 15, is a successful motocross racer. “Luca puts horses in front of everything else. He keeps great grades in school, but he will ride a couple before he goes to school, then comes back, rides more, and then does his homework at night. Jeremy is the same way,” he said. “Watching them, I know they are going to be successful in life, no matter what they decide to do. I never pushed them to pick something early on. I just told them to put everything they’ve got into it. It’s fine if they change their mind and want to do something else; I just want them to learn how to do things the right way.”
NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter congratulated Fappani on the momentous achievement. “Undoubtedly, this milestone has great meaning for Andrea and his family,” he said. “In addition to his personal sense of achievement, it tells us so much about the trajectory of our sport. The momentum, excitement, and our visibility continue to grow. A milestone of this magnitude is something the entire industry can celebrate.”
Leaving a Legacy
The Fappani legacy of hard work has been passed down through generations. “I remember when my father would tell me stories about his dad and his grandpa. They started with five cows, three generations before, and by the time I left Italy, my father had the biggest dairy farm in Europe. He built a huge legacy. I wanted one of my own,” Fappani said.
The Four Sixes National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel boasted record payouts in every level as well as all-time high entries. Non Pro Champions made their bid for championship honors Friday, June 25 in the Jim Norick Arena at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Upping the excitement were the guaranteed Championship payouts, thanks to the new sponsorship from Four Sixes Ranch.
Lane Colston and Lil Ruf Whizkey Win Level 4 & Youth Non Pro Derby
Lane Colston and Lil Ruf Whizkey took home the Non Pro Derby Level 4 and Youth championships with a 221. Thanks to the Four Sixes Ranch guaranteed payouts for this year’s Derby, Colston took home a first-place check for $30,000 and pocketed an additional $2,000 for the youth title.
Already in their young career together, Colston and Cowboy are making big strides in the reining world. With Colston, Lil Ruf Whizkey was the co-reserve Level 4 Non Pro Champion at the 2020 NRHA Futurity, where they also won the Youth Futurity.
“My horse is not the average 4-year-old. He is so strong, and he looked like a 4-year-old this time last year. He is a great horse and has a huge heart,” Colston said. “He’s friendly, nice to be around and so laid back. He’s a little brown gelding, but big things come in small packages.”
Now, the 2021 NRHA Non Pro Derby is his biggest win thus far.
“I don’t think I have taken it all in yet,” he said. “People work their whole lives for this. It’s a dream come true.”
Colston came into the finals prepped and ready with the help of a few veterans in the game. The ascending horseman was quick to note that without help from a team of supporters and a talented horse his success wouldn’t be possible.
“Before I showed in the go-rounds I had Craig Schmersal give me a few tips on him and he gave me a few tips that helped me,” Colston said. “Both Craig and Brandon (Brant) pointed me in the right direction. He was good in the go-round—a 219.5— so we just did the same thing the night before the finals and he was great.”
Lil Ruf Whizkey is by NRHA Million Dollar Sire Whizkey N Diamonds out of Lil Ruf Startime, and the 4-year-old has lifetime earnings of $41,124. Cade McCutcheon helped Colston find Lil Ruf Whizkey and Colston purchased him from Jake Ballard—who was training him for breeder Terry Leffew—in July of 2020. Colston has big plans for the young gelding but is quick to note that this win will be pretty hard to beat.
“It’s pretty hard to beat that. I just want to keep him happy and keep showing him,” he said. “He’s so talented. I may show in Las Vegas at the High Roller. I want to show him the next couple of years. Maybe we will try something a little harder down the road.”
Colston thanked his parents, Kevin and Amy Colston, his horse Lil Ruf Whizkey, Brandon Brant, the McCutcheon family and Abigail Janes as well as the Four Sixes Ranch and all the sponsors of the NRHA Derby.
Jack Medows and Dream On Whiz Win NRHA Non Pro Derby Level 3
Jack Medows and Dream On Whiz took home the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel Level 3 Non Pro championship after marking a 217.5. The duo also tied for fifth in the Level 4 for their efforts inside the Jim Norick Arena on Friday night. Thanks to the guaranteed payouts for the 2021 event, Medows will leave Oklahoma City $27,555 richer.
“It’s amazing. I’m just so happy for this horse. He’s a 4-year-old that we just bought not too long ago. Every day he comes out and tries. We bought him right around NRBC from Samantha Griffin. Martin Larcombe had him, and he did a great job with him,” Medows explained.
Medows, a lifetime earner of $319,827, is continuously impressed with the gelding, who’s by NRHA Seven Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream and out of Ms Sassy Whiz. Prior to the Derby, Dream On Whiz had lifetime earnings of $10,696 and was nominated by Hill Country Reiners.
“This horse is just phenomenal-minded, and it just comes out,” Medows said. “I think the biggest part of him is his heart. I knew I drew up last in the drag, it got me a little upset because I knew how big of a stopper he is, but he just plowed right through it. That just shows more about him than anything.”
Along with being an accomplished Non Pro competitor, Medows recently graduated from Missouri SMT with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. While his college career took him away from the show pen for a brief time, Medows is excited to get back in the game. He was quick to note that while showing “Patrick” was an enjoyable jump back into competition, he won’t continue showing the colt, but rather pass the reins to his sister.
“We bought him for my sister. With that short time frame, we decided I would show him and she would show him in a couple weeks at the youth world,” he said. “That’s his next big show. She just didn’t feel that comfortable to just hop on. That left him to me, but I’m so excited and happy for her to have this horse.”
Medows main goal for the Non Pro Derby was to get a good feel for the horse and show him to the best of his ability.
“He’s just a show horse,” he said. “He’s going to have a good, long future and that will be good for my sister. He is her horse and I just got lucky enough to steal him.”
Medows thanked his family, Fernando Salgado, and God.
Payton Neiberger and Xtra Dun Step Win NRHA Non Pro Derby Levels 1 & 2
Payton Neiberger and Xtra Dun Step earned her first NRHA Non Pro Derby championship with the Level 1 and Level 2 titles after marking a 217 in Friday’s finals. Coming from an all-around background 2020 was Neiberger’s first year to venture into reining. One year later, Neiberger and her talented equine partner are well on their way to making a name for themselves in the industry. With the wins in Friday’s finals, Neiberger’s lifetime earnings increased by $30,179.
“It took a little bit of time. I showed him for the first time a year ago here at the Derby and it took a minute to get together, but we’ve been good for the past six months or so,” Neiberger said. “It was a combination of things, because I came from the all-around so he was really my first reiner. So, it was just getting to know the reining and I think he was teaching me more than I was teaching him.”
Neiberger thanked her parents and the entire Deary team for the help, support and coaching to get to this win. With her fledgling career in reining beginning to take flight, the Non Pro Derby championship is a special memory for Neiberger.
“My prelims were pretty good for the most part he was right there with me,” she said. “Here today at the finals he was great, there was nothing that I could complain about. It’s been a lot of fun to be here and I’m really happy it paid off.”
Marc Wagman and Best Stops Belle Earn 6666 NRHA Non Pro Derby Masters Championship
Marc Wagman took home the NRHA Non Pro Derby Masters championship after marking a 216.5 aboard Best Stops Belle, who’s by Spooks Gotta Whiz and out of Best Stop—a mare Wagman bred and raised.
“I feel happy that I won something. My mare was being stellar, and I didn’t do her justice, but she still took care of me enough to win the old man’s division,” Wagman said with a laugh.
Wagman and “Belle” marked a 221.5 in the preliminaries of the Non Pro to finish third in the Masters, seventh in the Prime Time, 20th in the Level 2, and 24th in the Level 3, and just missed the cutoff for the Level 4 finals.
In Friday’s Non Pro Finals Wagman and Belle also finished second in the Prime Time, eighth in the Level 2 and 10th in the Level 3, collecting $9,198. Wagman says even while “pilot errors” kept them from qualifying for the Level 4 finals he’s still proud of the efforts of his mare.
“I had a lead change and a spin penalty, or I would have hopefully made it back to the Level 4 finals, which was my goal coming here. Having said that she was really good everywhere other than the pilot error on my part,” Wagman said. “Then in the finals a similar situation, we got stopped decent in the middle, but not nearly what she’s capable of. My first turn again I had a penalty, which bumped me down and she was good everywhere else. I take responsibility for the penalties.”
Still, the 4-year-old mare, trained by Duane Latimer, has an impressive career to look forward to with Wagman and holds a special place in Wagman’s life.
“She is out of a mare that I bred and raised that’s produced three horses by three different studs that have won over $100,000. I think now her progeny earnings are at almost $500,000,” Wagman said. “Duane Latimer trained this mare. He made the Futurity finals on her and told me I could have fun on her this year. I am so appreciative of everything Duane has done for me, not only for my horse, but for me and helping me. He’s been a great friend through thick and thin. This mare stays at XCS Ranch and Gina Schumacher and Ian have been tremendous about welcoming us and letting us stay there.”
Wagman thanked Latimer, XCS Ranches, the NRHA staff, show staff and all involved with putting on the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel.
“The show has been tremendous,” he said. “The unbelievable increase in entries is phenomenal. What a great surprise. It’s a lot of work for a lot of people. I appreciate the staff here they do so much work behind the scenes. I appreciate the sponsors and I appreciate the executive committee and board. Rick Clark has done a tremendous job and I appreciate all the hard work that goes into this event.”
Shaunda Blinzler and Smoke In Whizkey Win NRHA Non Pro Derby Prime Time
Shaunda Rai Blinzler and Smoke In Whizkey took home the NRHA Non Pro Derby Prime Time championship. Their score of 217 also finished twelfth in the Level 4 and was also good for placing in Levels 2 and 3. All totaled, Blinzler will head home with more than $14,423.
While Blinzler admits she had a small bobble in the finals, overall she was proud of her horse for stepping up and showing to his potential throughout the week. In the preliminaries, the duo marked a 218.5 and finished fifth in the Level 4, and first in Levels 3, 2 and Prime Time.
“I wish I could have my preliminary run again. That was a fun run,” she said. “He was really good. I’m excited to keep going because I think there is still more there.”
That run gave the team confidence going into the finals. With the Prime Time title, finishing in the top 20 of the Level 4, eighth in the Level 3 and seventh in the Level 2, was a big accomplishment. As Blinzer has $239,042 in lifetime earnings, she knows how to spot a good one.
“The Level 4 finals were fun,” she said. “To qualify for the Level 4 out of more than 300 horses is really something. He felt really good. He’s one of those that makes you be good because he will do whatever you ask. If you even slightly change what your cure is he’s on it, because he wants to be good for you.”
Smoke In Whizkey is by NRHA Million Dollar Sire Whizkey N Diamonds and out of Suga Suga and has garnered more than $48,000 in lifetime earnings.
Blinzler thanked her team, her husband, and her trainer Cade McCutcheon
For Immediate Release – June 19, 2021 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The National Reining Horse Youth Association (NRHyA) 2021 Art & Photo Contest sponsored by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum returned for the second year, doubling its participation from 2020.
First place in each age group and category will be on display at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum for visitors to see during the 2021 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel. With over 50 entries total, this year’s competition was incredibly tough for the esteemed judges.
“I encourage everyone to take some time away from the heat of the Derby to see these works of art displayed in such a stunning museum,” said Sara Honegger, Youth and Professionals Program manager. “These young artists put so much work into their craft and I am excited how much this contest has grown in just one year, especially with the amount of younger NRHA participants. Congratulations to all!”
The contest judges consisted of Carpenter; Michael R. Grauer, McCasland Chair of cowboy culture/curator of cowboy collections and western art at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum; and Steve Miller, vice president, event marketing at NRHA Corporate Partner Montana Silversmiths.
A fan favorite will be voted on through the NRHyA Facebook page ending June 27 at 5 p.m. CDT. The fan-favorite will receive a gift certificate for a pair of boots from NRHA Corporate Partner Anderson Bean Boot Company.
Photography 14-18 First Place: Faith Horner Second Place: Jaiden Cohlmia Third Place: Raeanna Thayn
Photography 13 & Under First Place: Kynlee Cohlmia Second Place: Gracelyn Hansmeyer Third Place: Claire Holoubek
Mixed Medium 14-18 First Place: Alexandra Nicole Mueller Second Place: Hannah Schuck Third Place: Hannah Schuck
Mixed Medium 13 & Under First Place: Cassandra Hacking Second Place: Gracelyn Hansmeyer Third Place: Cassandra Hacking
Graphic Design 14-18 First Place: Raeanna Thayn
Graphic Design 13 & Under First Place: Cassandra Hacking
Honorable Mention Victoria McClure
Not only did Victoria’s art come in just shy of the top three finishes in the Mixed Medium 13 & Under class, but her work also inspired a new category for next year. Starting in 2022, the contest will have a 10 & Under class so younger budding artists can have a space to showcase their talents as well. Congratulations, Victoria, on this honorable mention award!
Faith Horner
Kynlee Cohlmia
Alexandra Nicole Mueller
Cassandra Hacking
Raeanna Thayn
Cassandra Hacking
Victoria McClure
We had a total of nearly 50 entries, almost double from 2020. Congratulations to all who entered and we encourage each of you to enter again next year!
Josselyn Mumm Michelle Fumagalli Lillian Bains JP McClure Julie Warnick Isabelle Hildebrandt Ava Bush Hayden Jones Hailey Jones Logan Putvinski Cambrey Hedges Dakota Woodring
