For Immediate Release – July 6, 2018 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – As the 2018 National Reining Horses Association (NRHA) Derby came to a sliding stop, ancillary classes for rookies and youth ended the week off strong.
Kicking off Friday’s classes, were the Jackpot Green Reiner Levels (L)1 and 2. Myron Gomulak of Gainesville, Texas took the title in the L1, while Dana Pastorino won the L2. Gomulak rode his own mare, Angelica, who is by NRHA Ten Millon Dollar Sire and Hall of Fame Inductee Gunner and out of Marcellas Smart Chic. The duo scored a 139 ½. For the L2, Pastorino of Half Moon Bay, California rode Jac Bee Whiz (NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Conquistador Whiz x Cinch Up Cowboy). The 2008 gelding is owned by Pastorino Hay & Ranch Supply Inc.
Next came the rookie classes. Benton, Kentucky’s Tristan Bagby won both the Jackpot Rookie L1 and the $200-added Rookie L2, riding Im Gunna Shine. Owned by Teresa Wynn, the 2010 stallion is by Gunner and out of Shiner Light. The pair scored a 141 ½ in both classes for the win. In the Jackpot Prime Time Rookie class, Terry Saxton sild out of the arena scoring a 141, clenching the championship title. Saxton won piloting his own Jacs Electric Whiz (Jacs Electric Spark x Whizards Baby Doll).
The NRHA Para Reining class rounded out the day. Aboard Outlaw Whiz, Melinda Davis took home the championship in the class. Outlaw Whiz is owned by Davis and is by NRHA 11 Million Dollar Sire and Hall of Fame Inductee Topsail Whiz and Genuine Starbright.
Saturday, June 30th held the first day of the ancillary youth classes at the Derby. Madeline Bomba of Bloomington, Indiana took home three championship titles: $100-added Youth 14-18, Jackpot Unrestricted Youth and American Paint Horses Association (APHA) Solid Youth All Ages. Bomba was riding her own Spook Dot Gun by NRHA Four Million Dollar and Hall of Fame Inductee Smart Spook and out of Sugar Dot Gun. The duo scored a 143 ½ in all runs.
Gates, North Carolina’s Emma Lane shared the Unrestricted Youth and the Youth 14-18 title with Bomba on her own Gunner Gump. ‘Grumpy’ is a 2008 gelding by Gunner and out of Little Patrasha Gump. Together, the pair scored a 143 ½.
Winning the $100-added Youth 13 & Under was Addisyn Schmersal (Scottsdale, Arizona) riding CC Enterprise. The 2009 gelding is by Wrangle Whiz and out of Rems Little Sugs and is owned by Hickory Creek Ranch LLC. Schmersal scored a 142 ½ to slide out of the arena victorious. The pair also took the win in the same division during Sunday’s set of ancillary classes with a 140 ½.
Winning by ½ by a point, Becca Schaffhauser of Eads, Tennessee took home the $100-added Youth 10 & Under Short Stirrup title. Schaffhauser rode Dunitwithasmokingun (Gunner x Dun It Doll) owned by Sam Schaffhauser.
For the last class of the day, Hernando, Mississippi’s Margaret Sue Dunn rode Spooks Smoken Wimpy to win the APHA Regular Youth 14-18. Owned by Margaret Valentine, the palomino gelding is by NRHA 10 Million Dollar Sire and Hall of Fame Inductee Wimpys Little Step and out of Please Dont Spook. Dunn and Spooks Smoken Wimpy scored a 138 ½ to win the class.
Madison Gustin of Weatherford, Texas and her own Guns R Spooky topped Sunday’s $100-added Youth 14-18 class. By Smart Spook and out of Berry Yer Guns, the 2010 gelding scored a 142 to also help Gustin claim the title in both the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Youth 14-18, the Jackpot Unrestricted Youth and the USA Reining Youth 14-18 classes.
Taking the AQHA 13 & Under on Sunday were Abby Budd (Pueblo, Colorado) and her own Cromed Up Whiz. By Cromed Out Mercedes and out of Rest Up, the 6-year-old mare and Budd scored a 137 to claim the title.
The final USA Reining Classes shown were the Youth 13 & Under and the Youth 16-21. In the 13 & Under division, Anais Goedertier of Battle Ground, Washington and her own Check Out My Guns (Gunner x Darlins Not Painted) won the class with a score of 140. A 136 ½ won Brittalynae Goodlin and ARC Trashin Yer Chic the 16-21 class. The 2012 gelding owned by Greg and Kathy Goodlin and is by NRHA Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya and out of Wimpys Little Chic.
Rounding out classes in the Jim Norick Arena was the $100-added Youth 10 & Under Short Stirrup. Madison Pokluda and Rancho Sereno LLC’s JH Gunmetal Blue (Gunner x Blue Eyed Kid) scored a 144 ½ to win the class.
Sunday’s classes in the Adequan® Championship Arena began with the Rookie L1 and 2. Sweeping both with a score of 143 ½ were Paige Pastorino of Fresno, California and Pastorino Hay & Ranch Supply Inc’s Taylor Made Magnum. The 2007 gelding is by NRHA Five Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream and out of Beaus Liberty Belle.
Dana Pastorino and Jac Bee Whiz (owned by Pastorino Hay and Ranch Supply Inc.) scored a 139 ½ to win the Prime Time Rookie class. Jac Bee Whiz is by of Conquistador Whiz and out of Cinch Up Cowboy. The pair also took the Jackpot Green Reiner L2 class with a 142.
Winning the Jackpot Green Reiner L1 was Robert Peterson and his own Gunnpowder (NRHA Million Dollar Sire Gunners Special Nite x Boggies Last Flash). The pair scored a 141 to win the class.
The final classes of the NRHA Derby were the AQHA Ranch Riding $500-Open, $250-Amateur and $250-Youth. Winning the open were Rusty Dare of Gainesville, Texas and Michell Anne Kimball’s Gotta Rowdy Baby (NRHA Million Dollar Rider Spooks Gotta Whiz x Rowdy Brinna). Whitney McIlvain and her own Knight Slider took the amateur division. The 2012 gelding is by Cuttin Cowboy and out of Smart N Skeets. All Nite Spook (Smart Spook x Dun It Fri Dee Nite) and Kennedy Bryant took the youth division.
During the NRHA Derby, the world’s best 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old reining horses and competitors come to Oklahoma City to compete for an estimated total purse and cash prizes of more than $1 million. For more information on show results and sponsors and more visit nrhaderby.com.