For Immediate Release – June 18, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The preliminary rounds of the National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel are in the books. The open preliminaries were held June 17-18 and featured 247 talented entries, each vying for a chance in the clean-slate finals.
With COVID-19 regulations requiring the event to be closed to the public, the whoops and hollers that typically emit from the Coliseum were shockingly subdued. The competition, on the other hand, was intense as ever.
Craig Schmersal and No Smoking Required impressed the judges with an impeccable run, securing the go-round win with a 223. No Smoking Required, Schmersal’s 2019 Level 4 Open Derby Reserve Champion, is by NRHA 11 Million Dollar Sire Gunner out of Icing Required. The 7-year-old stallion, owned by Wranglen Partnership, also carried Schmersal to the 2019 Run For a Million Co-Championship. No Smoking Required was nominated by Carluccio Orsi.
Topping the Open Level 3 and Open Level 2 was Arno Honstetter and Shine Yur Gun. The pair also tied for second in the Level 4. Shine Yur Gun, a 6-year-old stallion by Gunner and out of Lil Miss Shiney Chex, is owned and nominated by Carol Rose.
Winning the preliminary round of the Level 1 Open was Marie Kleiner and Pale Face Gunslinger with a 220. The 6-year-old stallion, by Pale Face Dunnit and out of Lost In Tinseltown, is owned and nominated by Tim Anderson.
Winning the Open Prime Time was Ann Salmon Anderman and her 4-year-old stallion Maximum Mag with a 221.5. Maximum Mag, by NRHA Six Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream and out of Dunit A Lil Ruf, was nominated by Anderman.
The Bob’s Custom Saddles Novice Horse Open Derby winner is decided during the preliminary round, and Fernando Salgado claimed the win with a 219 on Gotta Shiney Peso. Gotta Shiney Peso, by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz and out of Cee Bee Shine, is owned by Pedro Herandez. The 4-year-old stallion was nominated by Diane Beckmann. Look for coverage of the Novice Horse Open Derby winner in Saturday’s news.
Unofficially a 217.5 was the magical number for Level 4 finals hopefuls, and Open Level 3 riders were shooting for a 215.5 It took a 213 to make it back for the Level 2 finals, and the bubble score in the Open Level 1 was a 202.5 The Open Finals begin Saturday, June 20, at 11 a.m., with the Open Level 4 finalists competing at 5 p.m.
For more information and complete results, visit NRHADerby.com.