Posted on

Teton Ridge Announces its First Team of Professional Riders

Andrea Fappani, Corey Cushing and Todd Bergen introduced as inaugural members of TEAM:TR

(AUGUST 2, 2021) TETONIA, IDAHO – Teton Ridge, a newly-formed brand created to preserve, promote, and protect America’s western way of life announced today that three elite professional riders will be joining TEAM:TR, the equine competition component of the brand.

Together, Andrea Fappani, Corey Cushing and Todd Bergen create a powerful team of best-in-class professional riders spanning the major disciplines of reining and reined cow horse. Teton Ridge is further expanding this team to include the disciplines of cutting, barrel racing and bull riding. 

Leading visionary entrepreneur and western enthusiast Thomas Tull formed Teton Ridge to honor western culture, expand interest in performance sports, and celebrate the top-tier athleticism and spirit of the men and women who compete in western riding disciplines every day. Teton Ridge is also breeding elite, equine athletes and provides programs that offer the finest quality horse and TEAM:TR trainer combinations, so the animals can reach their fullest potential.

Each horseman brings a different skillset and personality to TEAM:TR. Collectively that translates to a diverse roster of riders whose values and dedication will not only help elevate all western equine disciplines, but provide them with the type of respect and recognition they deserve.

Andrea Fappani, considered one of reining’s all-time greatest athletes, has captured multiple titles and won over $6 million in the saddle. Introduced at an early age to English riding and reining, Fappani has never known life without horses. He moved to the United States from his family’s farm in Italy to train with Todd Bergen, become a professional rider, and be the best horseman he could be.

In 2001, after five years of training, Andrea won his first NRHA Futurity at the age of 24.

Fappani is only the second person to become an NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider. Additionally, he is a four-time NRHA Futurity Champion, a four-time NRBC Champion, an NRHA Derby Champion and has captured multiple AQHA World Champion titles.

Fappani’s experience, enthusiasm and professionalism make him a crucial asset to TEAM:TR. “I’m committed to excellence with horses and always focused on what’s best for each individual. That is what drives me to be the best reining trainer and showman,” said Fappani. “To commit to understand the needs of a horse and how that particular horse learns is extremely rewarding. Developing confidence in each horse’s athletic abilities and becoming a trusted partner in the show arena and winners circle is our goal.”

TEAM:TR is “here to make a difference in western performance sports and bring them to a different level. I think that we’re going to see some great changes, both in the sports and to western culture.”

Corey Cushing specializes in reined cow horse and reining and is a best-in-class qualifier focused on the longevity of performance horses. Corey became involved in western performance sports at a young age. He honed his horsemanship skills under the eye of the late Noel Skinner and also John Slack directly out of high school.

Cushing had the opportunity to learn from Todd Bergen, who is widely recognized as one of the finest horseman in the business.

The assistant trainer turned athlete made his professional breakthrough at 19 when he won the NRHA Futurity Intermediate Open Championship. At the time, Cushing had only been reining for one year. Corey’s dedication also earned him the title of youngest National Reined Cow Horse Association Million Dollar honoree in 2012. And in 2018, Cory became the third NRCHA Two Million Dollar Rider in history.

Most recently, Cushing captured the 2021 NRCHA Open Derby Champion title, aboard Teton Ridge’s stallion, Hesa Dual Bet.

A perfect addition to TEAM:TR, Corey’s experience, confidence, poise, and sense of respect have all helped elevate him and his horses to the most elite levels.

“Teton Ridge appreciates us and our horses as athletes, and they truly respect and understand the hard work and long days that go into western life and sports,” said Cushing. “What drew me to join  TEAM:TR is the enthusiasm and appreciation that Thomas Tull has and the multiple disciplines that Teton Ridge is involved in and will be a part of one day.”

Todd Bergen, a familiar name in western sports, is a ten-time NRHA and NRCHA Futurity Champion and Reserve Champion Rider. He is the sixth NRCHA Million Dollar Rider and the first rider to achieve a Two Million Dollar status in both the NRCHA and NRHA.

Bergen started competing at the age of 11 and turned professional at 18. Todd was only an assistant when he started winning world championships. His most memorable win was in 1995, at age 25, when he won the NRHA Futurity.

Bergen’s vision of the future of equine events aligns with Teton Ridge’s strategies to grow western sports, noting that “the bigger the events and purses, the more people are going to want to participate and come see equine sports.”

“What Teton Ridge is doing for western culture and the horse industry is something a lot of people have dreamed about for a long time. Teton Ridge is paving the way for people in the future that want to do what we do. What I can bring to the table is experience in the industry. I can help guide Teton Ridge in the right direction.”

TEAM:TR is elevating western sports by assembling a roster of the world’s most elite western riders and broadening audience appeal and participation.

###

About Teton Ridge

Teton Ridge is a multi-platform brand devoted to the iconic American Western way of life and western equine sports. Teton Ridge will create a team of elite equine riders from multiple disciplines, invest in the breeding and training of the most sought-after pedigrees in the quarter horse industry and engage audiences to elevate and expand western equine sports through innovative technology. Additionally, Teton Ridge operates a philanthropic foundation that provides invaluable funding for land stewardship, fosters community by preserving the American West’s cultural heritage, and ensures the future of ranching and riding sports. For more information about Teton Ridge, please visit tetonridge.com or @tetonridge on Instagram @tetonridgeusa on Facebook.

About TEAM:TR

TEAM:TR, the equine competition component of the Teton Ridge Brand, is assembling a roster of the world’s most elite western riders to elevate equine sports while also broadening audience appeal and participation. Simultaneously, they are training and breeding the next generation of high-performance Quarter Horses to strengthen the breed based on superior bloodlines and genetic traits. Additionally, Teton Ridge is planning a new state-of-the-art training facility at TR9 Ranch in Weatherford, Texas, to be one of the world’s most advanced and innovative equine training facilities. For more information about Teton Ridge, please visit tetonridge.com or @tetonridge on Instagram @tetonridgeusa on Facebook.

Contacts: Katie Harvey
KGBTexas Communications
(210) 410-1139
katie@kgbtexas.com

Cody Shown
KGBTexas Communications
(210) 913-2639
codys@kgbtexas.com

The National Reining Horse Association is not responsible for the information contained in this press release. Please contact the author or submitting organization for further information, requests, or questions.

Posted on

Remembering Renowned Jockey & NRHA World Champ John Rotz

John Rotz passed away on July 12, 2021, at the Rotz Farm in Warrensburg, Illinois. A member of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, Rotz lived a storied life. Renowned for his humble demeanor and talent with a horse, Rotz, known by his nickname “Gentleman John,” had an extraordinary career as a jockey.

John Rotz was the 1987 Novice Horse Non Pro World Champion. (Photo by Waltenberry)

He was also a National Reining Horse Association World Champion.

Rotz was born on December 16, 1934, in Niantic, Illinois. After graduating high school in 1952, he went to work as a groom, hotwalker and exercise rider at Fairmount Park Racetrack in Collinsville, Illinois, before becoming a professional jockey in 1953.

During Rotz’s 20-year racing career he won a total of 2,907 races. In 1962 he won the Preakness Stakes on Greek Money and then the Belmont Stakes on High Echelon in 1970. He rode in the Kentucky Derby six times; his best finish was fourth on Native Charger. In both 1969 and 1970 he won more stakes races than any other jockey in American racing.

In 1973, Rotz received the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, given to a jockey who demonstrates high standards of personal and professional conduct, on and off the racetrack. He retired from riding that year following surgery for a foot injury but remained active in the industry.

In 1983, he and his wife, Mary, returned to Warrensburg, Illinois, where they purchased a 280-acre farm where Mary rehabilitated wildlife and Rotz began his western performance horse career.

Many people were familiar with Rotz as a superstar in the racing world but for many reiners, he was first and foremost a fellow competitor. It was after former NRHA President Rick Weaver won the NRHA Futurity in 1982 that he met Rotz. Rotz had just purchased Big Red Item and visited Weaver’s facility for help. For Weaver, it was instantly clear that Rotz had a great relationship with and a feel for horses. In 1987, Rotz went on to win the NRHA Novice Horse Non Pro World Championship on another horse named Doc Star Time.

There were fewer reining shows back then and typically only two classes to compete in, so Rotz began showing cutting horses. It reduced travel time as there were more cutting shows around Springfield. “I would see John at the state fairs, and I kept a friendship with him. When I first worked with him, some of the only reinings were at the fairs, so we would travel from fair to fair and I got to know him well,” Weaver said.

What impressed Weaver the most was the man’s humility. “I think the thing that is most important that people know about John was how he conducted himself. For a world class athlete that won the Preakness and the Belmont, I was so struck at how humble he was. It was probably my first glance of what it looked like to be going through your life and living with grace,” Weaver shared.

Weaver expanded on that thought, noting that despite all Rotz accomplishments and achievements, many people were unaware of his success unless they had read it somewhere or somebody pointed it out.

 “He was such a good horseman, and the relationship he had with a horse was something that clearly served him well at the track,” Weaver recalled. “I still remember going to Churchill Downs and going through the museum there and seeing his name and pictures. It is such a loss for us all. He was a great horseman and such a gentleman.”

Posted on

Smart Like Juice, Inc. Becomes NRHA’s Newest Two Million Dollar Owner

Impressive performances at the North American Reining Stakes unofficially catapulted National Reining Horse Association Owner Smart Like Juice Inc. past $2 million in earnings.

Jose Vazquez of Smart Like Juice, Inc.
(Photo from Smart Like Juice Facebook)

Prior to the event, the entity was less than $3,000 away from that milestone. Jose Vazquez, the man behind Smart Like Juice, Inc., piloted Mr Chexy Dream and Smartgals Like Juice to more than $8,300 in prize money in the North American Reining Stakes and Leonard Trailer Non Pro Derbies.  

Vazquez’s Smart Like Juice, Inc. was first named as an NRHA member in 2004, and in that time more than 250 horses have been part of the program.

Smart Like Juice, Inc. is named for Vazquez’s renowned stallion, NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Smart Like Juice. An NRHA Hall of Fame inductee, Smart Like Juice (Smart Little Lena x Jessies Oak) was bred by Lindy Burch. The now 25-year-old stallion was purchased by Justin and Vaughn Zimmerman as an early 3-year-old. After watching the horse place seventh in the open finals at the 1997 NRHA Futurity, non pro rider Vazquez (now an NRHA Million Dollar Rider) knew he had found his new horse. Smart Like Juice went on to compete with both Vazquez and NRHA Professional Ed Fear, winning $56,096 before retiring to the breeding shed.

Earning his first Million Dollar Sire title in 2008, Smart Like Juice was inducted into the NRHA Hall of Fame in 2017 for his contributions to the reining industry.

The top earners for Smart Like Juice, Inc., (at the time of ownership) are:

Like Shiner (Smart Like Juice x Wind Her Up Shiner) $164,962

Moonshine Juice (Smart Like Juice x Wind Her Up Shiner) $122,365

Wound By Juice (Smart Like Juice x Wind Her Up Shiner) $110,459

Juiced Up Doc (Smart Like Juice x Jokes Startime) $83,475

SLJ Ruf Juice (Smart Like Juice x Ruf Catalyst) $73,572

Posted on

NRHA Celebrates With ‘The Run For A Million’ on New Title Sponsor

Teton Ridge Named Title Sponsor for The Run For A Million

Emerging western heritage brand invests in reining’s most prestigious event with the goal of keeping the values and traditions of western horsemanship alive

The richest event in reining has a new title sponsor, Teton Ridge. The company is determined to not only help grow the sport of reining, but to preserve, protect, and ensure the future of sports born of America’s most iconic way of life. Beyond the brand’s title sponsorship, Teton Ridge will also sponsor and present the $150,000 Invitational Fence Work Challenge for open bridle horse competitors.

Created by visionary entrepreneur Thomas Tull, Teton Ridge is an authentic western brand with a long-term vision that will focus on everything from performance horse breeding and training, to western apparel and gear, to hosting western experiences and events.

The Teton Ridge sponsorship of The Run For A Million marks the first collaborative effort for Tull and the driving force behind The Run For A Million, Hollywood’s western storyteller, Taylor Sheridan.

“Teton Ridge is uniquely positioned to bring awareness and excitement to our sport and the western performance horse world in general,” said Sheridan. “Teton Ridge’s title sponsorship of The Run For A Million speaks to that commitment, and our joint ventures in the future will continue to spread the excitement TRFAM has started.”

“Taylor and I share common vision when it comes to riding disciplines which have grown from the life and culture of the American West,” said Tull. “There’s an integrity, honesty, and purity to these sports that represent the unique heritage of our nation.”

Teton Ridge’s sponsorship of TRFAM underscores the brand’s mission to preserve the traditions and values of the West, while celebrating the athleticism and spirit of the men and women who compete in western equine sports every day.

The second annual TRFAM, which was postponed in 2020 due to COVID concerns, happens in Las Vegas from August 18th through the 21st, at the famed South Point Arena and Equestrian Center.

About Teton Ridge
Teton Ridge is a multi-platform brand devoted to the iconic American Western way of life and western equine sports. Teton Ridge will create a team of elite equine riders from multiple disciplines, invest in the breeding and training of the most sought-after pedigrees in the quarter horse industry and engage audiences to elevate and expand western equine sports through innovative technology. Additionally, Teton Ridge operates a philanthropic foundation that provides invaluable funding for land stewardship, fosters community by preserving the American West’s cultural heritage, and ensures the future of ranching and riding sports. For more information about Teton Ridge, please visit tetonridge.com or @tetonridge on Instagram @tetonridgeusa on Facebook.

Contacts:
Katie Harvey
KGBTexas Communications
katie@kgbtexas.com
(210) 410-1139 (mobile)

Cody Shown
KGBTexas Communications
codys@kgbtexas.com
(210) 913-2639 (mobile)

The National Reining Horse Association is not responsible for the information contained in this press release. Please contact the author or submitting organization for further information, requests, or questions.

Posted on

The Preeminent Showcase for Reining Horses Adopts New Names

The National Reining Horse Association Markel Futurity Sales represent the elite of the western performance horse industry. Lucrative for consignors and a gold mine of potential for buyers, the event is a must-attend during the NRHA Futurity each year.

The 2021 NRHA Markel Futurity Sales are set for Thursday, December 2. As in the past, the sales will offer an outstanding group of two-year-old reining prospects, yearlings, stallions, broodmares, and show horses from leading breeders, owners, and trainers.

The deadline to consign is August 31, and this year’s selection process has been streamlined with the elimination of photography and video requirements for yearlings,* and modified 2-year-old preview opportunities.**

All sales are managed by the NRHA staff with support and direction from the NRHA Sales Task Force. Rick Clark, John Tague, Rosanne Sternberg, Frank Costantini, Tim Anderson, Rick Ford and Jake Dahl serve on this task force along with NRHA Senior Manager of ReinerSuite and Futurity Sales Angie Honeywell.  

The quality and integrity of the NRHA Markel Futurity Sales is reflected in the records of exemplary graduates of previous sales and those horses have won millions in NRHA earnings since the first 2-year-olds were sold in 1993. To represent the elevated quality of horses sold in each sale, the Sale Task Force has renamed three of the four sales. The Select Yearling Sale will now be the Elite Yearling Sale, the Select Breeders Sale has been renamed the Preferred Breeders Sale, and the Marketplace Sale will now be known as the Premier Sale.

It’s more than semantics, as contemporary reining horses and prospects truly represent the culmination of years of development for the breeding industry. “The Sale Task Force felt these names were a better representation of the high-quality horses we have. Sale graduates from each sale have been incredibly successful in the show pen and breeding barn, and they wanted every aspect of the NRHA Markel Futurity Sales to reflect that,” noted Honeywell.

To read more about the NRHA Markel Futurity Sales, including more exciting changes for 2021, click here. For consignment information, visit NRHA.com/Sales.

*Video and photograph requirements will not be compulsory as part of the yearling consignment application procedure. Please note that videos, photographs, and radiographs will still be required prior to the NRHA Markel Futurity Sales for marketing materials and to be available for buyers. New guidelines will now govern yearling placement. Foals of dams with $25,000 or more in progeny and/or lifetime earnings will be placed in the Elite Yearling Sale, while those not meeting that threshold will sell in the Premier Sale.

**Two-year-old preview opportunities have expanded into two-hour sessions in Arena 6. To provide ample time for consignors to present their horses in a controlled environment, these sessions will be held on November 30 and December 1 at the conclusion of each day’s Futurity Semi-Finals.