The inaugural Story Book Stables Amateur Championship at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel was decided during the preliminary round of competition. Lauren Love was one of 138 amateurs that took advantage of that opportunity, and she came out on top, piloting Rebelvintage to a 218 for the win.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Love said. “It was a big class, so I just wanted to go in there, have a good run and try to make the Level 4 finals. Winning the Amateur was kind of the cherry on top.”

Love and “Rebel” collected $7,487. In addition to accomplishing their goal of qualifying for the Level 4 Non Pro finals, the pair also qualified for Level 3, and earned $6,632 in the finals. They also took Reserve in the GlycoGuard Novice Horse Non Pro for another $3,112, and placed fourth in the Colston Paving Stakes for an additional $2,829.

Love purchased Rebel, who is by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire A Sparkling Vintage and out of Wimpys Got Action, last year and picked up almost $4,000 throughout the course of 2020. She hasn’t shown the mare, who was bred and nominated by Linda Lacaille, much in 2021, but since Rebel was eligible for so many divisions at the Derby, she figured it would be worth going.

“She’s a show horse. Every time I go in the show pen with her, I know I can count on her,” Love said, thanking trainer Arnaud Ferret for doing a great job preparing Rebel. “She’s just a fun horse to show. She’s great at circling, and she’s a great stopper. She’s one that you can just sit there and really show off, so that’s always fun.”

Love was grateful to Story Book Stables’ owner Brenda Joyce for sponsoring the Amateur, saying it was a great idea.

“I think Brenda is going to do great things for the industry by offering this,” she said. “This kind of separates the playing field a little bit to where there’s more money added for everybody else that isn’t always maybe in the top five or the top 10 at the major events. It gives more opportunities, which I think is great for the sport and adds a little more diversity.”

Two riders tied for Reserve in the Amateur Derby. Tabitha Sterberg Allen, who was on board Holly Trashya (NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya x Hickorys Holly Cee), along with Allana Vernon on Gunnersrufride (NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Gunners Special Nite x Lil Ruf Showgirl), each marked a 217.5 and collected a check for $3,988.

Holly Trashya was nominated by her breeder, Arcese Quarter Horses USA, and is owned by Francesca Sternberg. Gunnersrufride belongs to White River Ag Products Inc. and was bred and nominated by Richard Vernon.

During the first section of the Green Reiner competition at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel competition heated up in the Adequan® Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The second slate of the Novice Horse Open classes went well into the night, and awards were presented the next day.
 

Natalie Vargo and Surpized — Green Reiner Levels 1&2

Natalie Vargo and Surpized (Hang Ten Surprize x Snow White Dun It) swept the Green Reiner Levels 1&2 with a 144.5. The talented reiner was first shown as an open horse and there was no denying his talents in Friday’s Green Reiner class, even though it was the first show for Vargo and Surprized together as a team.
 
“I haven’t been showing in the reining that much and it was the first time I ever showed him so I was kind of taken aback,” Vargo said with a laugh. “I didn’t know how it was going to go, because I’ve never shown him before and I knew I was going to go for it.”
 
Vargo’s family has owned the now-5-year-old since he was 2 and throughout his open career. When Vargo needed a horse to take to the reining shows this year Surprized got the call and it proved fruitful at their first show together.
 
“I’ve only ridden him a handful of times,” she said. “He’s been pretty easy to get with, he was an open horse, so he’s a little high strung and he’s very talented so it took me a second to get in a groove, but after that, it’s been pretty easy.”
 
Natalie Ellis and Xtra Sparkles N Town marked a 141 to take second place in the Green Reiner Level 1. Raegan Shepherd and Shining Spook Dancer marked a 143 to finish second in the Green Reiner Level 2.
 

Tate Wynn and Im A Dun It Twist — Para Reining

Tate Wynn and Im A Dun It Twist (Hollywood Dun It x Miss Boo Twist) earned the Para Reining win with a score of 134. The duo have been partners for about a year, but Wynn said the 16-year-old home-raised reiner got his chance to shine in the show pen this year. While it wasn’t a quick road to success, Wynn saw promise in his equine partner.
 
 “We never thought he had the potential to show, but after some consideration we thought that he might, so we gave him a chance,” Wynn said.
 
A month ago, Im A Dun It Twist got his opportunity to prove himself in the arena and demonstrated his abilities well, which gave them confidence coming into the NRHA Derby.
 
“That was mainly the test for him to see if he was ready and this one he was ready,” he said. “The run felt pretty good, he’s a little hyper, but that’s normal for him.”
 

Bobby Avila Jr. and Dreaming Of Guns – Novice Horse Open

Bobby Avila Jr. and Dreaming Of Guns (Magnum Chic Dream x HH Steady Gun) swept the Novice Horse Open Levels 1, 2 & 3 with a 146.5 for owners Richard Louis Nelson.
 
“She prepared really well, she went out there and was real focused,” Avila said. “This is our fifth run in row that we’ve marked 73.5 on her in a row, so she’s been getting really solid and consistent.”
 
Avila said the mare has progressively improved after each show they’ve been to together and is showing persistent talent in the show pen. 
 
“We’ve been to two shows in a row back-to-back, and then I took her and turned her out for a couple of weeks,” he said. “Not really turned her out in the pasture, but where during the day she could have a grass lot turn out, swish the flies and freshen up and it was really good for her. She came here to this show and the owner asked me how she felt and I said ‘She just feels better. She just feels more athletic.’” 
 
Todd Crawford and Whizkeybenthellbound (Whizkey N Diamonds x Desire A Chic) also shared the win in the Novice Horse Open Level 3 with a 146.5 for owners MC Performance Horses.
 

The Open preliminary round of the 2021 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel is in the books. The Derby has seen record payouts for Levels 4 through Level 1, Open Prime Time and the Level 4 Open Novice Horse. The Level 4 also saw record entries with 253, surpassing the previous record of 238 set in 2018. Levels 3 through 1 also saw high entries coming close to record numbers. Total entries across all levels and classes reached 2,059 and total payout of $1,238,449.

The large field of competitors were narrowed down to the top 30 in the Open Levels 4, 3, 2, and 1. Those entries advanced to the clean-slate finals, which will be held Saturday, June 26. The Open preliminaries also decided the champions of the Open Prime Time, the GlycoGuard Novice Horse Open Derby, and the inaugural Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes.

Unofficially the bubble for advancing to the finals were:
Level 4 – 218.5
Level 3 – 215.5
Level 2 – 212
Level 1 – 206

Winning each division of the Open preliminaries were:

• Level 4 – Dany Tremblay & Tinker With Dreams (Tinker With Guns x This Chicsdundreamin) – 224
• Level 3 – Justin Mathison & Shes Reddy On Line (Shine On Line x Guns R Reddy) – 222.5
• Level 2 & 1– Franky Vazquz & Whizin Off With Guns (Tinker With Guns x Whizin Off Sparks) – 217
• Open Prime Time – Casey Hinton & Mega Mag (Magnum Chic Dream x Big Gold Chex) – 220.5
• GlycoGuard Novice Horse Open Derby – Craig Schmersal & Xtra Vintagemahogany (A Sparkling Vintage x Custom Mahogany) – 219
• Tamarack Ranch Reiners Open Stakes – Kole Price & Trendsettter (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Timed To Shine) – 222

The draw for the Open finals was held during the Platinum Performance Virtual Open Draw Party. Jenny Redig of Platinum Performance, Frank Costantini of Markel Insurance, and NRHA President Rick Clark were on hand to help with the draw.

Complete results, draws, news and more can be found at NRHADerby.com.

The 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel is in full swing and ancillary classes are heating up in the Adequan Arena at the Oklahoma State Fair Park.  Champions were crowned and high point winners recognized on Thursday.

Three-Way Tie for Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1

Lisa Bricker and Lotta Mobster, Brianna Anthony and Boujee, and William Clutter and Shiney Spooky Whiz shared the win in the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 with scores of 144.

Bricker also took home the Level 1 high point title added to her success at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel. Lotta Mobster (HF Mobster x Alottachic N Lilwhiz) aka “Kevin” and Bricker have only been partners for about a year but have been proving themselves in Oklahoma City after taking home a win in Sunday’s first slate of the Novice Horse Non Pro.

“He was really good today,” she said. “We went in and started off with our circles, which are really fun to start off on him, just because he really lets you guide him through them and he really locks in on them, so it’s fun to start off with his circles. He’s always really focused going into his spins, and he always stops really hard, so it’s fun to run him down and stop him.”

Anthony and Boujee have been partners for about a year after trying the 4-year-old mare out at the 2020 NRHA Derby. Boujee is by $6 Millon Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream and out of Chexanicki.

“It’s taken me a little while to get with her. We kind of had a rocky futurity year last year and we actually just went in this class to try to put something together and it all worked for us,” Anthony said. “It’s nice to be able to go home on a win.”

Also tying for the win was William Clutter and Shiney Spooky Whiz (Smart And Shiney x Spooky Whizabella x Smart Spook) in the Novice Horse Non Pro with a score of 144.

Jesse Asmussen and The Crowd Goes Wildd Win Novice Horse Non Pro Levels 2 & 3; Kyla Thrulow Wins High Point

Jesse Asmussen and The Crowd Goes Wildd (Not Ruf At All x Check Your Gun Lady x Dun It Gotta Gun) topped the Novice Horse Non Pro Levels 2&3 with a score of 146.5. Asmussen and The Crowd Goes Wildd have had a good season so far beginning with last year’s NRHA Futurity and moving into 2021. Asmussen admits the Novice Horse Non Pro win was redemption for them this week.

“She was really good, I had some bobbles in the Derby, so I showed her in the Non Pro and I had another bobble and I was like ‘Man, I have to get my act together,’” he said with a laugh. “So I showed her in the Novice and she was really good. I finally got shown clean with no penalties. It will make the trip going home a little bit better.”

Finishing second in the Level 2 and Level 3 was Kyla Thurlow and Kachina Olena Tag with a score of 146. Thurlow also claimed the Levels 2&3 high point award. Thurlow and the now-8-year-old gelding have been partners since his 4-year-old year and Thurlow says “Facebook” continues to impress.

“He’s a show horse through and through. He’s always there for me. His bad day is another horse’s good day,” Thurlow said. “This is a long pattern for a lazy horse, but he was with me everywhere today. I hit a little bit of bad ground on my second stop, but he was wonderful today. I couldn’t ask any more of him.”

Tristan Bagby Wins Non Pro High Point 

Tristan Bagby and Shina Gun (Colonels Smoking Gun x Shiner Light) earned the ancillary Non Pro High Point award. Bagby said the win was memorable because of her connection and history with the 8-year-old stallion. 

“We raised him, so we’ve had him since he was a baby and he’s so special to our family,” Bagby said. “So, it was cool to get the high point on him.”

Bagby had a consistent showing at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel in order to gain top honors in the high point, but she admits it’s been a long road to consistency with Shina Gun. With that in mind, Bagby didn’t come into Oklahoma City with any expectations but was thrilled with the results and her equine partner. 

“He’s been difficult, it’s taken me a long time to finally figure him out, but now that I have he’s been really good for me,” she said. “We’ve got some things we still need to work on, but he was still pretty consistent in order to win the high point.”

During the first section of the Open preliminary round of the 2021 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel, 151 entries stopped, slid and circled for a chance in the finals. Those runs, combined with the 126 entries in Thursday’s section two, pushed the Open Derby up more than entries from 2020.

Contestants in the prelim round are competing for a spot in the clean-slate finals. The current high scores across the divisions of the Open preliminaries are:

• Level 4 – Andrea Fappani & Starjac Vintage (A Sparkling Vintage x Starjac Miss) – 223
• Level 3 – Justin Mathison & Shes Reddy On Line (Shine On Line x Guns R Reddy) – 222.5
• Levels 2 & 1 – Franky Vazquez & Whizin Off With Guns (Tinker With Guns x Whizin Off Sparks) – 217

New to the Derby this year is a class especially for 4-year-olds, and that, combined with the Four Sixes Ranch guaranteed champion payout, is likely responsible for the increase in entry numbers. Currently leading the Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes and the GlycoGuard Novice Horse Open Derby, which, along with the Prime Time, will be awarded following the second section of the preliminary round on Thursday, are:

• GlycoGuard Novice Horse Open Derby – Craig Schmersal & Xtra Vintagemahogany (A Sparkling Vintage x Custom Mahogany) – 219
• Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes – Casey Deary & Down Right Amazing (Gunner x Shesouttayourleague) – 220.5
• Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes – Franco Bertolani & Blueyedgirl (Gunners Tinseltown x Shining Survivor) – 220.5
• Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes – Craig Schmersal & Xtra Kiss Me Again (Boom Shernic x SS Kiss Me Kate) – 220.5
• Prime Time – Shawn Flarida & Guns And Dynamite (Gunners Special Nite x Chic Olena Starbuck) – 220

The Open preliminaries continue Thursday. The top 30 in the Open Levels 4-1 will advance to the clean-slate finals on Saturday. The draw for the finals will be decided during the Virtual Platinum Performance Open Draw Party on Friday morning.

For complete results and other information, visit NRHADerby.com.