For Immediate Release – June 17, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby presented by Markel has reached the half-way point. On Wednesday, June 17, the first section of the Open Derby preliminaries was held in the Jim Norick Coliseum at State Fair Park.

To lead the pack of the first section of Open Derby preliminaries, it took a score of 222.5. Two riders shared that spot—Arno Honstetter riding Carol Rose’s Shine Yur Gun and NRHA Million Dollar Rider Jason Vanlandingham astride Diane Mesmer’s A Vintage Smoke. Vanlandingham and his mount, a 5-year-old stallion by A Sparkling Vintage and out of Lady Smoke Peppy, showed later in the day to tie with Honstetter’s ride on Shine Yur Gun.

Honstetter and Shine Yur Gun, a 6-year-old stallion by NRHA 11 Million Dollar Sire Gunner and out of Lil Miss Shiney Chex, are also entered in the Level 3 and Level 2 Open, and leading those divisions.

Topping the Level 1 is Dalton Vanlandingham and Staring Shine with a 214.5. Owned by Vaughn Zimmerman, the 6-year-old gelding is by Shine Chic Shine and out of Staring Amie.

The Bob’s Custom Saddles Novice Horse Open Championship will be decided at the conclusion of the preliminary round and is currently led by Fernando Salgado and Gotta Shiney Peso. The 4-year-old stallion by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz and out of Cee Bee Shine is owned by Pedro Pastor Hernandez.

The top 30 from the Open Levels 4 -1 will compete on Saturday in the clean-slate finals. Draw positions will be determined at 10 a.m., CDT, on Friday during the virtual Platinum Performance Open Draw Party.

For complete results and information, visit NRHADerby.com.

For Immediate Release – June 16, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The wait is over, and the finalists for the 2020 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Non Pro Derby presented by Markel have been decided. Over two exciting days, the field of 249 non pro entries was whittled down to the crème de la crème who get to compete in Friday’s clean slate finals.

There was a four-way tie at the top of the preliminary leaderboard. Mandy McCutcheon held two of the positions, while McKinnon Larcombe and Indy Roper also got a portion of the number one position. Each rode their horses to a 218.5. McCutcheon rode Party Nite (Gunners Special Nite x Topsail Survivor) and Tidal To The Buckles (Show Me The Buckles x Starlights Tidalwave), Larcombe was on Gunners Bar Fly (Gunner x Blonde At The Bar), and Roper rode Lil Patron (Lil Joe Cash x Miss Rey O Shine).

Larcombe and Gunners Bar Fly, owned by Shauna Larcombe, also finished in the top spot of the Level 3 Non Pro and Youth Non Pro divisions.
Harper Conner and Money Carlo put together a solid run, resulting in a 217.5, which placed them in the top spot of the Level 2 Non Pro. Money Carlo is a 5-year-old stallion by A Sparkling Vintage out of Chex Drive.

With a score of 215, Tabitha Sternberg Allen and Holly Trashya won the Level 1 Non Pro preliminary round. Holly Trashya, a 6-year-old mare owned by Francesca Sternberg, is by Gunnatrashya out of Hickorys Holly Cee.

Leading the Masters Non Pro division into the finals is Morris Kulmer and his standout gelding NVR What A Lucky Joe with a 218. The six-year-old reiner is by Lil Joe Cash out of What A Lucky Hit.

Winning the Bob’s Custom Saddles Novice Non Pro Derby Championship was Adam Donahue on Not Ruf with a 216.5. Not Ruf is a 4-year-old gelding by Not Ruf At All out of Kays Freckles.  The duo also topped the Prime Time Non Pro preliminaries with a 219.5 (includes handicap).

Look for the detailed recap of Donahue’s win on Not Ruf in the Bob’s Custom Saddles Novice Horse Open Derby in Thursday’s event coverage.

The top 30 in the Non Pro Levels 4 – 1 will compete in the clean-slate finals on Friday, June 19, as well as the top 20 in the Prime Time and Youth divisions. The top 15 in the Master’s Non Pro will also earn a spot in the finals.

Unofficially, it took a 212.5 to make it back in the Non Pro Level 4 and 211.5 in the Non Pro Level 3. In the Non Pro Level 2, the magic number was a 211, and in the Non Pro Level 1, contestants needed a 208.5 or higher. Non Pro Prime Time competitors with a score of 211.5 (includes handicap), Masters riders with a 205.5 (includes handicap), and Youth riders with a 210, also earned finals’ berths.

Draw positions for the finals will be determined on Wednesday, June 17, during the virtual Platinum Performance Non Pro Draw Party. The Draw Party will be held at 5:30 p.m. and will be streamed via the live feed that can be found at NRHADerby.com.

The NRHA Derby presented by Markel continues Wednesday with the first set of Open Preliminaries in the Jim Norick Coliseum arena. Please visit www.NRHADerby.com for a complete schedule of events, as well as complete results from the show.

For Immediate Release – June 16, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The horse show action continued in the Adequan® Arena at the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby presented by Markel. There were 60 entries in the Novice Horse Open classes, spread across three levels. In the end, Jared Leclair and Matt Palmer took home the wins.

Novice Horse Open Level 2 & 3 Co-Champion/Level 1 Champion – Matt Palmer and Im Painted Special

It was only the first time for Matt Palmer to show Im Painted Special, but the duo looked like a veteran team, completing an impressive run that resulted in a score of 149. That run not only won the Novice Horse Open [1] Level 1, it also tied for the win of Levels 2 and 3. All totaled, Palmer and Im Painted Special won $2,503.

“Going in for the first time with everything that has gone on, COVID-19 and all, it was just to go in and see what I had. Every maneuver he did, I loved him. We bought him for his owner, Mark Hurd, to show, so I wanted to get him in the pen and see what he’s like, so when I coach Mark I’d have a better idea,” Palmer shared.

Hurd and Palmer found Im Painted Special, a 4-year-old by Gunners Special Nite and out of Darlins Not Painted, in Texas at NRHA Professional Tom McCutcheon’s barn. “As soon as Mark got on him, I knew this was the horse we needed to take home. My plan was to show him at the NRBC, but when that got pushed back, I decided to show him here. I’ll show him at the NRBC that is now in Tulsa,” Palmer said.

He added, “Mark is second to none as a customer. I can’t thank him enough for all the things he has done for me. I also thank my family, everyone who works for me, and Bob and Arlene Santagata of Santa Hill Ranch. It’s a whole team effort, and I’m just the last one who gets to enjoy it.”

Novice Horse Open Level 2 & 3 Co-Champion – Jared Leclair and Lime A Rita

In the past year and a half, Jared Leclair and Lime A Rita have become quite the team, consistently winning in the horse show classes at major events. On Monday, the duo continued their winning streak, tying for the win in both the Level 2 and Level 3 of the Novice Horse Open. The win netted checks totaling $1,777.

“This is a very good mare,” noted Lime A Rita’s owner Susan Meyer. “I bought her a year and a half ago in Las Vegas, and I started showing her. I did well with her and won my first trophy, and then Jared took over. They’ve had a lot of success together, too.”

Leclair and Lime A Rita, by Custom Legend and out of She Slides Wright, marked a 149 in the day’s competition. “Today she did very, very well. She kept her head down and was very obedient. Everything was stellar, and you could tell she and Jared were listening to one another very well,” she said.

It was the first show back after the COVID-19 quarantine period. “It definitely makes me feel more normal,” Meyers shared. “I thank Jared for all of his hard work, dedication, and ability to show. I appreciate him so much.”

Complete results for the NRHA Derby presented by Markel can be found at NRHADerby.com.

For Immediate Release – June 15, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The Non Pro preliminary round of the 2020 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby presented by Markel kicked off on Monday, June 15. While there was concern that the current pandemic would dampen entry numbers, this year’s show is especially robust.

This year’s Non Pro Derby features 249 entries, a big jump from 214 the previous year.

Currently tied for the lead of the Non Pro preliminary round are McKinnon Larcombe and Mandy McCutcheon. Both women piloted their horses to a 218.5.

McCutcheon was riding Party Nite, by Gunners Special Nite out of Topsail Survivor. The 5-year-old mare, owned by Mandy and her husband Tom, topped the preliminary round of the NRHA Non Pro Derby with Mandy last year.

Larcombe and Gunners Bar Fly also lead the Level 3 Non Pro and Youth Non Pro preliminaries. Gunners Bar Fly, a 6-year-old mare by Gunner and out of Blonde At The Bar, is owned by McKinnon’s aunt Shauna Larcombe.

Harper Conner and Money Carlo put together a solid run, resulting in a 217.5. Conner and the 5-year-old stallion by A Sparkling Vintage out of Chex Drive, currently top the Level 2 Non Pro preliminaries.

Currently holding the high score of the Level 1 Non Pro preliminaries with a 213.5 is Madison Gustin and her horse Win My Cash. This 5-year-old mare is by Lil Joe Cash and out of Win My Shine.

Holding steady with the top score of the Bob’s Custom Saddles Novice Non Pro Derby is Adam Donahue and Not Ruf, a 4-year-old gelding, with a 216.5. The Bob’s Custom Saddles Novice Non Pro Derby Championship will be decided at the completion of the preliminary round, so Donahue and Not Ruf, by Not Ruf At All out of Kays Freckles, are sitting pretty. The duo also lead the Prime Time Non Pro preliminaries.

Sitting atop the Masters Non Pro leaderboard is Michael Garnett and his horse Hollywood Nites. Garnett and Hollywood Nites, a 7-year-old by Gunners Special Nite out of Dun It For Chex, marked a 215.5.

Non Pro preliminary competition continues Tuesday. The top 30 in the Non Pro Levels 4-1, the top 20 in the Prime Time Non Pro and Youth Non Pro, as well as the top 15 in the Masters Non Pro, will advance to the clean-slate finals on Friday. The draw for the finals will be decided during the Virtual Platinum Performance Non Pro Draw Party on Wednesday evening.

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

Three days into the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby presented by Markel Insurance, the event is in full swing. In addition to the great prizes presented in the Adequan® Arena, exhibitors have a chance to win circuit buckles, as well. The first circuit championships were awarded Monday afternoon.

Austin Morris and John Wayne Tag Clean House in Adequan® Arena

John Wayne Tag might have one of the coolest names for reining horses competing this year at the NRHA Derby presented by Markel, and he’s proven to be an exceptional show horse, too. With Austin Morris at the reins, the eight-year-old gelding marked a 143.5 in Monday’s competition to win the second slate of Intermediate Open, Limited Open, and Rookie Professional classes, worth $2,530.

The winning doesn’t end there. Morris and John Wayne Tag also competed in the first slate of classes on Sunday, and finished in the top five both days, which secured the high point buckle for all three classes.
“I’ve been riding this horse since November of last year. I’ve only been to three or four shows with him, but every time we’ve been successful. He’s a great horse that is really easy. You can go for weeks without riding him, then get on him and he’s the same,” Morris said.

Just last week, Morris and John Wayne Tag took an eight hour trip to South Carolina for an event. “He showed really great down there, and then we drove him 22 hours here to Oklahoma City, and he was ready to show again,” Morris, of Damascus, Maryland, said. “We had a few things that happened in yesterday’s class that I knew I could do better today. I came out with the goal to have a better ride in some areas, and it all worked out.”

John Wayne Tag, by Whiz N Tag Chex and out of Kachina Oak Olena, is owned by Summerwind Farm Inc. “I thank Bob LaPorta who owns Summerwind Farm for providing my nice horses to show. I thank my girlfriend and co-worker Tricia Tillman for her support and advice, our sponsors, and everyone at Summerwind or being supportive,” Morris said.

Kalicia Walters and Lady Gotta Gun Get Redemption in Limited Non Pro

Kalicia Walters didn’t have the run she wanted in Saturday’s Limited Non Pro, but she and her mare Lady Gotta Gun came back strong in the second slate to win the class with a 142. “We worked really hard this winter, and today I got aggressive, and it paid off. We’ve worked hard to get where we are, and this was our first big win together,” Walters shared.

Lady Gotta Gun, by Spooks Gotta Gun and out of Ms Kiper Nic, is a five-year-old mare. “I have had her about a year. Luckily I live just 10 miles from Dany and Fred Tremblay, so I was able to go from our ranch, to their ranch, and back home all winter. We got a lot of practice in, and everything is coming together,” she said.

Walters has been showing reiners off and on for the past six years, and credits her success to Fred and Dany. “They have helped me a bunch this winter, and it has changed everything. I’m super excited to be working with them,” she said.

Walters will show in more non pro classes throughout the week.

Morgan Hinkle Wins Limited Non Pro High Point Championship on Wimpys King Lad

Consistency was the key for Morgan Hinkle and Wimpys King Lad. They put together two solid runs to win the high point circuit buckle for the Limited Non Pro. “This is my first high-point win – today was pretty good! We had a couple bobbles; he spooked from the cameraman once. The run was pretty clean except for that spook,” she shared.

Wimpys King Lad is by Wimpys Little Step out of King Tucks Lassie. “I’ve had him for about six years. I know him pretty well and he’s a really good horse. With all the practice we’ve had we’re finally getting it together,” Hinkle, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, said. “I thank my parents for supporting me, as well as my trainers Shane Brown and Emily Emerson.”

Hinkle is looking forward to competing in the 8 & Up Non Pro Derby on Wednesday.