For Immediate Release – February 9, 2021 – Oklahoma City, Okla. – The challenges of 2020 led the entire horse community to face uncertainty, unexpected change, and unprecedented challenges. The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) proudly salutes its NRHA Professionals for rising to the challenge, providing excellent care to their horses in spite of the circumstances, and ensuring that their customers—and NRHA members—found opportunities to enjoy their reining horses when they needed the outlet most.

The NRHA Professionals awards allow pros to honor their peers by selecting the NRHA Becky Hanson Horsewoman of the Year, the NRHA Professional Horseman of the year, the NRHA Non Pro Coach of the Year, the NRHA Youth Coach of the Year and the NRHA Up-and-Coming Trainer of the year.

NRHA affiliates may nominate pros for each of the awards to recognize their dedication to the reining industry—in and out of the show pen—and commitment to Respect the Horse. Respect the Sport.

“As the new chairman of the Professionals Committee, it’s exciting for me to make calls to the recipients of these awards,” said NRHA Professional Nick Valentine. “We’re thankful to the affiliates that take the time to submit nominations and let us know about the great work NRHA pros are doing in each region. These are very special awards for our professionals.”

Becky Hanson Horsewoman of the Year: Debbie Brown

She might be short in stature, but Debbie Brown is a powerhouse when it comes to the reining community. A staple at shows around the country, Brown has dedicated her life to reining horses for more than 35 years and continues to be a regular face in the finals of major events on top of coaching countless youth and non pro riders to success. She selflessly shares her expertise with reiners of all levels, from beginners to accomplished non pros to seasoned professionals.

Horseman of the Year: David Hanson

David Hanson faced many challenges in 2020, including the death of his wife, Becky, for whom the Horsewoman of the Year award is named. The longtime NRHA Professional put his own hardships aside and focused on ensuring that others could compete by championing a successful show season for his affiliate.

David and Becky spent five years training horses in Italy and showing them across Europe. When they returned to the U.S. in 2000, the couple settled in Clements, California, where they built a thriving non pro and youth program, on top of training numerous major event finalists and top finishers. David continues to build his own legacy and honor that of his wife as an outstanding NRHA Professional.

Non Pro Coach of the Year: Dany Tremblay

Dany Tremblay’s charisma and unrelenting smile make him one of the most approachable NRHA Professionals in the industry, which means non pro riders gravitate to him for his advice and insight. The Canadian, now living in the U.S., is willing to help all riders be all they can be, no matter if they are his own customers or non pros navigating the sport without a professional coach. Tremblay’s eager to share his expertise in all aspects of horsemanship, from training and showing to care and attention to detail.

Tremblay (NRHA LTE $905,000) and his brother, Fred, operate Tremblay Performance Horses, a full-service training, showing, marketing, and sakes program out of Overbrook, Oklahoma.

Youth Coach of the Year: Bobby Avila Jr.

Patience and persistence are the cornerstones of Bobby Avila Jr.’s youth program. He endeavors to teach every young rider the values of paying attention to the details, respect for the horse and the sport, and confidence. Young riders under his tutelage—from short-stirrup youngsters to those who compete among the elite riders in the Level (L) 4 non pro classes—start with the basics of horsemanship, which makes them solid riders who can make confident decisions in the show pen as well as in daily life.

Avila’s lifetime of experience showing horses allows him to relate to the youngsters in his program, which operates out of Zimmerman Performance Horses in Rogersville, Missouri. Avila has more than $278,000 in NRHA LTE.

Up-and-Coming Professional of the Year: Austin Roush

The young reining horses of today become tomorrow’s top mounts under riders of all skill levels. Austin Roush’s abilities with young horses—including impeccable timing and feel—make him a standout young trainer and one to watch at the futurities and derbies, which led him to be chosen by his peers as the 2020 Up-and-Coming Professional of the Year. Most notably, Roush piloted Gunna Stop (Gunnatrashya x Stop Little Sister) to the 2018 NRHA Futurity L1 and L2 champion titles.

Training from Southern Trace Ranch in Belle Center, Ohio, Roush (NRHA LTE more than $175,000) also enjoys preparing non pro horses and coaching their riders.

For Immediate Release – January 21, 2021 – Oklahoma City, Okla. – In a meteoric rise, Lil Joe Cash became a National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Million Dollar Sire with only four performing foal crops.

“With all the show cancellations in 2020, it’s almost certain that Lil Joe would have become a million dollar sire earlier in the year, and to me that is incredible,” noted owner Russell Giles. “Having Lil Joe Cash become a million-dollar sire was never my goal because it has always been to breed the best-minded, athletic horses that people love. I believe we’re achieving that.”

An incredible show resume with NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider Andrea Fappani has segued into an equally impressive breeding career. Prior to the 2020 NRHA Futurity, Lil Joe Cash was less than $6,000 away from achieving NRHA Million Dollar Sire status, and while he would have achieved that milestone regardless, Tish Fappani’s Level (L) 3 Non Pro Futurity Championship and L4 Co-Reserve Championship on Joes Genes (out of Electric Genes) catapulted the stallion’s progeny earnings across the million dollar threshold.

Tish Fappani was proud to play a part in Lil Joe Cash’s milestone. “Lil Joe Cash has always been a special horse to our family. He had an amazing show career,” she said. “It’s amazing to be a part of this achievement of his. My mare’s mind and her trainability are where I see his influence.”

Her husband, Andrea Fappani, added, “Tish’s mare has a mind remarkably like her sire [Lil Joe Cash]. You never had to force him to do anything. You just had to show him, and if he understood what you were asking, he would do it for you.”

Lil Joe Cash was also well-represented in the Adequan® Arena at the NRHA Futurity. Madison Gustin piloted Win My Cash (out of Win My Shine) to top finishes in the North American Affiliate Championships (NAAC) in the Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro divisions, winning more than $5,100. Earlier in the year, Gustin and Win My Cash won the L2 and L1 Non Pro Derby Championship to earn more than $12,000 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE).

Bred by Kurt and Angie Harris, Lil Joe Cash is by NRHA Three Million Dollar Sire Nu Chex To Cash and out of RS Lilly Starlight. Giles purchased the colt at the 2009 Legacy Sale and sent him to Brent Loseke to begin his career. It was Loseke’s recommendation to pair Lil Joe Cash with Andrea Fappani. “Brent’s honesty and integrity in suggesting I send Lil Joe Cash to Andrea speaks volumes about his character,” Giles said. “I believe some trainers would not have been as gracious or truthful about my horse’s potential.”

With Andrea Fappani in the saddle, Lil Joe Cash quickly made his mark on the reining industry, winning the 2011 NRHA Futurity Open L4 with an incredible 227.5. The pair also won an American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Jr. Reining World Championship in 2012, then the NRHA $75,000 Shootout Championship in 2014.

“Lil Joe Cash was a special horse, not just as a show horse, but in our barn, too. He is probably the only horse I have been able to get from a different program later in his 3-year-old year and be very successful. I got him in April from Brent, who has a great program and puts a great foundation on horses but rides differently than I do,” Fappani shared. “Lil Joe Cash really molded to me, and I remember looking at my wife just two weeks after getting him and telling her I had never been on a horse that fit my style so much.”

Andrea Fappani thought so highly of the stallion, that he brought him out of retirement in 2019 to compete in The Run for a Million Shootout, where they finished third with a score of 226.

“I always tell people that if I had to pick a horse in my career that depicts the way I want reining to be done, it would be Lil Joe Cash,” Andrea Fappani said. “To me, he has the style I want. He’s a great mover who’s very collected naturally. I have gone back and watched his videos from when he went through the Legacy Sale, and it was amazing to me that he showed as a 6-year-old the same way he moved as a yearling. Twenty years from now, if someone asks me who my ideal reining horse was, I will always say Lil Joe Cash.”

Giles was quick to credit several people with Lil Joe Cash’s success. “I thank Andrea and Tish, who believed in Joe all the way. I also thank Brent Loseke, who gave Joe a lot of credence with trainers,” she said. “Also, I give a lot of credit to Jo Ellard of EE Ranch. He stood there first, and Jo, Steve and Kim Adams, and Tony Nunez, did a great job with him there.”

As Lil Joe Cash’s progeny began to compete, it became apparent he was a good cross on mares by NRHA Leading Sire Gunner. “Moving him to Tom McCutcheon Reining Horses was inevitable,” Giles shared. “We have only had one breeding season there, but it has been phenomenal. Over the years I have been incredibly fortunate to find great people to help me, and the credit goes to all of them.”

For Giles, the diversity of the riders that found success on Lil Joe Cash is a testament to the stallion. “Joe is always affectionate and wants to know what is going on, and his babies are like that, too. It’s funny because it seems like once someone gets a Joe in the barn, they’ll have 10,” she said. “I think with the propulsion he’s had, people are going to be excited about owning a Joe of their own.”

Lil Joe Cash’s top offspring also includes:

• NVR What A Lucky Joe (out of What A Lucky Hit): $108,182 NRHA LTE
• Lil Patron (out of Miss Rey O Shine): $76,459 NRHA LTE
• Cashing In Diamonds (out of Diamond Steppin Whiz): $57,473 NRHA LTE

Congratulations to Lil Joe Cash on this monumental milestone!