Posted on

TAM Enterprises, Inc. with AML Reiners Becomes the Newest NRHA Partner

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) proudly welcomes TAM Enterprises, Inc. with AML Reiners as our newest Partner.

TAM Enterprises, Inc. was founded in 1994 by Anthony (Tony) Lasaponara and has grown to be one of the largest locally owned water and wastewater mechanic companies in the Hudson Valley of New York. In addition to working up and down the East Coast, TAM is licensed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Departments of Environmental Protection for waste hauling. Please visit tamenterprises.com to find out more.

“For as long as we have been a part of the NRHA, good horsemanship, good sportsmanship, and the emphasis of family values has always been a constant part of the horse show atmosphere,” says Tony Lasaponara, the Owner and President of TAM Enterprises, Inc. “It is essential that our children continue to learn and grow within this community, as they are the future of this sport. It is our privilege to do our part in supporting such a great organization.”

AML Reiners is based in Goshen, New York, just over an hour from New York City. Starting her equestrian journey at the age of three in the Hunter/Jumper world, Alea Lasaponara earned top placings in shows from Lake Placid, New York, down to Wellington, Florida. She eventually realized that she also had a passion for reining and switched her focus to the Western portion of the industry and has been dedicated and unstoppable.

Continuing her commitment and enthusiasm for the sport, Alea is currently working hard to win major events such as NRHA Futurity, NRHA Derby, NRBC, and The Run For A Million. No matter which style of riding, where she is, or who she is with, the horses are always put first. When the horses aren’t training, they’re given time to relax in the barn and fields in her backyard.

“NRHA is thrilled to have TAM Enterprises, Inc. and AML Reiners as an NRHA Partner,” says Mark Blake, NRHA President. “We are excited to help them achieve their marketing goals and dreams.”

To see the family of NRHA Partners, please visit nrha.com/partners, and to find out how to join the family, contact Christy Landwehr at clandwehr@nrha.com. 

Posted on

APHA and NRHA Join Forces To Bring Reining Lessons to horseIQ Virtual Learning

The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) and the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) have furthered their partnership with the creation of a new reining education module on horseIQ, APHA’s popular virtual learning site. 

HorseIQ is an innovative online platform that provides a comprehensive range of courses designed to educate horse owners, exhibitors, enthusiasts, and judges. The platform offers discipline-specific judge education, exhibitor insight, and courses on topics such as horse health, training, and care. HorseIQ is a leading resource for horse owners of all levels.

“Our goal is to create a visual, interactive guidebook both for exhibitors and judges,” said Dave Dellin, APHA chief executive officer. “We are committed to providing educational opportunities that help the equine world, and this partnership is a huge step in the right direction.” 

This collaboration creates a unique opportunity for APHA and NRHA members to access educational content tailored specifically to reining. The partnership enhances the educational offerings of both organizations to provide clarity and knowledge about the NRHA Judges System so that riders know exactly what judges evaluate in the sport of reining.

“The NRHA Judges Committee strives to offer our judges and members the very best in innovative education,” said Patti Carter, NRHA senior director of education and officials. “We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with APHA and horseIQ to take our educational opportunities to the next level.”

APHA and NRHA encourage members of their organizations, from green reiners to owners, professionals, and fans, to take advantage of this online learning opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills, thereby helping improve their relationships with their horses.

For more information, visit horseIQ.com.

Posted on

2023 NRHA European Derby: Daily Updates

Keep up with the 2023 NRHA European Derby at nrhaeuropeanderby.com.

10.31.23: Horses and riders are set and ready to go in Lyon

11.1.23: The $300,595-added NRHA European Derby kicks off in Lyon with the ELEMENTA Non Pro Derby Qualifier

11.2.23: The $300,595-added NRHA European Derby: Open finalists are set

11.3.23: Jody Fonck takes the ELEMENTA Non Pro Level 4 Championship in an all-girls night

11.4.23: Reminder Claims the Open Championship as well as a spot in the 2024 The Run For A Million

11.5.23: NRHA Grand Prix Champions and The Run For A Million European Non Pro and Youth qualifiers determined

Posted on

Fast Track to Four Million for Casey Deary

Fans of reining and members of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) alike have seen NRHA Professional Casey Deary holding a top spot among leaderboards this past year, which led to his latest accomplishment, becoming an NRHA Four Million Dollar Rider. Deary passed this milestone just over one year after becoming an NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider.

A multiple-time NRHA Futurity Champion, NRHA Derby Champion, and World Champion in the American Quarter Horse and American Paint Horse Associations, Deary is no stranger to the winner’s circle. His incredible journey to this accomplishment is a testament to his unwavering dedication, exceptional talent, and numerous wins within the reining industry, specifically over the past year.

In 2023, Deary has notched a series of sensational victories that have solidified his position as one of the most dominant riders in the reining world. These wins include The American Performance Horseman (TAPH) Reining Champion, National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC) Championship, 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel Championship, and third in the Million Dollar Competition at The Run for a Million (TRFAM).

The titles alone are impressive, but the fact that he earned all of them within six months on the same stallion adds to the prestige. Deary and Down Right Amazing (Gunner x Shesouttayourleague) added $383,000 in NRHA lifetime earnings (LTE) to their names this year. The pair were simply unstoppable. Owned by DAG Ventures LLC and bred by Curtis Performance Horses LLC, the stallion has over $600,000 in NRHA LTE, all with Deary at the reins.

Deary was also the 2022 Level 4 Open Reserve Futurity Champion on Customize My Dream, owned and bred by Devin Warren. Deary and ‘William’ have earned more than $200,000 in NRHA LTE, further pushing Deary to this milestone.

Not only does Deary find himself at the top of his game inside the show pen, but he also found time outside of the show pen to become Texas Christian University Equestrian Team’s newest assistant coach, showing his commitment to the future of reining.

Deary resides in Weatherford, Texas, with his wife, Nicole, and their kids, Wyatt, Owen, Joy, and Olivia.

Congratulations to Casey Deary on this latest milestone and the exceptional rate at which it was achieved.

Deary’s top wins that pushed him to become NRHA’s newest Four Million Dollar Rider:

  • 2022 NRHA Level 4 Open Futurity Reserve Champion – $150,000– Customize My Dream, owned and bred by Devin Warren
  • 2023 TAPH Reining Champion – $100,000 – Down Right Amazing, owned by DAG Ventures LLC and bred by Curtis Performance Horses LLC
  • 2023 NRBC Level 4 Open Champion – $100,000 – Down Right Amazing, owned by DAG Ventures LLC and bred by Curtis Performance Horses LLC
  • 2023 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel Level 4 Open Champion – $100,000 – Down Right Amazing, owned by DAG Ventures LLC and bred by Curtis Performance Horses LLC
  • 2022 TRFAM, Million Dollar Competition, 3rd Place – $80,000 – Americasnexttopgun, owned by Jody Puno/Puno Performance Horses LLC and bred by Arcese Quarter Horses USA

Posted on

Make It Six Million for Spooks Gotta Whiz

The futurity season is in full swing for the reining industry. With many impressive shows featuring record-setting payouts, many reiners are achieving success and climbing milestones at an astounding rate. Among that group is NRHA Hall of Famer Spooks Gotta Whiz—the newest NRHA Six Million Dollar Sire.

Spooks Gotta Whiz is a 2007 stallion by Spooks Gotta Gun and out of Prettywhizprettydoes. Bred by Clint Haverty, ‘Baby’ had an incredible career in the show pen for owner Michell Anne Kimball, where he amassed over $345,000 in NRHA lifetime earnings. In 2010, he and NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider Jordan Larson won the NRHA Level 4 Open Futurity. In 2012, NRHA Seven Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida took the reins. The duo won the Level 4 Open Championships at the NRHA Derby and the National Reining Breeders Classic that same year. They capped off an impressive career by taking home a team and individual gold medal at the 2014 World Equestrian Games.

Baby has now become an elite sire within the reining world. He currently has 475 money-earning offspring with NRHA and many more waiting to snag their first paychecks. Many of his progeny have achieved success on reining’s biggest stages, including new events like The American Performance Horseman.

Performances at the 2023 100X Reining Classic helped push Baby over the six-million-dollar mark. The stallion had 27 offspring competing in the Open and Non Pro Stakes, who earned over $444,000. Most notable were NRHA Million Dollar Owner and Eight Million Dollar Rider Andrea Fappani and Mic Dropp (out of Dun Dry Whiz). The pair topped the competition and won the 100X Level 4 Open Championship. Fappani and the Tim Anderson/Clark Reining Horses LLC-owned stallion added nearly $130,000 to Baby’s offspring earnings in 2023 after helping push the sire over the $5 million at the 2022 NRHA Futurity.

Spooks Gotta Whiz’s top-performing offspring include:

  • Alpha Jac Sparrow (out of Chexanicki), owned by Fritz Leeman and bred by Alpha Quarter Horses LLC, earning $237,664
  • Mic Dropp (out of Dun Dry Whiz), owned by Tim Anderson/Clark Reining Horses LLC and bred by Clark Reining Horses LLC, earning $215,927
  • Spooks Gotta Spark (out of Dolittle Lena), owned by Kevin Truax and bred by Bobby Lewis, earning $215,585
  • Spooky Whiz (out of Myo Starlight), owned by Bosque Ranch Performance Horses LLC and bred by Spence Bell, earning $186,043
  • Gotta Twist It Up (out of Make It With A Twist), owned and bred by Sandra Bentien, earning $183,837

After crossing his first million in 2018, Baby has flown through the milestones at a record pace. And while the Hall of Famer has already solidified his place in the NRHA history books, it seems inevitable that the stallion will continue reaching new milestones. Congratulations to NRHA’s newest Six Million Dollar Sire, Spooks Gotta Whiz, and owner Michell Anne Kimball.