The second section of the Open preliminary round of the 2023 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel took place Saturday, June 17. After 104 rides in the Jim Norick Coliseum, there was little change to the leaderboard.

The clean-slate Finals will be held on Saturday, June 24 at the OKC Fairgrounds. It will be an action-packed event with the largest check in Derby history- $100,000- being presented to the Open Champion.

The Open preliminary rounds will wrap up tomorrow, Sunday, June 18, with the final 99 draws. The current high scores in Levels 4-1 are:

Level 4 – Jason Vanlandingham & Best Shine – 227
(Shine Chic Shine x Best Stop) 
Owner: Robert Santagata, Breeder & Nominator: Wagman Ranch Inc

Level 3 – Dany Tremblay & All Guns On Crush – 223
(PS Mega Shine Chic x All Guns On Deck)
Owner: Fred Tremblay, Nominator: Adh-Mor Ranch

Level 2 – Gabriel Diano & Gunna Bet My Boon – 220
(Gunnatrashya x Flo N Blu Boon)
Owner: Cabana RT La Aurora, Breeder & Nominator: Alpha Quarter Horses, LLC

Level 1 – Sumer Opinker & Always A Magnum – 216
(Magnum Chic Dream x Always A Dunit)
Owner: Pamela Williams, Breeder: Petska Trinity Equine, LLC, Nominator: Jeffery Petska

Level 1 – Santiago Cilleruelo & Flinn Gunna Mark Ya – 216
(In Like Flinn x ARC Gunna Mark Ya)
Owner: Justice Performance Horses, Breeder: Jody Puno, Nominator: Neiberger Performance Horses

The preliminary rounds not only determine who returns to the Finals- they also decide the champions of the $110,000-added Tamarack Ranch Open 4-Year-Old Stakes and the $15,000-added Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby. The winners of these events, along with the Open Prime Time and the American Paint Horse Association’s Open Chrome Cash, will be announced at the conclusion of the preliminary rounds tomorrow. The current leaders for these divisions are:

Tamarack Ranch Open 4-Year-Old Open Stakes – Cade McCutcheon & Trashya Quik – 223
(Gunnatrashya x Nestle Quik Chic)
Owner: Vaughn Zimmerman, Breeder & Nominator: William Newman, Jr

Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby – Craig Schmersal & Rootin Tootin Nite – 221.5
(Gunners Special Nite x West Coast Bay)
Owner: Wendy Elkins, Nominator: Linda Campbell

Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby – Fernando Salgado & Swooon – 221.5
(Spooks Gotta Whiz x Sheza Smart Wimpy)
Owner: Coma Ranch, Breeder & Nominator: Loren Booth

Open Prime Time: Matthew McDowell & Xtra Voodoo Dr – 221 (includes handicap)
(Shiners Voodoo Dr x Wound Up Wimp)
Owner: Mona Bodaness, Breeder & Nominator: Silver Spurs Equine

Open Chrome Cash: Trevor Elliot Dare & Gangsta Sixtysix – 223.5
(Inferno Sixty Six x Rush N Cat)
Owner: Julio Mora Hernandez, Breeder: Lorenzo Lotti, Nominator: Slide or Die LLC

The top 30 (plus ties) in the Open Levels 4-1 will advance to the clean-slate finals on Saturday, June 24. The draw for the Finals will be decided at the Platinum Performance Open Draw Party on Friday, Saturday 23, at 10 a.m.

For complete results and a competition live stream, visit NRHADerby.com.

Photo of current leader Jason Vanlandingham and Best Shine by Waltenberry Photography.

With the second day of the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel in the books, the event is in full swing.

The Adequan® Arena had a full day, with 79 entries competing in the first slate of the ancillary Open, Intermediate Open, Limited Open, and Rookie Professional classes. When the day drew to a close, Justin Mathison, Dakota Guthridge, and Megan Overy were in the win photos.

Open & Int. Open (1) Champion – Gunny Mathison & Alpha Taris Chic

Justin “Gunny” Mathison and Alpha Taris Chic brought home the win in the first slate of both the ancillary Open and Intermediate Open with a score of 147. 

Alpha Taris Chic,​​ a 2018 gelding, is sired by Wimpy Chic and out of Taris Attraction. When asked about the gelding, Gunny laughed and said “He’s a horse I love. I love looking at him. He makes me smile just to see him, so I bring him with me to every horse show I go to… just to look at him.”

He’s more than just good looks, though. “His right turn was a one, his right circle was good, and his left circle was very good. He runs and stops real hard,” Gunne explained. “We were last in our drag, and the ground was all chewed up, but it didn’t matter to this animal.” 

Up next for the gelding is The Run For The Million with his owner Jordan Wright Du Plessis of South Africa.

Ltd. Open (1) Champion – Dakota Guthridge & Dun With Guns

Dakota Guthridge and Dun With Guns, a 2015 gelding owned by Shawn Stratman, won the first slate of the ancillary Limited Open with a score of 142.5.

Dun With Guns is by NRHA Five Million Dollar Sire Gunners Special Nite and out of Belle Starr Dun It, bred by Turnabout Farm Inc.

While Dun With Guns has won more than $79,000, this was only the second show for the pair. Guthridge noted he was pleased with Dun With Guns performance in the pen.

“He is just really great. He’s fun to show and he’s teaching me a lot, but he’s also just a lot of fun,” Guthridge said.

Guthridge thanked the McCutcheon family and Shawn Stratman for their continued support.

Rookie Pro. (1) Champion – Megan Overy & ARC Wimpysgottagun

Megan Overy and ARC Wimpysgottagun, a 2013 stallion owned by Janice Dickson, won the first slate of the Rookie Pro with a 144.

ARC Wimpysgottagun, known around the barn as “Lefty,” is by NRHA Nine Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya out of Hall of Famer Wimpys Little Chic. The stallion was bred by NRHA Two Million Dollar Owner Arcese Quarter Horses and has lifetime earnings over $28,000. While Lefty is no stranger to the show pen, today’s class was Megan’s first class at her first Derby.

When asked about Lefty, Megan beamed as she explained, “I love that horse… honestly, he’s a little bit quieter at home – he’s more relaxed and chill. At the shows, he gets a little more excited. He loves his job. As soon as he walks in the pen, he knows what his job is. And he wants to do it.”

She added, “It’s such an honor to be able to show him. Janice Dickson, who owns him, has just given me such an amazing opportunity to be able to show him. My coach, Matt Mills, has been a wonderful helper; he’s supported me the whole way. It’s just been a team effort.”

For complete results and a competition live stream, visit NRHADerby.com.

The 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel is in full swing at the OKC Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. While the aged-event rocks the Jim Norick Coliseum, NRHA-approved classes are held in the Adequan® Arena. The first of the ancillary champions were crowned Friday, setting the bar high for the days to come.

Non Pro & Prime Time Non Pro (1) Champion- Morris Kulmer & NVR What A Lucky Joe

Morris Kulmer and NVR What A Lucky Joe took the first slate of the ancillary Non Pro and Prime Time Non Pro with a score of 145.

NVR What a Lucky Joe, affectionately called Joey, is a 2014 gelding sired by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Lil Joe Cash and out of What A Lucky Hit. The gelding, bred by Gary Vickery, is the current highest-earning offspring of Lil Joe Cash, with over $158,000 dollars in lifetime earnings.

Kulmer wasn’t certain he was going to bring ‘Joey’ to the NRHA Derby but ended up bringing him on a whim after a missed run-off resulted in a lower placing at the National Reining Breeders Classic in April.

“I’ve got another horse here that I had hoped would outshine Joey, but I’m not so sure that’s going to happen. He’s setting the bar pretty high with this run,” says Kulmer.

Intermediate Non Pro (1) Champion- Kathleen Armenta & Off N Running

Kathleen Armenta and Off N Running started off the Derby on a strong note, winning the first slate of the ancillary Intermediate Non Pro.

“He’s probably the best horse I’ve ever had,” Armenta remarked. “He’s a great horse. He’s good enough to be in the open.”

The 2015 gelding, sired by NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Walla Walla Whiz and out of Spook Off Sparks, has earned over $69,000 to date. He was bred by Arcese Quarter Horses and is owned by Armenta Quarter Horses.

The pair also finished second in the Non Pro and the Prime Time Non Pro. “He was really good today. We were a 144.5. It held for a really long time until Morris came in and beat me by half a point. But that’s what happens, so I was really happy with him,” said Armenta.

Limited Non Pro (1) Champion- Adele Cunningham & KB Bucks N Guns

Adele Cunningham and KB Bucks N Guns, owned by Kaylene Cunningham and sired by NRHA 13 Million Dollar Sire Gunner and out of Smart Whizzin Jenny, started the week with a bang winning the NRHA Limited Non Pro class. The 2014 gelding was bred by Koen Brutsaert.

The Oklahoma heat and humidity can make a challenging week for horse and human alike, but Cunningham is focusing on lunging in the mornings and riding at night to keep KB Bucks N Guns legged up and ready for action.

“This run was amazing. He was just a little strong on the run downs, and I could’ve gone a little stronger on my run in, but overall just really good,” Cunningham shared with a smile.

This team won the class with a score of 142.5, with Cunningham giving a special thanks to the Tishman barn, her parents, and her sister for allowing her the opportunity to ride KB Bucks N Guns.

Classic Equine Green Reiner Level 1 & Level 2  (1) Champion- Caroline Nielson & Hot Hollywood Whizky

Caroline Nielson and Hot Hollywood Whizky, a 2012 gelding by NRHA 12 Million Dollar Sire Topsail Whiz out of Hot Hollywood Jewels, won the first slate of the Classic Equine Green Reiner Level 1 and Level 2 with a score of 139.5.

Hot Hollywood Whizky, known around the barn as “Money,” is shown through a partnership between Nielson and Kent Ray Taylor (KRT/MAN LLC). The talented reiner, bred by Turnabout Farm Inc., has earned more than $120,000 in his career.

“On a whim, we were like, let’s just do it. I’d never ridden a reiner before, but it seemed fun, so I figured I should just do it,” Nielson said, beaming.

Although Money has an extensive reining resume, this was only Nielsons third time to be in the pen with him. She took the time to thank her family for their unwavering support, Craig Schmersal, Mandy Faust, and most of all, Money.

For complete results and a competition live stream, visit NRHADerby.com.

The first section of the Open preliminary round of the 2023 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel took place today, with 101 of the 308 Open Derby entries vying for their spot in the finals.

The clean-slate Finals will be held on Saturday, June 24, in the Jim Norick Arena of the OKC Fairgrounds. This year’s Finals will be particularly exciting, as the Level 4 Open Champion will take home a check for $100,000- the largest payout in Derby history.

The Level 3 Open Champion will receive $35,000, the Level 2 $20,000, and the Level 1 $10,000.

The Open preliminary rounds will run through Sunday, June 18, with more than 100 entries each day. The current high scores across the divisions of the Open preliminaries are:

Level 4 – Jason Vanlandingham & Best Shine – 227
(Shine Chic Shine x Best Stop)
Owner: Robert Santagata, Breeder & Nominator: Wagman Ranch Inc

Level 3 – Dany Tremblay & All Guns On Crush – 223
(PS Mega Shine Chic x All Guns On Deck)
Owner: Fred Tremblay, Nominator: Adh-Mor Ranch

Level 2 – Gabriel Diano & Gunna Bet My Boon – 220
(Gunnatrashya x Flo N Blu Boon)
Owner: Cabana RT La Aurora, Breeder & Nominator: Alpha Quarter Horses, LLC

Level 1 – Sumer Opinker & Always A Magnum – 216
(Magnum Chic Dream x Always A Dunit)
Owner: Pamela Williams, Breeder: Petska Trinity Equine, LLC, Nominator: Jeffery Petska

The preliminary rounds not only determine who returns to the Jim Norick for the Finals- they also decide the champions of the $110,000-added Tamarack Ranch Open 4-Year-Old Stakes and the $15,000-added Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby. The winners of these events, along with the Open Prime Time and the American Paint Horse Association’s Open Chrome Cash, will be announced at the conclusion of the preliminary rounds on Sunday. The current leaders for these events are:

Tamarack Ranch Open 4-Year-Old Open Stakes – Cade McCutcheon & Trashya Quik – 223
(Gunnatrashya x Nestle Quik Chic)
Owner: Vaughn Zimmerman, Breeder & Nominator: William Newman, Jr

Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby – Gennaro Lendi & Stepin Out Gunnin – 221
(Gunnatrashya x Barbies Stepin Out)
Owner: Marc & Kathy Gordon, Breeder & Nominator: Marc Gordon

Open Prime Time: Matthew McDowell & Xtra Voodoo Dr – 221 (includes handicap)
(Shiners Voodoo Dr x Wound Up Wimp)
Owner: Mona Bodaness, Breeder & Nominator: Silver Spurs Equine

Open Chrome Cash: Trevor Elliot Dare & Gangsta Sixtysix – 223.5
(Inferno Sixty Six x Rush N Cat)
Owner: Julio Mora Hernandez, Breeder: Lorenzo Lotti, Nominator: Slide or Die LLC

The top 30 (plus ties) in the Open Levels 4-1 will advance to the clean-slate finals on Saturday, June 24. The draw for the Finals will be decided at the Platinum Performance Open Draw Party on Friday, Saturday 23, at 10 a.m.

For complete results and a competition live stream, visit NRHADerby.com.

Photo by Chelsea Schneider Media.