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NRHA Celebrates Official Alliance with the National Reined Cow Horse Association

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) welcomes the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) as an official alliance partner of the NRHA. Through this partnership, the NRCHA and NRHA will work together to offer promotional and educational opportunities to their members. In addition, NRHA will donate the coveted Lawson trophy for the high score in the reining at the annual NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity®.

“NRHA is proud to have an official alliance agreement with the NRCHA,” says NRHA Senior Director of Corporate Relations Christy Landwehr. “Western performance sports are growing at a terrific rate, and it is so important that NRHA and NRCHA can work together for our members and their horses.”

The NRHA is excited about the possibilities for continued alliance opportunities with the National Reined Cow Horse Association during the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel and NRHA Futurity as well as the NRCHA’s Celebration of Champions, World’s Great Horseman and the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® presented by Metallic Cat.

“We are already seeing a crossover between the two associations in our competitors and members alike,” said Emily Konkel, NRCHA manager of operations. “The NRCHA is excited to see how this partnership will continue to help foster that crossover and grow both associations.”

To learn more about the NRCHA and become a fan of the industry, visit nrcha.com.

About the National Reined Cow Horse Association

Based in Pilot Point, Texas, the National Reined Cow Horse Association was formed in 1949 in California, with the goal of preserving and educating the public about the rich history of this traditional horsemanship. The NRCHA is responsible for promoting the sport and ensuring high standards of competition and continuing to work to keep the Vaquero tradition alive in today’s equine industry. The NRCHA also supports numerous affiliate clubs across the United States, Europe and abroad. These groups serve as the association’s backbone, holding many NRCHA-sanctioned competitions and events each year. For more information on these events and reined cow horse, visit nrcha.com.

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NRHA Joins Horses in the Morning Podcast

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) announced its partnership with the Equine Network owned podcast Horses in the Morning. This podcast is a part of one of the longest-running independent podcasting networks (Horse Radio Network) in the world, and NRHA is enthusiastic to see what opportunities will be produced from the partnership.

The National Reining Horse Association show on Horses in the Morning will be released on the second Thursday of every month. Fans can listen on any podcast player while in their cars, riding, or even grooming their horses. The first show is set to premiere Thursday, April 13, 2023. Search Horses in the Morning on your podcast player.

The podcast will be co-hosted by NRHA Senior Director of Corporate Relations Christy Landwehr and NRHA Marketing Director Sara Honegger.

“I am thrilled to be a host again on Horses in the Morning in my new role at the National Reining Horse Association,” shares Landwehr. “Our NRHA Marketing Director, Sara Honegger, and I are thrilled to bring you the expertise of our amazing riders, trainers, owners, breeders, and partners who will share our sport and the wonderful horses they work with every day with you!”

The daily show includes entertaining conversation, fun and educational guests, contests, giveaways, and more.

“We are so excited to have the NRHA as part of Horses in the Morning,” said Director of Podcasting Horse Radio Network Glenn Hebert. “Reining is not an area we have covered much on the show, and we are all looking forward to learning more about this amazing sport.”

To learn more about the “Horses In The Morning” podcast, visit horseradionetwork.com/shows/horses-in-the-morning.

Equine Network’s membership services are designed to entertain, support, and inform the equine community. They include unique tech-enabled services for horse owners, live equestrian events, innovative content, and engaging digital experiences. For more information, visit equinenetwork.com.

About Horses in the Morning:

Horses in the Morning is the leading daily morning podcast for the horse world, with listeners in over 90 countries. A light, lively, entertaining look at the horse world and the people in it. The show includes entertaining conversation, out-of-the-ordinary guests, numerous regular horse-related segments, training tips, health segments, contests, giveaways, and so much more.

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RHF Announces Expansion of Crisis Fund and Scholarship Programs

During the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Winter Meeting, the Reining Horse Foundation (RHF) Board of Directors met and approved significant expansion to two of its flagship programs: the Dale Wilkinson Memorial Crisis Fund and the RHF Scholarship program. Increased donor support in recent years has made it feasible for more dollars to be returned to the reining community, which is the heart of the RHF mission. In November 2022, the Board announced up to $250,000 in additional funding support for core programs with proposals to be brought forward from RHF standing committees. These program increases are the result. Additional plans are still being developed.

The Crisis Fund is designed to financially assist reiners enduring major hardships such as illness, injury, and disasters. At the recommendation of the Crisis Fund Review Committee, the Board approved new levels of financial support for Crisis Fund grants, which are available to NRHA members with at least 24 consecutive months of membership prior to applying.

Medical and injury accident applications will be considered for up to $7,500 in grant support, which is more than double the previous maximum of $3,600. Disaster applications will now be considered for up to $12,500 in aid, which also is more than double the former maximum of $6,000. The Board continues to reserve a special support category for the most extreme cases of hardship and can add additional funding to those most serious cases.

The Crisis Fund has awarded more than $275,000 in Crisis Fund grants since the inception of the program in 2002, standing in the gap for reining families around the world. On average, 75 percent of the grants go to NRHA Professionals, who, as self-employed workers, can face loss of income during a severe crisis. Beginning in 2020, NRHA Professionals began voluntarily providing Crisis Fund contributions when purchasing or renewing their NRHA memberships.

RHF funding comes from a broad cross-section of the equine community, including individuals, businesses, and foundations. NRHA affiliates, shows, and reiners of all ages hold creative and successful fundraisers to boost RHF programs in the areas of greatest need.

“This is a major increase to RHF programs thanks to the long-held dreams and work of this organization and its committed donors,” said RHF President Tim Anderson. “I am personally passionate about the Dale Wilkinson Memorial Crisis Fund and how it changes lives for people going through some of the worst times imaginable. I also believe that youth hold the keys to the future of reining. I am extremely proud of RHF for being able to positively impact more lives worldwide.”

RHF Scholarships are offered to high school seniors who demonstrate financial need, academic achievement, and involvement. A  major expansion doubled the funding amounts in 2022; this increase will immediately raise the lower-level award amounts.

“I’ve been involved with RHF Scholarships since their inception,” said NRHA vice president and longtime RHF Board member Mike Hancock. “Being able to offer more and larger scholarships is very special. We know that education is important to the success of our young reiners in adulthood. These scholarships make the path easier for deserving young people.”

In 2023, 10 scholarships are available, including five $5,000 and three $2,500 awards. At the recommendation of the RHF Scholarship Committee, three previous $1,500 awards are increasing to $2,000 each, and the previous $1,000 John McQuay Memorial Scholarship will increase to $1,500.

In addition, a new set of scholarships will become available in 2024 for NRHyA members who are pursuing post-high school education. They include five $1,500 scholarships. The application criteria and timeline for those will be established and announced later.

Bridger Saxton, Ariel Wieferich, and Kalena Reynolds were among a group of 10 Reining Horse Foundation Scholarship recipients in 2022. Increased fundraising support is leading to an expansion of the program beginning in 2023

For more information or to donate, visit reiningfoundation.com.

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2023 Affiliate Regional Championship and NAAC Qualification

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Board of Directors met during the 2023 Winter Meeting and voted on the qualification process for Affiliate Regional Championships (ARC) and the Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC).

To qualify for a 2023 Affiliate Regional Championship, a rider must be an NRHA member and a member of an NRHA affiliate. Riders may join an affiliate at any point and are encouraged to show within it throughout the year to build their reining community and compete for awards. As in 2021, riders will be allowed to participate in multiple ARCs with one exception; if they win a class, they cannot compete on the same horse in the same class at another ARC.

Any exhibitor who receives a score higher than a zero at an ARC will be able to enter that class, on that specific horse, at the NAAC in Oklahoma City. Riders are encouraged to confirm that the classes they enter at an ARC are qualifying classes and not the ancillary slate.

This qualification format follows the same process as the past two years and was recommended by the Affiliate Committee before it was approved by the NRHA Board following the past two years’ success. The number of competitors at ARCs and the NAAC have grown across the board, which is positive for affiliates hosting shows, the grassroots level of reining, and the overall industry.

During the 2022 NAAC, more than $99,000 was awarded, with the Adequan® arena hosting more than 800 NAAC entries. The Board and Affiliate Committee look forward to seeing this growth expanded in 2023.

To find an affiliate near you, visit nrha.com/affiliate. To check if you are a member of a specific affiliate, please contact them directly.

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Updates from the 2023 NRHA Winter Meeting

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) held its annual Winter Meeting February 5–7 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in downtown Fort Worth, Texas. The venue was the meeting place for NRHA Board, staff, committee members, and the membership to meet and to review and guide the association’s direction going forward.

During the three days of meetings, the board, executive committee, the Reining Horse Foundation Board of Directors, and several advisory committees convened. The Annual General Membership Meeting was also held Tuesday morning and gave members the opportunity to receive an update from NRHA Leadership and ask questions.

“It was an outstanding meeting, with the committee and board members working together wonderfully to begin the year,” said NRHA President Mark Blake. “The judges committee especially did an outstanding job with the review session, and overall, I am very happy with how the 2023 NRHA Winter Meeting went.”

Blake also highlighted the success NRHA saw in 2022, including a 14% increase in approved events worldwide with a record-setting 125,000 total entries. Additionally, the nomination program saw its highest numbers since its inception, topping 3,000 North American weanling nominations for the first time. NRHA membership remains stable, with non professionals boasting its highest membership rates since 2015. Read more on the 2022 Statistics Overview posted on the “About” page at nrha.com. Blake also announced that a membership survey would be distributed to members and reviewed by the board during the future Strategic Planning Session.

NRHA Chief Financial Officer John Foy also gave an extremely positive, in-depth financial overview of the association, which included an explanation of the new 4-year-old nomination component that will begin with 2023 foals, NRHA Futurity purse milestones, and an update on the annual audit that will be posted online for members in the next few weeks. You can read more about the program here. He also addressed the association will continue to invest in high-performing assets and has the liquidity to navigate even during economic downturn.

Gary Carpenter, NRHA Commissioner, also announced his planned retirement after leading NRHA since 2014. During Carpenter’s time with NRHA, the association has seen massive expansion, boasting the lowest turnover rates and a well-tenured staff speaking to his incredible leadership. An official search committee has been formed, and you can read more about his retirement here.

Following the annual general membership meeting, The Judges Committee also held a review of the top 2022 NRHA Futurity runs with an open dialogue regarding scoring while watching videos of selected runs. Patti Carter, Senior Director of Education & Officials, and the judges committee teaching panel talked through the evaluation of the runs, answered questions, and provided clarity on current judging standards.

The following items were also discussed:

2023 Affiliate Regional Championship and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Conditions

The Board moved to approve keeping the Affiliate Regional Championship (ARC) and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC) qualification the same as the previous year. To compete at an ARC, a rider must be an NRHA member and a member of an NRHA affiliate. Any exhibitor who receives a score higher than a zero at an ARC will be able to enter that class, on that specific horse, at the Adequan® NAAC in Oklahoma City.

2024 NRHA Elections

Submissions for 2024 NRHA Regional Director and NRHA Director-at-Large elections are due in office on June 1. For more information, including open seats and qualifications for running, visit nhra.com/elections.

Rule Change Proposals

The 2023 Rule Change Proposals were reviewed by the Board for the first time. The Board will review them again prior to voting, and they will be sent to committees and will soon be available online to the NRHA membership for feedback.

Recommended Judges Fee Increase

The Board approved a recommendation from the Judges Committee to recommend that all “AA” events pay their judges a minimum of $750 per day along with reasonable travel expenses. For all other events, the committee recommended judge fees be increased to a minimum of $600/day, plus reasonable travel expenses. The committee also recommended judges be compensated 10% of their day fee for every hour over 10 hours spent judging (not including breaks).

NRHA Owned Event Schedules Approved

The 2023 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel and the 2023 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship schedules were approved by the NRHA Board of Directors. The Derby schedule is available on nrhaderby.com, and the Futurity schedule will be available soon on nrhafuturity.com. A change to note was the approval to switch the Open and Non Pro go-round order at the NRHA Derby to be more accommodating to non pros who make the finals.

Reining Horse Foundation Board Meeting

The Reining Horse Foundation (RHF) Board of Directors approved significant expansion to two of its flagship programs: the Dale Wilkinson Memorial Crisis Fund and the RHF Scholarship program. Increased donor support in recent years has made it feasible for more dollars to be returned to the reining community, which is the heart of the RHF mission. In November 2022, the board designated up to $250,000 in additional funding support for core programs, with proposals to be brought forward from RHF standing committees. These program expansions are the result. The Crisis Fund grant maximums are being increased substantially, more than double previous funding thresholds. Four RHF Scholarships amounts are being increased immediately, and five new scholarships will be added in 2024.