With an exciting backdrop of the Non Pro Finals of the 6666 National Reining Horse Association presented by Markel, the Novice Horse Open competitors took over the Adequan® Arena on Friday, June 24. Four champions were crowned across three classes, with High Point awards given in all three levels. There were familiar faces, newer names, and impressive displays of athleticism by the equine athletes.

Novice Horse Open Level 3 (2) Champion and High Point – Genuinely Jo & Jack Daniels

The week hasn’t gone to plan for Jack Daniels, but that didn’t keep him from climbing aboard Genuinely Jo and bringing home the Novice Horse Open Level 3 (2) Championship and the Montana Silversmith’s High Point buckle.

Scoring a 143.5, Daniels and the accomplished show mare earned $602.

“I think my wife felt a little sorry for me this week. I’ve had a bit of a rough week and she was just good for me in there,” Daniels said. “Today I was thinking ‘Don’t screw up.’”

The six-year-old was started and trained by wife Kaci O’Rourke and Daniels – who has previously focused on riding two-year-olds.

“I’m a little green in [the show pen] because I’ve rode two-year-olds and that’s kind of been my thing. To go through the pattern on a horse of that caliber is very nice,” Daniels said. “I want to thank my family. They got me over here first from Australia, and my wife is my rock. She’s my everything. I also thank my assistant.”

Novice Horse Open L1 (2) & Level 2 High Point – Jared Leclair

Friday afternoon in the Adequan® Arena at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel, Jared Leclair won big, taking first place in the Novice Horse Open L1 (2) on one horse and the High Point Montana Silversmith’s championship buckle in the Level 2.

Leclair won the Level one with a 143.5 on Alpha Coronalastchic, a four-year-old gelding, owned by Kathleen Roach. Alpha Coronalastic is by Wimpy Chic and out of One Last Corona.

“He’ll make Kathleen a really nice show horse,” Leclair said. “I let the horses tell me how much to push them, and he stepped up to the occasion.”

Leclair took the High Point honors with Gunningthebay, by NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Gunners Special Nite out of Dun It In The Bay, owned by his wife Karla.

Leclair’s program has been successful with this mindset, and showing different horses throughout the week has helped him stay in a competitive frame of mind.

“I adjust how I show depending on the horse I’m riding,” he said. “It’s just in the moment, and I’ll change my thought process while I’m in the pen. I trust my program and my horses that they’re going to take care of me.”

He will show again Saturday in the Open Derby Finals. Leclair thanked his wife and also NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider Tim McQuay for all of their help during the week.

Novice Horse Open Level 1 High Point – Spooks Golden Tune & Shauna Larcombe

The High Point Montana Silversmiths buckle in the Novice Horse Open Level 1 was awarded to Shauna Larcombe and Spooks Golden Tune Friday afternoon. Spooks Golden Tune is by NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz out of HA Lenas Tune, and Larcombe was very happy with the four-year-old mare’s consistency.

“I kind of wanted to take it easy on her because it is so hot,” Larcombe said. “She’s done a good job, especially after being up here for 10 days.”

The pair scored a 142 and a 142.5 to win the high point, and Larcombe was careful not to overdo training or warming up as they prepared for their runs. After the Derby, they will head home to take a couple of weeks off before preparing for some schooling shows and then possibly the Tulsa Reining Classic. Larcombe thanked her owners, Angelina and Sandra Widmoser.

“I’m really happy to give them something back in their investment and keep them excited about the game,” Larcombe said.

Novice Horse Open Level 2 (2) Champion – Zapp & Ryan Rushing

An electrifying run of 144.5 netted Zapp and Ryan Rushing the Novice Horse Open Level 2 (2) Championship, earning $751.

“We turned and circled really good in the Derby – but I didn’t get him stopped how I wanted to. I just wanted to take him in the pen again, warm him up and see if I can improve while we were here. We had a nice run, and he’s a great show horse,” Rushing said.

Zapp (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Clearin The Smoke) is owned by Goose Creek LLC and was bred by Diane Beckmann.

“He has a fantastic personality [and] he can turn like a rocket,” Rushing said. “It’s just been a process of me getting with him.”

Next for Rushing and “Duke” is Las Vegas, where Rushing plans to show the stallion in The Run For A Million $100,000 Shootout.

“I think he’s enough horse to do it,” Rushing said. “His owner Robert Peterson is just a fantastic owner to have. He has great horses and gives me a lot of opportunities so I’m really thankful.” 

Another action-packed day of competition drew to a close at the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel, where the freestyle reining brought energy to the Colesium and several ancillary champions were crowned in the Adequan® Arena.

With the Non Pro Derby Finals taking place tomorrow, and the Adequan® Arena packed with novice horses and rookies, several champions are yet to be decided at the Derby.

Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1, 2, & 3 Highpoint – Melissa Wigen & Starlight Escalade

Melissa Wigan and Starlight Escalade are bringing home a truckload of hardware from the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel. In total, Wigan won the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 Highpoint, Level 2 (2) Co-Championship and Highpoint, and Level 3 Highpoint, pocketing $2,700 and winning three Montana Silversmiths buckles.

“Today he did really well. I had a bobble in a turn, and it cost me, but other than that he was right there with me,” Wigen said.

With a score of 144, Wigen topped off a week full of emotion and triumph with Starlight Escalade (Starlights Wrangler x Escalante Chic).

“I feel like his stops were better than our last go,” Wigen said. “I was a little tense [last time].”

Surrounded by her team, Wigen teared up as she thanked husband Travis and Sebastian Petroll for helping her find Starlight Escalade.

Novice Horse Non Pro Level 3 (2) Champion – Kristi Peplowski & Whizzin At Starbucks

Kristi Peplowski rode Whizzin At Starbucks for owners Oak Mill Ranch LLC to win the second slate of the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 3. The four-year-old stallion, by NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz out of Starbucks Deja Vu, scored a 144.5.

“He was really good,” Peplowski said. “He turned better than he did in the Derby, and that was our goal for today.”

Peplowski and Whizzin At Starbucks have continued to improve throughout showing at the Congress and the Futurity.

“I thank my husband for sure, who is a huge help to me, and our trainer, Brandon Brant, who has put all the foundation on this horse,” Peplowski said.

Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 (2) Co-Champion – Alicia Rapp & Spooks Gotta Glo

Alicia Rapp and Spooks Gotta Glo earned the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 (2) Co-Championship with a score of 144 in the Adequan® Arena on Thursday, June 23. With the win, Rapp took home $1,353.

“My run was pretty good. He circled really, really good and I got stopped pretty big all three times. That was my goal today – get stopped,” Rapp said.

Spooks Gotta Glo (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Look At Her Glo), or “Ringo,” is a five-year-old gelding owned by Rapp. He was bred by Bobby Lewis.

“He wants to be in your pocket and your best friend. He’s really such a ham,” Rapp said. “I got him last year in August so I feel like we’re finally getting to know each other.”

According to Rapp, Ringo’s biggest area of improvement has been his stops, and he’s advanced quickly since arriving at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel.

“Thank you to Giada Camparsi. She has helped me the last few shows stepping in for our trainer from Tampa who has been unable to come to the last few shows. She’s done a great job,” Rapp said.

The Jim Norick Arena at Oklahoma State Fair Park was rocking on Thursday, June 23, when the Invitational Freestyle presented by the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau started rolling. For the first time in years, the Freestyle was held during the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel, as it’s usually held during the association’s Futurity in the winter.

NRHA Executive Committee member and Freestyle contestant Shane Brown said he was thrilled to have the competition during the Derby. “I am glad it’s back here because this is where it originated,” he shared. “I appreciate the OKCVB for putting the money up for this event. I think the more we can promote the class, the better. We want people who aren’t horse people to come watch this – the ones who have never ridden a horse – because if they see it they will be entertained and might want to know more about reining.”

Entertainment was abundant, and the genre of music ranged from Amazing Grace to Fat Bottomed Girls. Most importantly, though, was the quality of maneuvers during the competition.

In the end, it was Hava Vital and her horse Gunna Chic This (Magnum Chic Dream x Gunna Joy) who topped the class with a 225.5, winning an incredible $6,523 with their routine to the “Moulin Rouge” hit song “Lady Marmalade.”

“This whole routine was very spontaneous. I didn’t really plan anything besides the first part of it – I just went with it and the music,” Vital shared. “I asked a lot of questions beforehand, especially from Shane Brown about what I could and couldn’t do. It was just really fun.”

So how did Vital decide on the upbeat routine? “I had done one other freestyle to it before I came to the United States, and I wanted to do it again. When we got here, I Googled rental costumes in Oklahoma City, and one came up that was a little suspicious, but I walked in and saw the costume and knew it was it,” she said.

Vital added that the $20,000 in added money was a motivator to enter, and the payout was appreciated. “I think this is great. It will go to this mare’s lifetime earnings, and I’m getting babies from her. Plus, I have bills to pay, so this will help,” she said.

Taking second in the Freestyle with a score of 223.5 was Abby Budd and her horse Cromed Up (Cromed Out Mercedes x Rest Up). The pair’s bridleless routine to “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” was rewarded with a check for $5,180.

Rounding out the top three was Brown and Susan Harding’s horse Xtra Chex Step (Wimpys Little Step x RM Chexicallie Rose), who performed to the Jamey Johnson hit “In Color.” Their score of 223 was paid off to the tune of $3,837.

Other contestants included Abigayle Mixon, NRHA Hall of Famer Doug Milholland, Amber Morgan, Becca Schaffhauser, Troy Heikes, Ari Micho, and Randall Dooley.

It was all about open riders at the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel on Wednesday, June 22. Between the last section of Open Derby Preliminaries and Novice Horse Open-action in the Adequan® Arena, there was plenty of good watching to be had.

Level 4 Open Finalist Jared Leclair took two levels of the Novice Horse Open, while Shauna Larcombe nabbed one.

Stay tuned as the expectation builds for the Open and Non Pro Derby Finals to be held later this week in Oklahoma City.

Novice Horse Open Level 2 & 3 (1) Champion – Gunningthebay & Jared Leclair

Jared Leclair took over the reins for wife Karla on Gunningthebay, winning the first slate of the Novice Horse Levels 2 and 3 Wednesday afternoon, June 22, in the Adequan® Arena. With a score of 146, Leclair added $2,251 to the mare’s lifetime earnings. Gunningthebay (Gunners Special Nite x Dun It In The Bay) was bred by Cardinal Hill Training Canter LLC.

“My wife showed her some this year in [derbies]. It’s the first aged-event horse she’s shown,” Leclair said. “With all the breeding [at home] this year, my wife really hasn’t had time to ride her, so I decided to show her here instead and get more money on her.”

Leclair’s plan went off without a hitch and he praised the six-year-old for her skills – once they got through the gate.

“I hadn’t been in this pen at all, so I go to run her in normally and she wouldn’t. She did not want to go through the gate. So I had to stop, regroup, walk through the gate and lope her off. Her first stop was really big,” Leclair said.

The rest of the run went well, earning them the title and a bit of redemption.

“I showed her in the Derby the other day, but I didn’t show her well enough. It was kind of my fault. [After this] My wife is going to show her and just enjoy her. She’s a sweet mare – fun to ride. It will be hard for me to give her back to her,” Leclair said.

Leclair thanked his wife for letting him borrow Gunningthebay, and his entire team for their hard work and continued support.

“You’re only as good as your weakest link and I don’t think I have one right now,” Leclair said.

Novice Horse Level 1 (1) Open Champion – Spooks Golden Tune & Shauna Larcombe

The Novice Horse Level 1 Open (1) Championship went to Spooks Golden Tune and Shauna Larcombe, who marked 143.5 and earned $697.

“She’s really easygoing. She’s a sweet mare, never any trouble, always nice-minded,” Larcombe said. “I showed her in the Derby [preliminaries], but we had a couple little things go wrong so I thought ‘We’re already up here, let’s enter something else.’”

The four-year-old mare was bred by Gary Putman. Larcombe and the mare finished as Reserve Champions in the Level 2 and 3 as well, bringing their grand total to $1,957.

“This pattern today was really good for her,” Larcombe said. “I just went in there and tried to make a run.”

Next year Spook Golden Tune (Spooks Gotta Whiz x HA Lenas Tune) will be competing with owner Angelina Widmoser at the helm.

“I want to thank the owners for the opportunity to train her and show her,” Larcombe said.

The Open preliminary round of the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel came to a close Wednesday, June 22. While the finalists are celebrating the chance to compete for big money on Saturday, a few are already counting their money from titles awarded during the preliminary round.

Shawn Flarida won the Tamarack Ranch Open 4-Year-Old Stakes, while Brandon Brant took top honors in the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby. Both men also earned a spot in Saturday’s Finals, where the Level 4 Open Champion will be presented a check for $75,000!

$40,000 Tamarack Ranch Open 4-Year-Old Stakes – Alpha Jac Sparrow & Shawn Flarida

Shawn Flarida and Alpha Jac Sparrow (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Chexanicki) carved themselves a piece of the Tamarack Ranch Open Four-Year-Old Stakes pie Wednesday afternoon, June 22, with a score of 221.5.

The son of NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz and the Six Million Dollar Rider topped the field of four-year-olds, punching their ticket to the Level 4 Open Derby Finals, too. The title was worth $14,679.

“It’s a nice pattern for this horse to come in. He’s such a good turner so it puts you in a good position,” Flarida said. “He turned plus-one to the left and a plus-one to the right. So then as a competitor, I knew that I was in decent shape.”

The team is quite familiar with each other – advancing to the NRHA Futurity Finals last year. Alpha Jac Sparrow is owned by Fritz Leeman and was bred and nominated by Alpha Quarter Horses LLC.

“He’s been a good horse all along. I missed the finals on him by half a point at the NRBC, but he’s just been a really, really nice horse. I rode his father, Spooks Gotta Whiz, and it’s a great family,” Flarida said.

According to Flarida, some of the attributes Alpha Jack Sparrow shares with his sire are his movement and easygoing demeanor.

“With that [good] movement, it allows them to change leads, it allows them to lope circles and it allows them to run and stop,” Flarida said.

Flarida expressed his gratitude towards Tamarack Ranch for the sponsorship of the division.

“Thank you so much,” Flarida said. “And we hope you continue to do it. We appreciate it as competitors.”

Other people on the list to thank included Flarida’s family, help and owners.

$15,000 Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby – Dainty Little Spook & Brandon Brant

Dainty Little Spook and Brandon Brant were the big winners of the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby Wednesday, June 22, as the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel marches through its final week.

Marking a 220.5, Dainty Little Spook (Smart Spook x Dainty Little Step) earned $7,028 for owner Sydney Friedman.

“This is the third time I’ve shown her, and she’s getting better every time,” Brant said. “She’s pretty lazy [and] she’s got a lot of feel. It’s been hot out, and the thing with her is just not overdoing it. The big thing has been getting her to run all the way down the pen.”

Dainty Little Spook, known as “Boo,” was bred and nominated by Brooke Wharton. With the score of 220.5, Brant and Boo are Open Derby Finals-bound in Level 4.

“She’s pretty easy. You go through the center on her and she’s slowing down, she wants to rest,” Brant said. “I think there is more in there, I can’t wait for the finals.”

NRHA President Rick Clark sponsored the division, making way for the Novice Open horses.

“I say thank you to Rick Clark and Clark’s Pump-N-Shop for this great class. I think we need this. I [also] thank my whole team. My wife, my assistants and all my customers – Sydney and Logan in this instance especially – I’m blessed. I have a great group of customers, employees and [family],” Brant concluded.