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. 

The Open preliminary round of the 2022 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel is in the books. This year’s Derby was another record-breaker, with the total Open purse topping $791,869, besting the prior record by more than $21,000!

The large field of competitors was narrowed down to the top 30 (plus ties) in the Open Levels 4, 3, 2, and 1. Those entries advanced to the clean-slate finals, which will be held Saturday, June 26. The Open preliminaries also decided the champions of the Open Prime Time, the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby, and the Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes.

Unofficially the bubble for advancing to the finals were:

Level 4 – 218

Level 3 – 217

Level 2 – 214

Level 1 – 209

Winning each division of the Open preliminaries were:

Level 4 – Casey Deary & Americasnexttopgun (Walla Walla Whiz x Americasnextgunmodel) – 223.5

Level 3 – Fernando Salgado & Pale Dun Star (Pale Face Dunnit x Get Ya Some Stars) – 223

Level 2 – Jared Leclair & Maken Diamonds (Whizkey N Diamonds x Makeit In Tinseltown) – 221

Level 1– Melanie Petroll & Dirty Diamonds (Whizkey N Diamonds x Wimpys Cat Step) – 218

Open Prime Time – Shawn Flarida & Trash Your Gal (Gunnatrashya x Ima Sailors Gal) – 222.5

Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby – Brandon Brant & Dainty Little Spook (Smart Spook x Dainty Little Step) – 220.5

Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes – Shawn Flarida & Alpha Jac Sparrow (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Chexanicki) – 221.5

The draw for the Open finals will be Thursday, June 23, at 10 a.m. in the Platinum Zone of the Coliseum Arena concourse.

Complete results, draws, news and more can be found at NRHADerby.com.

The horse show action continued in the Adequan® Arena at the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel. There were 103 entries in the Novice Horse Non Pro classes, spread across three levels. In the end, Melissa Wigen, Veronica Williams, and Gavin Warren tied for the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 title, with Wigen taking sole possession of the top spot in Levels 2 and 3.

Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 Co-Champion & Level 2 & 3 (1) Champion – Melissa Wigen & Starlight Escalade

Melissa Wigen battled through the hardship of losing her competition horse and finding another one to compete on and rise above at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel. On Tuesday, June 21, Wigen won the co-championship of the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 (1) and won the championship of Levels 2 and 3.

“It was really tough [when] I lost my last horse. [Starlight Escalade] has been really special to me and we’ve worked very hard. I feel like he’s a blessing to me. Win or lose, he is a gift from God,” Wigen said.

Despite Starlight Escalade’s (Starlights Wrangler x Escalanta Chic) initial fear of the Adequan® Arena, the pair came together to mark a 143.

“He was [initially] really scared of the arena and I flew my husband here to help me get through it. I was able to call on him in his circles, which I hadn’t been able to do this week because he’s been spooky. His stops were O.K. for us, and I’m not going to tell you it’s all horse,” Wigen said with some humor.

On Wigen’s list of people to thank were her husband, Travis Wigen, Yonathan Baruch and the barn community, plus her own family.

“It’s not easy to have kids at teenage age, try to [compete] and do well, and have a job,” Wigen said.

Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 (1) Co-Champion – Veronica Williams & Shiners Nu Chic

Veronica Williams got some redemption Tuesday, June 21, in the Adequan® Arena. After a disappointing Non Pro Derby run, Williams and Shiners Nu Chic (Smart Chic Olena x Shiners Lil Annie) tied for the win in the first slate of the Novice Horse Level 1.

“I just got her, and this is our first big outing together. I showed her in the Non Pro Derby and we had some bobbles, which was really disappointing. I decided I was going to come back over here and do this, and it worked out,” Williams said. “We’ve been getting to know each other, and getting in sync with each other.”

According to Williams, their 143 together was obtained with some motivated riding.

“I was mad, so I rode a little stronger. She’s a really lazy mare and can use a lot of leg,” Williams said.

She thanked her husband and his barn of clients for their continued support and cheers in the pen.

Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 (1) Co-Champion – Gavin Warren & Lil Ruf Maggie

Gavin Warren was among the three that tied for the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 (1) Championship, scoring a 143. He did so on Lil Ruf Maggie (Magnum Chic Dream x Lil Ruf Jessie), a mare he is newly acquainted with.

“This is my show with her – I just started with her. I showed her full sister last year so it’s fun to be able to keep riding the same bloodline and see what I can do with them,” Warren said. “Their minds are very, very similar, and they want to perform to the best of their ability and do their job.”

Warren’s Non Pro Derby run didn’t go to plan earlier in the week, so he entered the Novice Horse class to gain more show experience.

“I want to thank my dad and my trainer, Devin Warren, and my mom for taking care of things back home. Everyone in my barn [too], for their kind words and [tips],” Warren said.

Intermediate Open High Point Champion – Patrona Whiz & Arnaud Ferret

Seasoned showman Arnaud Ferret and Patrona Whiz earned the Intermediate Open High Point Championship Monday, June 20, in the Adequan® Arena.

With the two Intermediate Open runs, Patrona Whiz (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Smokin Jeanie Jag) added $1,100 to her lifetime earnings. The five-year-old mare is bred and owned by Diane Beckmann.

“She’s very nice, very talented, [but] she’s a little green in the show pen. We try to put her in there as much as we can and get her some show experience. Make sure she gets show broke,” Ferret said.

According to Ferret, Patrona Whiz’s strengths are her circles and stops.

“[Monday] She ran in pretty good… and then she circled really, really good. She had a bobble on the second lead change, but she was awesome the rest of the way,” Ferret said.

Next up for Patrona Whiz are more trips into the show pen with Ferret at the reins.

“We’re going to keep on going until she gets comfortable going in there. Trying to get her ready for the Derby next year,” Ferret said.

Limited Non Pro High Point – Kaylene Cunningham & KB Bucks N Guns

Kaylene Cunningham came to the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel with a goal – win the Limited Non Pro High Point Montana Silversmiths championship buckle.

She did just that on Monday, June 20, with eight-year-old KB Bucks N Guns (Gunner x Smart Whizzin Jenny), winning $180 across both days and adding to the gelding’s $4,500 in lifetime earnings.

“I’ve had him for almost a year. This is our seventh show and I think we just click,” Cunningham said. “The run was great. We were calm, he felt like he was there with me every step of the way. He didn’t do anything that I didn’t want him to do.”

KB Bucks N Guns may be a performer inside the pen, but he is a diverse eater in the barn. According to Cunningham, his favorite treat is ice cream and strangest nibble has been pizza.

“He likes to eat whenever I’m eating. So, if I’m having something he has to have it too, otherwise he throws a little bit of a temper tantrum,” Cunningham.

Next up for the pair is the American Paint Horse Association World Show.

“I want to thank my mom and my trainer Shane Brown,” Cunningham said.

The second day of the Open preliminaries of the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel is in the books. With only one day and 91 runs left to determine the finalists, every competitor entering the arena is looking for a solid run.

All tried and some came close, but no one was able to unseat NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider Casey Deary from the top of the leaderboard with Americasnexttopgun, owned by Puno Performance Horses LLC. Deary and the stallion, by NRHA Three Million Dollar Sire Walla Walla Whiz out of NRHA Futurity Champion Americasnextgunmodel, put together a 223.5-point run during the first section, and are all but guaranteed a spot in the Finals on Saturday, where the Level 4 Open Champion will win $75,000.

For the second year in a row, the Level 3 Open Champion will take home $35,000, the Level 2, $20,000, and the Level 1, $10,000.

The preliminary rounds are spread across three days and wrap up Wednesday afternoon. The current high scores across the divisions of the Open preliminaries are:

• Level 4 – Casey Deary & Americasnexttopgun (Walla Walla Whiz x Americasnextgunmodel) – 223.5
• Level 3 – Fernando Salgado & Pale Dun Star (Pale Face Dunnit x Get Ya Some Stars) – 222.5
• Level 2 – Jared Leclair & Makendiamonds (Whiskey N Diamonds x Makeit In Tinseltown) – 221
• Level 1 – Melanie Patroll & Dirty Diamonds (Whizkey N Diamonds x Wimpys Cat Step) – 218

Running concurrently with the Open preliminaries are the $40,000-added Tamarack Ranch Open 4-Year-Old Stakes and the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Open Novice Horse Derby. Currently leading the Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes and the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Novice Horse Open Derby, which, along with the Prime Time, will be awarded following the third section of the preliminary round on Wednesday, are:

• Tamarack Ranch Open Stakes – Shawn Flarida & Alpha Jac Sparrow (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Chexanicki) – 221.5
• Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Open Novice Horse Derby – Brandon Brant & Dainty Little Spook (Smart Spook x Dainty Little Step) – 220.5
• Open Prime Time – Duane Latimer & Hesa Rockin Whiz (Topsail Whiz x A Bueno Poco Dunit) – 222 (includes handicap)

The Open preliminaries run through Wednesday, June 22. The top 30 in the Open Levels 4-1 will advance to the clean-slate finals on Saturday. The draw for the finals will be decided during the Platinum Performance Open Draw Party on Friday at 10 a.m.

For complete results and other information, visit NRHADerby.com.

Jerseys Baby Driver, the flashy buckskin stallion with the monster stops, brought the roof down on the 2021 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel. With his trainer, 2020 NRHA Professional of the Year Trevor Dare, “Hercules” spun, circled, and of course, slid his way to a score of 226.5, winning the Open Level 4 title and check for $75,000.

Since then the stallion, by Yellow Jersey out of Wind Her Up Chic, has added even more to his impressive resume – most recently the Level 4 title at the National Reining Breeders Classic.

While Dare and Hercules aren’t competing in this year’s Derby, the stallion is already on the grounds and will be making an appearance during the Hercules Reception on Thursday, June 23.

The Reception, which will be held in the Super Barn Warmup Arena, is slated to begin at 4 p.m. The stallion will be available to meet fans and even pose for pictures!

“We are excited that owner Janice Laney has chosen to bring her great stallion Hercules to the Derby for this reception. He is known for his great demeanor and love of kids, so this is a great opportunity for kids – both in reining and from the local area – to learn about horses and meet a great one,” noted NRHA Events Manager Cheryl Cody. “While this particular reception is geared towards the younger crowd, there will be plenty for adults to enjoy as well.”

The excitement that begins with the reception continues later in the night. The $20,000-added Invitational Freestyle Reining presented by the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau, traditionally held during the NRHA Futurity, will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. The eight contestants have been working on their choreographed routines and will be ready to put on an entertaining show.

Prior to the start of the Freestyle, the Derby Level 4 Non Pro Finalists will be introduced in the Coliseum Arena.

To keep up with the latest news and updates from the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel, visit NRHADerby.com, or follow NRHA on Facebook at Facebook.com/nrhareining