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SG Frozen Enterprize Becomes NRHA Million Dollar Sire

There has never been anything cold about SG Frozen Enterprize, unofficially the National Reining Horse Association’s newest Million Dollar Sire. From the beginning, the son of Frozen Sailor out of RS Rose SJ by SJ Enterprise was on fire, wowing audiences, making fans and showing incredible ability.

He moved into the spotlight when Mirko Midili rode him to sweep the Italian Reining Horse Association Futurity in 2012. NRHA All-Time Leading Rider Andrea Fappani saw the video of that winning run and showed it to Silver Spurs Equine owner Michael Miola. Miola remembers being more than impressed. “I said he looked like something special,” he shared.

Both men felt “Iceman” was an outstanding show horse and the ideal stallion to bring to the United States as an outcross. Fappani convinced then-owner Marco Franchini to send the stallion over.

Iceman arrived in the states just weeks before the 2013 NRHA Derby, and when Fappani rode him the first time, he immediately felt his instincts had been right on point. Miola agreed, so negotiations to purchase the horse began.

Fappani piloted Iceman to the Reserve Championship of the 2013 High Roller Reining Derby and finished fifth at the NRHA Derby. During the Derby, the sale was completed, and Iceman became Silver Spurs Equine’s newest stallion prospect. The following year he was ninth at the NRHA Derby and took third at both the Cactus Reining Classic and the High Roller Reining Classic Open Derbies.

Fappani typically only shows horses he’s had in training since their 2-year-old year but made an exception for Iceman, even though it took extra work to get together with him. He consistently scored between 222 and 225, but Fappani felt certain that the horse could do better with time. He was proven right when the pair won the 2014 American Quarter Horse Association Junior Reining World Championship with a score of 229.5.

The following year Fappani and Iceman won the National Reining Breeders Classic Open title, the Cactus Reining Classic Derby Championship, and fourth at the NRHA Derby.

As Iceman reached the end of his derby years, with lifetime earnings of more than $274,000, it was time to enter the next phase of his career as a breeding stallion. Despite breeding to a small, but select group of mares, success came early.

There were only two foals that were NRHA nominated in Iceman’s first foal crop, which arrived in 2015, but one of those was Icecube (out of Taris Designer Genes by Mr Boomerjac), the horse Tish Fappani rode to win the 2018 NRHA Level 4 Non Pro Futurity. Icecube is currently SG Frozen Enterprize’s top earner, leading an impressive list of other performers.

SG Frozen Enterprize Top Money Earners:

Icecube (Taris Designer Genes) $171,808

Ice Face (Dun Painting My Face) $97,615

Whizsicle (Miss Whizzletown) $92,565

A Cool Back Story (Skeets Chexy Nic) $59,588

Electric Enterprize (Electric Genes) $42,901

Xtra Ice Ice Wimpy (Wimpy Little Sinbar) $33,058

Talladega Ice (Skeets Chexy Nic) $32,910

TR Ice Ice Baby (Ms Whiz Dunit) $29,772

Frozen Gambler (Surprise Me Gamble) $28,843

CO Frozen Asset (Top Sail Cheetah) $28,402

Sarah Flarida, Silver Spurs Equine Oklahoma ranch manager, noted, “Iceman is one of the kindest, friendliest studs I’ve ever been around. He loves people, and his foals seem to all have that same personality.”

Not only does Iceman brand the foals with his demeanor, most generally have his signature physical features. Miola explained, “Most of them are red duns. You can instantly pick them all out in the pasture. They are all just mini-Icemans!”

Flarida added, “We are thrilled at how many of his offspring are able to compete at a high level and seem to improve with age, and we look forward to following their success.”

Learn more about SG Frozen Enterprize by visiting the website or following the stallion on Facebook.

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Entries Look to be Up for 2022 NRHA Futurity on Eve of Fourth Payment Deadline

While important events are held throughout the year, the National Reining Horse Association Futurity, slated for November 24–December 3, is heralded as reining’s premier event. For 3-year-old reining horses, the Futurity’s spotlight shines on the horses in their first year of competition, and all eyes are on the Jim Norick Coliseum to see which ones will begin to write their names in the history books of the sport.

Ten Thirty

Ten Thirty, All Bettss Are Off, Super Marioo, and A Vintage Smoke are the most recent Level 4 Open Champions from the Futurity, and when any of these horses’ names are called, spectators flock to the fence to watch at derbies throughout the world.

The NRHA Futurity has continued to grow in both size and prominence since it was first held in Columbus, Ohio, in 1966. On the eve of the fourth payment deadline (August 1) for the 2022 Futurity, the world’s largest reining event is shaping up to be another record breaker, as the number of entries with at least one payment made is up from the prior year.

Once again, the Level 4 Open Futurity Champion will leave the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds $350,000 richer, and the Level 4 Non Pro Champion will be presented a check for $60,000. The total payout will likely once again surpass $2.6 million.

Those numbers are expected to continue rising, as late entries are typical. First payments can still be made until August 1 with just a $600 late fee, and those made between August 1 and October 1, will incur a $1,000 late fee.

The deadline to be included in the draw for both the Open and Non Pro Futurity is November 1.

All entry forms can be found at NRHAFuturity.com, and entries can be made online or mailed.

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Christy Landwehr Takes the Helm as NRHA Senior Director of Corporate Relations

The National Reining Horse Association staff welcomed a new team member in mid-July. Christy Landwehr is now the Senior Director of Corporate Relations and brings with her decades of experience working with and developing relationships with corporate and event sponsors.

“I am thrilled to be joining the staff of NRHA for many reasons. One of them is my love of horses, and another one is my excitement for the discipline and how fast it is growing and how popular it has become not just in America but around the world,” Landwehr shared. “I believe there is so much opportunity for sponsors and others to become involved in the sport, and I can’t wait to be able to share reining with others.”

Since 2007, Landwehr has served as the Chief Executive Officer for the Certified Horsemanship Association and the CHA’s Marketing Director prior to that. She is also the Treasurer for the Interscholastic Equestrian Association and serves on the American Horse Council Board of Trustees, on the Professional Horse Councils for both the American Quarter Horse Association and American Paint Horse Association, on the Colorado State University Equine Sciences Advisory Council, and is the Vice President for the Colorado Society of Association Executives.

NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter said, “Christy brings a wealth of energy, industry contacts, and experience to NRHA. We are excited to have her join our team and help us capitalize on the many opportunities that are in front of us.”

Landwehr, who lives in Colorado with her husband, John, and two sons, Sean and Kyle, noted that horses have always been her passion. “They’re kind, and they’re always in the present. To me, every breed and every discipline brings something to the table.” She added, “Reining is growing so much right now, and there are so many opportunities to continue that trajectory.”

The new Director has a solid vision for this new position. “I feel the most important step is to ensure that all our current Partners and Sponsors are happy with our agreements. We are excited about the future and want them to come along for the ride,” Landwehr said. “That means making sure we provide very helpful and unique benefits to both current and future sponsors.”

For information about NRHA’s Sponsorship Program, reach out to Christy Landwehr at CLandwehr@nrha.com

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Exciting Changes Announced for 2022 NRHA Markel Futurity Sales

The National Reining Horse Association Markel Futurity Sales have long been the place to find and purchase top reining prospects from reputable programs. Over the past 22 years, millions of dollars have changed hands, and countless horses have gone on to great success at major NRHA events.

There is a long list of notable Sale graduates, including reigning NRHA Futurity Champion Ten Thirty, who was ridden to the title by NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider Casey Deary. Ten Thirty, Hip number 1030 in the 2019 Select Yearling Sale was consigned by Brooke Wharton and purchased by Cooper Smith for $44,000. The colt, by NRHA Seven Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya out of Dainty Little Step, was registered at the time as Gunna Go Rogue. When Rancho El Fortin purchased the colt, they renamed him to his hip number, Ten Thirty.

Casey Deary & Ten Thirty

This year’s NRHA Markel Futurity Sales will be held Thursday, December 1, in the Sale Arena of Oklahoma State Fair Park, continuing the one-day Sale arrangement that has been extremely popular with both consignors and buyers.

According to Angie Honeywell, NRHA Senior Manager of ReinerSuite and Futurity Sales, there have been some exciting changes in the format for this year’s Sales.

The Futurity Prospect Sale, which has only been open to two-year-olds, has been changed to a Performance Horse Sale that will include show horses of any age. “The Performance Horse Sale will have horses for every level of rider and will include prospects, futurity and derby horses, and ancillary horses,” Honeywell explained. “This is an exciting new addition to the Sales’ lineup because now there will be show horses available of all ages.”

The other change is in the Elite Yearling Sale. Traditionally, the dams of consigned horses had to have $25,000 or more in progeny and/or lifetime earnings in NRHA only. While the threshold remains $25,000, that money can now be earned from the National Reined Cow Horse Association and the National Cutting Horse Association as well.

The NRHA Markel Futurity Sales Consignment Deadline is September 7, and consignments can be made online at NRHA.com/Sales

For more information about the l NRHA Markel Futurity Sales, contact Angie Honeywell at sales@nrha.com.