Over the past three days of competition, the top 3-year-old reining horses and their riders from across the country have vied for a spot in the finals of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity. With the conclusion of Tuesday’s preliminary round, most of the field is set for the CINCH Non Pro Futurity finals, which will be held on Friday, December 4.
Securing the preliminary high score for the Level (L) 4 and L3 CINCH Non Pro Futurity was Tish Fappani and Joes Genes with a 220. Joes Genes, owned and nominated by Tish and her husband Andrea Fappani, is by Lil Joe Cash and out of Electric Genes. In her short career, the mare has accumulated earnings exceeding $24,000, thanks to wins at the Friends of Reining Futurity and the SmartPak Non Pro Futurity at the National Reining Breeders Classic.
George Lawrence rode Shes Big Timin, owned by Lawrence Ranch, to top the L2 with a 218. Shes Big Timin, by Wimpys Littlecolonel and out of Plus Her Big Time, was nominated by Tami Nelson.
Hannah Mitchell held on the L1 high score with a 217.5. Mitchell rode Stars N Stripes, owned and nominated by Steven Mitchell, is by Star Spangled Whiz and out of Chick N Squirt.
Kathy Thompson and Savethlastdanceforme topped the Non Pro Prime Time with a 218.5 (includes handicap). Savethlastdanceforme is by In Like Flinn and out of ARC Gunna Mark Ya, and was nominated by Neiberger Performance Horses.
Ariana Kate Dejong leads the field of Non Pro Youth riders with Whizkey Or What. Dejong and Whizkey Or What, by NRHA Million Dollar Sire Whizkey N Diamonds out of Crunchy Or Creamy, marked a 217. Her gelding was nominated by Rhodes River Ranch.
To secure a spot in the CINCH L4 Non Pro Futurity, it took a score of 214.5, while a 212 was the magic number for the L3. Riders with a 211 or higher earned a place in the L2, as did those in the L1 with a 209 or higher. The bubble for the Prime Time is a 207 (including handicap), while the one for the Youth is 207.5.
For those not advancing directly to the finals from the first go, hope is still alive. That’s because of the CINCH Non Pro Futurity Consolation Round on Wednesday morning. The next 30 horses (plus ties) in the L4, next 12 in the L3, and next 10 in L1 and L2, will compete for a spot in the finals. The top five in each of the four Levels will earn a spot in Friday’s finals.
Vandorp and Route Sixty 6 Lead L3 Semi-Finals and Composite
Ruben Vandorp and Route Sixty 6 continue to hold the lead of both the L3 Semi-Finals and composite. Their score of 220 leads the semi-finals, giving them a solid 436 composite. Route Sixty 6, by Inferno Sixty Six and out of Fille Code, is owned and nominated by Heather Weisz.
Topping the L2 composite and tied for the high score of the L2 Semi-Finals high score is Dakin Allred and Blueeyed Cashmachine. The pair marked a 214.5 in the first round, and came back to mark an impressive 219 in the semi-finals to steal the composite lead with a 433.5. Blueeyed Cashmachine, by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Gun and out of Nu Magic Cash, is owned and was nominated by Misty Valley Performance Horses.
Tied for first in L2 of the semi-finals and second in the composite is Stefano Calcagnini riding PL Trashyasparkler to a 219, which contributed to their 432.5 composite. PL Trashyasparkler, owned and nominated by Luigi Parise, is by Guns R For Shootin and out of Whiskeynrhinestones.
Josh Lyons and his horse CCR Marilyns Joe hold down the top spot the L1 composite rankings with a 433. CCR Marilyns Joe, by Lil Joe Cash and out of Magnum Marilynmonroe, was nominated by Center Cross Ranch LLC. Lyons and CCR Marilyns Joe scored a 216 in the first go, and followed that with a 217 in the Semi-Finals.
Currently leading the Prime Time Open composite is Todd Crawford and Xtra Wimp It Good with a 436.5. Crawford and Xtra Wimp It Good, by NRHA Eleven Million Dollar Sire Wimpys Little Step and out of Lovin Me Good, were consistent with a 218 and a 218.5 (scores include handicaps) in the first two rounds of competition. Xtra Wimp It Good, nominated by Silver Spurs Equine, is owned by Adalberto Gonzales.
The finalists for all Levels of the Open will be decided during Wednesday’s Level 4 Open Semi-Finals sponsored by Not Ruf At All & Tamarack Ranch. The 79 L4 entries are all competing for a spot in Saturday night’s MS Diamonds TX L4 Open Futurity Finals, where the champion will, for the first time in history, receive a check for $250,000. That’s thanks to the incredible generosity and support of members of the Futurity Challenge, who worked to increase the payout for the event. In addition to the Open Champion’s big check, the CINCH Non Pro L4 Futurity Champion is guaranteed $60,000, and the added money for the Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships was doubled from the previous year.
Draws for both the Open and CINCH Non Pro Futurity Finals will be decided Thursday morning at 10 a.m. during the Platinum Performance Virtual Draw Party.