Start the New Year by Getting Involved in the NRHA at the 2008 NRHA Convention
Now’s the chance for all NRHA members to get involved in the worldwide association like they never have before! Oklahoma City is the place to be from January 28 – February 2 for the 2008 NRHA Convention. It will be an action-packed week in OKC. The NRHA chose Oklahoma City as the site of the 2008 Convention because normally when NRHA members are here, it’s all business with no time to see all the sights Oklahoma City has to offer.
During the day – the ’08 Convention will feature six days of important NRHA business with many chances for members to take action and make a difference! Members can look forward to the first reading of the rule change submissions for 2009 as well as an open forum to discuss the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Futurity and Derby payment plans. Find out how to enter and how to nominate your Futurity and Derby horses and also join in on discussion about the best way to implement the board-approved nomination program.
Other highlites include a Show Secretary Seminar, Judges Applicant Seminar, Affiliate Congress, full Board of Directors meeting, Committee meetings with open sessions, 2008 NRHA Hall of Fame Inductions along with the 2007 Awards Banquet. Attendees are also invited to an Evening in Monte Carlo – Casino Night; a fundraiser presented by the RHSF.
The convention will be held at the Renaissance Oklahoma City Convention Center Hotel in Downtown OKC, just two blocks from the historic Bricktown area. Click here for more information about the hotel.
Be sure to check out NRHA Corporate Partner, Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau’s website (www.okccvb.org) for more information about events happening in Oklahoma City during the convention. There are lots of things to see and do, even if it is winter! There are a couple of concerts during the convention, two OKC Blazers hockey games the weekend before the convention starts, lots of art galleries to visit along with the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, you can also try your hand at the Casino at Remington Park. Lots and lots of things to do during the evenings at the NRHA Convention. A schedule is coming soon so be sure to sign up now by clicking here. To take advantage of the Early Bird Special register by January 5th.
Congratulations to ALL the winners at the 2007 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show!
By now, the NRHA Futurity might seem like a blur. But many reiners are still basking in the excitement following their big win! Many agree the Open Futurity Finals was one of the most thrilling competitions they had seen in some time.
NRHA Futurity Champions include:
Open Futurity Champion Shawn Flarida on Wimpys Little Chic owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA
Elite Trailer Intermediate Open Division Champion Marcy Ver Meer riding Gunners Special Nite owned by Bar Double C Ranch
Limited Open Division Champion Robin Schoeller on Wimpys Pinesail owned by Charles Vaughan
Prime Time Open Division Champion Tim McQuay on Hollywoodtinseltown owned by David Silva, Sr.
Open Gelding Incentive Winner Andrea Fappani riding Wimpys Little Buddy owned by Mark Schols
Cinch/NRHA Non Pro Futurity Champion Mandy McCutcheon riding Haidachino Hollywood owned by Tim & Colleen McQuay
Cinch/NRHA Intermediate Non Pro Division Champion Sarah Johnson on Sonata Spot owned by Burdette Johnson
Cinch/NRHA Limited Open Division Champion Shannon McCarty on her Troubled Gangster
Prime Time Non Pro Futurity Division Nancy Flathers on her Smart Coco Chic
Youth Non Pro Division Champion Carlie McKinzie riding Almond Bark Chic owned by George & Cindy McKinzie
Non Pro Gelding Incentive Winner Kelle Smith on her Taka Ticket
NRHA Awards More Than $1.5 Million at ’07 Futurity
Ever wonder just how much money is won at the NRHA Futurity? Well, here is the total for this year’s payout. The numbers have been calculated and we’re pleased to report the total amount of money paid out from the 2007 NRHA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show is over $1,500,000! That’s just in cash! Then you add in all the other prizes from our NRHA Corporate Partners and award sponsors on top of that … WOW … when you win at the NRHA Futurity, you really win big!
SIX North American Affiliate Champions Win Elite Trailers
The evening of the Open Futurity Finals brought an exciting time filled with an additional award for six Adequan North American Affiliate Champions. Each Affiliate Champion in each division was entered in the Elite Trailer Sweepstakes. On Saturday evening just before the Open Futurity Finals, they all gathered in the arena to draw for one year’s use of an Elite 4-Horse Mustang Trailer. Elite gave away six trailers in all!
Congratulations to the Affiliate Champions who were the lucky winners in the Elite Trailer Sweepstakes:
Todd Arvidson, Purcell, OK
Patti Brownshadel, Hempstead, TX
Catherine Achtenhagen, Ocala, FL
Sunday Maust, Idaho Falls, ID
Jordan Donnelly, Aubrey, TX
Sabrina Wilson, Rancho Santa Fe, CA
North American Regional Team Champions Win $500
A new kind of affiliate team competition debuted at the 2007 Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show. It’s called the North American Regional Team Championship. The top three riders in each NAAC division earned points according to the number of horses shown. After the points were totaled for the nine regions in the US and Canada we have a winner. The North American Regional Team Champion is the South Central US Region with a total of 172 points. Second place was the Mountain US Region with 141 points and third went to the Southwest US Region with 116 points. The South Central US Region will receive a $500 check from the NRHA to be awarded to the regional affiliate host, which is the Oklahoma Reining Horse Association.
Dramatic Run-Off Decides Winner of FEI World Reining Masters 2007
The FEI World Reining Masters 2007 held Thursday, November 29 proved to be a high caliber competition during the Futurity & Adequan NAAC Show. Reiners from Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the USA competed in the event.
Following a three-way tie, Austria’s Rudi Kronsteiner bested US riders, Casey Hinton and Gabe Hutchins in a very dramatic run-off. Kronsteiner became the first European to win the gold in the FEI World Reining Masters open division.
Below, see the complete results for the FEI World Reining Masters 2007. Open Division
Gold Medalist – Rudi Kronsteiner, of Austria, on Smart Spook, owned by Rosanne
Sternberg of England
Silver Medalist – Casey Hinton, of the United States, on Mr Boomerjac, owned by
Robert La Porta & George Easterday of Damascus, MD
Bronze Medalists – Gabe Hutchins, of the United States, on Juiced Up Doc, owned by
Smart Like Juice, Inc. of Markham, IL
Restricted Division
Gold Medalist – Austria’s Rudi Kronsteiner on Smart Spook, owned by Rosanne
Sternberg of England
Silver Medalist – Gilson Vendrame, of Brazil, on Ima Little Tangy, owned by Susan Fiely,
of Edmond, OK
Bronze Medalist – Bernard Fonck, of Belgium, on Don Quixote Escapes, owned by Susy
Baeck of Belgium
2007 NRHA Futurity Webcast: “Phenomenal Viewership”
The NRHA is proud to have shared all the spectacular reining competition at the NRHA Futurity Show with tens of thousands of people through live-streaming video during its 10-day run. Alan Taylor, CEO of HorseAuctions.com, the company that powered the webcast of the NRHA Futurity, reports that at any one time during the Futurity Finals, there were more than 1,700 people watching the webcast. That’s more than double several other major equine shows this year Taylor said, “We’ve been doing this a long time and the number of people watching the webcast of the NRHA Futurity Finals was phenomenal!”
The NRHA thanks sponsors of the webcast, Wimpys Little Step and Mark & Michele Schols and Performance Equine Associates. If you’d like to sponsor the webcast for the 2008 NRHA Derby, contact Kathy Damrill, Director of Marketing & Communications, at 405-946-7400 ext. 129 or email kdamrill@nrha.com.
Records Broken AGAIN at NRHA/Markel Insurance Futurity Prospect Sale
The NRHA/Markel Insurance Futurity Prospect Sale set a new all-time-high sales record in the history NRHA horse sales. Steppin Off Sparks was the high-selling colt consigned by Vittorio Rabboni of Valley View, TX. The selling price: $200,000! The proud new owners are Claude and Becky Lindsey of Waco, TX.
The high seller at the NRHA/Markel Insurance Breeders Showcase Select Sale was Luke Who Dunit who sold for $50,000. The dun yearling colt was consigned by Stone Canyon Ranch and sold to Ruth Ellen on behalf of Jay McClennan.
The top seller in the NRHA/Markel Insurance Marketplace Sale was the yearling colt, Custom Mate, consigned by Steve Simon and sold to St-Onge Properties.
NRHA Sire & Dam Program Online Auction: Another Big Success!
Congratulations to the NRHA Sire & Dam Program Online Stallion Auction for another big year. From November 15 – December 1, mare owners had the opportunity to purchase 2008 NRHA Sire & Dam Program breedings through the online auction. Breedings to stallions participating in the Top 20 Sires Program were available in the auction along with any other stallion whose owner chose to join.
This year, the Sire & Dam Online Stallion Auction raised $195,000. For the second year in a row – the stallion with the highest bid was One Time Pepto, owned by Jeffery Matthews of Warsaw, NC. The ’08 breeding to the predominantly cutting sire, One Time Pepto, sold for more than $12,000.
To find out how to purchase a breeding to some of the finest stallions in the business or if you’d like to donate a breeding contact Sire & Dam Program Coordinator Dandy Oltermann at ext. 120 or doltermann@nrha.com.
Reining Horse Sports Foundation Raises Thousands for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma®
The 4R Performance Horses “8” Second Celebrity Slide held Saturday, November 24th, could become a tradition at the NRHA Futurity! Several popular bull riders, including Oklahomans Cord McCoy, JW Hart and Justin McBride, learned to ride reining horses and then went head to head against each other, all to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma®.
Several top professionals in the NRHA donated their time to help teach the bull riders the basics of reining a few weeks before the event. Then, the bull rider/reiner duo added another coach to their team: several kids from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma® joined the action. It was a touching moment as the Make-A-Wish kids met their bull riding and reining buddies for the first time. Some of the kids even wore cowboy boots for the first time, the Waltenberrys, Official Futurity Photographers, took commemorative pictures of each team and all were so excited to be a part of the event.
Even the crowd that night got into the event! The bull riders needed a little help counting spins, so each time they came around – the fans counted for them so they wouldn’t lose track! Following the competition, the teams met up again at a VIP reception. When it was all said and done, the RHSF is proud to report through the generosity of the NRHA and the fans at the event, they were able to raise more than $18,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma®.
If that doesn’t make you feel good listen to this. Some of the Make-A-Wish kids had already had their “wishes” granted. As they left the evening with a million memories, some said they had MORE FUN at the 4R Performance Horses “8” Second Celebrity Slide than they did when their “wish” was granted! The RHSF would like to thank EVERY PERSON who helped make those special “extra” wishes come true.
In fact, the RHSF has tallied up the donations from the saddle raffle, quilt auction, 4-wheeler raffle, sale of a donated breeding, and the Americana Day Thanksgiving Dinner.
In all, the RHSF raised over $10,500 to go toward the Crisis Fund and the Foundation.
Hard Work Pays Big Bucks for NRHyA Members
This year’s Futurity brought a new officer team for 2008 and more than $67,000 for the National Reining Horse Youth Association.
The NRHyA is still counting their donations, but here’s the rundown of what’s been raised at this point:
Silent Auction - $10,455
Breedings - $24,500
Donated Filly - $7,500
Raffle Horse - $24,609
We’re proud to introduce the brand new NRHyA Officer Team for 2008:
President – Ian Barnard, Kendallville, IN
Vice President – Cash Bridges, Weatherford, TX
Treasurer – Abigail Grabein, Houston, TX
Secretary – Meaghan Burns, Cheyenne, OK
Sentinel – Melanie Galbraith, Rocky Mount, NC
The NRHyA youth worked very hard to make this another successful year and they are very appreciative to all who donated items for the silent auction, breedings, the filly and the raffle horse. They’d also like to thank the thousands of people who contributed to their success by purchasing raffle tickets, bidding on breedings and the filly and all who purchased items in the silent auction.
All in all – many agree this was a very successful 2007 NRHA Futurity and will be hard to beat in ’08!
2009, 2010 and 2011 NRHA Futurity and Derby Nominations and Entry Payments to be Reviewed
The National Reining Horse Association Board of Directors has voted to delay 2009, 2010, and 2011 NRHA Futurity and Derby nomination and entry payments to give the membership time to voice their opinion on the best way to implement the board-approved nomination program. In addition, the Board wishes to allow the Aged Events Committee time to ensure that the best possible plan is in place. Under scrutiny will be payment frequency, payment amounts, deadlines, past due fees, etc.
Simply stated, the board is in full support of a nomination program but wants to allow the membership the opportunity to voice their opinion on its implementation. In an effort to obtain information, the board is requesting your suggestions and comments be submitted in writing to the NRHA office before January 7, 2008. The committee will review all submissions. Then at the 2008 NRHA Convention, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (January 28-February 2), a forum will be held to review the submissions. At the March Board of Directors meeting, the Aged Events Committee will present their recommended revisions, if any, for approval. All payments for the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Futurity and Derby are being delayed until after the March Board meeting.
Go to nrha.com/conditions.php for additional information about submitting rule changes for 2008! I don’t see anything referencing this – it seems out of place???
AQHA Reining Televised on NBC Sports (from AQHA)
American Quarter Horses return to the small screen on January 12 for a national telecast on NBC Sports. The AQHA America’s Horse Championships presented by Ford Trucks is a special, one-hour broadcast of some of the most exciting action from the FedEx Open competition at the 2007 American Quarter Horse Association World Championship Show in Oklahoma City. The show begins at 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time/ 2 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on local NBC stations.
Two of the most popular events, cutting and reining, along with other features will be highlighted during the show. Reining will highlight the senior competition for horses 6 years old and older. The exciting runs of top competitors Randy Paul of Scottsdale, Arizona; Tim McQuay of Tioga, Texas; and Cody Sapergia of Ardmore, Oklahoma, will be featured.
Mark your calendar and set your digital video recorder for January 12 at 5 p.m. EST for the AQHA America’s Horse Championships on NBC Sports!
eNRHAnewsletter Goes Once-A-Month
We want to let you know that beginning with this newsletter, the NRHA will issue one eNRHAnewsletter each month. It will be sent on the first of the month. The December newsletter is being sent to you in the middle of the month because we were waiting to report to our NRHA membership all the exciting things that happened and money raised for the RHSF, NRHyA and the NRHA Sire & Dam Program during the 2007 NRHA Futurity and Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show.
The NRHA is proud to have Pard’s Western Shop as one of its Corporate Partners. As the “Official Saddle of the NRHA”, Pard’s Western Shop offers much more for reiners including a full line of tack and clothing. Family owned and operated, Pard’s caters to their customers’ needs and will work to make sure each and every one is satisfied.
Pard’s is also proud to showcase the Official Shawn Flarida Bit Collection! It’s a series of bits developed by Shawn Flarida and Pard’s owner Mark Butzow. They’ve created several bits that are a combination of old ideas and lots of new ideas to help enhance any training program. You can check out the affordable new Shawn Flarida Bit Collection as well as many other holiday gift ideas at the Pard’s Western Shop website at www.pards.com .
This newsletter is provided by the National Reining Horse Association as a service to its members and anyone interested in the sport of Reining. NRHA does not assume any liability for errors and/or omissions. To learn more about NRHA and Reining go to NRHA.com or call the NRHA office at 405.946.7400.
Start the New Year by Getting Involved in the NRHA at the 2008 NRHA Convention
Congratulations to ALL the winners at the 2007 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show!
SIX North American Affiliate Champions Win Elite Trailers
North American Regional Team Champions Win $500
Dramatic Run-Off Decides Winner of FEI World Reining Masters 2007
NRHA Sire & Dam Program Online Auction: Another Big Success!
Reining Horse Sports Foundation Raises Thousands for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma®
Hard Work Pays Big Bucks for NRHyA Members 
