It’s NRHA Derby Time!
In just a few days the 2006 NRHA Derby will commence and the NRHA office is hard at work with all of the preparations that need to be completed before Derby move in starts, not to mention the necessary preparations to be finalized before the first horse walks in the pen. There are certain things you can count on at an NRHA-sponsored event – Corporate Partner Kiser Arena Specialists will make sure that the ground is the best it can be; the entire NRHA office staff will do their best to make sure every exhibitor has what they need; the Trade Show will be filled with vendors selling every imaginable Western Lifestyle related item you can think of; NRHA Corporate Partners will be present supporting NRHA and its members – the relaxed atmosphere of the Derby provides a great chance to visit with our Corporate Partners to let them know how much we all appreciate their support; when time allows from their regular Derby duties, NRHA’s Haley Carmen, Paul Johnson and Bucky Harris will again be making the rounds taking candid photographs (we’ve included their mug shots below so you’ll recognize them); the Corporate Partner Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau will again provide an outstanding Bar-B-Que during the Celebration of Champions and Town Meeting on Thursday, May 18, 6 pm; the RHSF Taste of Reining will again highlight some of OKC’s best eateries in the Cantina on Friday, May 19, at 5:00 pm, and there's the Derby Spotlight Sale Demo/Brunch followed by the Sale on Saturday May 19, at 10:00 am. For more information on the Derby, including a schedule of events, go to www.nrha.com and opt for the Derby logo link.

What’s new at the Derby? The new Rookie Professional class will make its Derby debut. The NRHyA Youth will be conducting NRHyA Family Fun Day on Thursday, May 18, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm and they have also scheduled a fundraising Cookout scheduled for Saturday, May 20, at 11:00 am. So bring your appetite and help contribute to a good cause. Last but not least, for those that won’t be in attendance at the Derby, keep up with the action as it happens via live scoring of every class, go round and Finals. This is a first for the Derby so take advantage of the IT Department’s hard work and go to www.nrha.com to get in on the Derby action.

Can We Borrow Your Horse For an Hour or Two?
The NRHA will again host the NRHA Collegiate Reining Championship competition at the 2006 NRHA Derby and we need your help. To carry out this competition, billed as the “Ultimate Catch Ride,” we need the use of 12-14 reining horses, no stallions please. Each rider will have 15 minutes to warm up on the borrowed horse and then compete with the other qualifiers in the Championship.

If you are interested in helping this great cause or know of someone who is, please contact Debbie Drinko at 405-946-7400, ext 119, or ddrinko@nrha.com, or you can sign up in the Show Office at the Derby.

New Show Management Seminar Added To The 2006 Schedule
When: September 30, 2006
Time: 7:30am - 5:30pm
Where: Pellissippi State Technical Community College. Knoxville, TN
Contact Barbara Brookshire at 423-538-4457 or brookshire@wireco.net for more information!

Already Scheduled:
When: August 15 - 16, 2006
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 on 8/15
         8:00 - 5:00 on 8/16
Where: Rancho Murieta, CA
Contact Shady Schneider at 916-354-2079 or ropergirl16@aol.com for more information!

Remember, by 2008 all show secretaries must be certified by the NRHA! Certification is good for five (5) years! Beat the rush and get certified early!

NRHA Rule Changes For 2007
The final deadline for rule change submissions is June 2, 2006. According to the 2006 NRHA Handbook, “Rule change submissions that may add, alter, or amend any rule in the NRHA Handbook may be submitted by any NRHA member in good standing, NRHA Committee, NRHA Staff, or the NRHA Board of Directors.” For information on how to write and submit a rule change or obtain the Rule Change Submission Form, see the May NRHA Reiner, go to www.nrha.com or contact Susie Trimmer at strimmer@nrha.com or call 405-946-7400, extension 105.

Use Your Free $10 Toward Valuable Records Research
Don’t forget that one benefit of NRHA membership is $10 of free Internet records. That’s $120 per year! NRHA records are just a click away at www.nrha.com in the Member Login section on the menu bar. Do the math – A General membership is $60, so if you renew or join in January you get more than double the cost of membership in records!

Lil Ruf Peppy Achieves NRHA Million Dollar Sire Distinction
It’s official! Lil Ruf Peppy, owned by Green Valley Ranch, Aubrey, Texas, has just been named NRHA’s eleventh Million Dollar Sire. At the start of the National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC), held recently in Katy, Texas, Lil Ruf Peppy was less than $3,000 short of the Million Dollar milestone. By the end of the competition, the 1991 stallion’s offspring had earned him the prestigious NRHA Million Dollar Sire distinction. To learn more check out the Press Releases at www.nrha.com.

Lasko Recalls Box and Pivoting Floor Fans Posing Fire Hazard
NRHA recently forwarded to our media contacts a press release concerning a product recall. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. Name of Product: Lasko, General Electric, Galaxy, and Air King Brand Box and Pivoting Floor Fans. Detailed information and pictures of affected models can be found at www.laskoproducts.com or you can view the complete Press Release on the NRHA website www.nrha.com.

Informational Booklet on National Animal Identification System Available
The American Horse Council announces that the Equine Species Working Group (ESWG) has developed an informational booklet titled NAIS and Horses: the Facts Surrounding the National Animal Identification System as it Applies to the Horse Industry in the U.S.

This booklet was put together in an effort to answer the many questions and concerns that have been raised from the equine industry on the very important and difficult issue of the potential application of the national ID system to horses. The booklet addresses the following topics: history of the NAIS, why the horse industry should be involved in developing an acceptable NAIS, equine diseases of concern, methods of equine identification, potential benefits, current status of the NAIS, frequently asked questions, and a list of Equine Species Working Group members.

It is important that equine organizations, events, service providers and horse owners know the facts so they can learn about the NAIS, the efforts of the ESWG, and how a national equine identification plan might affect them, should one become mandatory. We encourage industry members to not only become educated on the issue by reading this material, but to also distribute it throughout the industry. The booklet is currently available to download from the American Horse Council website: www.horsecouncil.org.

2006 Adequan® / USEF Open Reining Championships
The Adequan® / USEF Open Reining Championships will be held in Lexington, Kentucky, in conjunction with the CKRHA Clayton Woosley Hall of Fame Show, June 22 - 25. This competition will determine the reiners that will represent the USA at the 2006 World Equestrian Games, Aachen, Germany, September 1 & 3, and the FEI World Reining Masters Finals at the Western International Show in Denver, Colorado, October. If your country has upcoming events relating to the selection of Teams for the 2006 WEG or 2006 World Reining Masters Finals let us know so can help spread the word around the world!

President’s Letter
To see what NRHA President Dell Hendricks had to say in his May President’s Letter click here.

REINER DEADLINE
For information about advertising in the NRHA Reiner contact Advertising Manager Sharon Barr to reserve your advertising space. Sharon can be reached by phone at 419-628-3711, faxed at 419-628-2518, or email her at advertising@nrha.com. To schedule a classified ad in the Reiner, contact classifieds@nrha.com or extension 100 at the NRHA office.

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 www.nrha.com or call the NRHA office at 405.946.7400.

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