Over the past couple years, the sport of reining has reached new audiences through television broadcasts, and that trend continues Saturday, January 30, at 7 p.m., CST. That’s because the iconic western-lifestyle Cowboy Channel will be airing an hour-long segment dedicated to the 2020 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity.
It was a night chock full of million-dollar accomplishments during the 2020 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) CINCH Non Pro Futurity Finals on Friday, Dec. 4. With a first-place finish in the CINCH Non Pro Level (L) 3 Futurity, Tish Fappani solidified her NRHA Million Dollar Owner status aboard Joes Genes (Lil Joe Cash x Electric Genes).
Ten days of intense, world-class competition culminated Saturday, December 6, with the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity Open Finals. The NRHA Futurity, held at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, featured top horses and riders from across the globe.
Thanks to the Futurity Challenge donors, for the first time in NRHA history the 2020 Level (L) 4 Open Futurity Champion earned $250,000.
Prior to the start of the MS Diamonds TX L4 Open Finals, NRHA Million Dollar Sire Shiners Voodoo Dr, NRHA Million Dollar Dam Princess In Diamonds, NRHA Million Dollar Dam Snip O Gun and NRHA Million Dollar Owner Hilldale Farm were all honored.
Great horses and riders were shining under the Friday-night lights of the Jim Norick Coliseum at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) CINCH Non Pro Futurity featured the top horses and riders from the preliminary round, and the Level (L)1 champion was decided in an exciting runoff.
To add to the CINCH Non Pro Finals pageantry, NRHA Million Dollar milestones were recognized by an in-arena ceremony prior to the start of the CINCH Non Pro Finals. NRHA’s newest Million Dollar Riders Cade McCutcheon, Matt Mills, Martin Muehlstaetter were presented with a special lapel pin courtesy of NRHA Corporate Partner MS Diamonds TX.
Like many things in 2020, the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Markel Futurity Sales looked a little different this year. In the past, the sales have been held in the sale pavilion in Barn 3 and spread out over several days. This year, four sales were held back-to-back on Dec. 3 in the Barn 6 arena.
“I personally liked having it all the same day,” said Cooper Smith, who purchased a top seller and consigned two top sellers. “I think they had it set up good. They didn’t really have a lot showing today, and I think the guys had a fair opportunity to be able to look at the horses. Yeah, it’s a long day, but you kind of got it one and done and out of the way. It was good for everybody.”
Brian Bell and Gunnabebigtime Top NRHA Open Futurity Preliminaries:
Anticipation mounts as a field of more than 300 entries has been narrowed down to the cream of the crop that will compete in the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Open Futurity Finals on Saturday, December 5. Competition began last Thursday, with the top 75 from each division advancing to the semi-finals. The Level (L)4 Open semi-finals, presented by Not Ruf At All and Tamarack Ranch, today featured the top 75 L4 horses, plus ties, following the preliminary round. The 30 competitors with the highest composite scores in Levels 1-4, plus top 10 in Prime Time, will advance to the Finals.For the first time in NRHA history, the L4 Open Futurity Champion will win a quarter-million dollars during the MS Diamonds TX L4 Open Finals. This year, the NRHA Futurity boasts a record $1,033,530 in added money for the Open and CINCH Non Pro Futurity combined, thanks in large part to NRHA Futurity Challenge sponsors and the NRHA nomination program.
Tish Fappani Tops NRHA CINCH Non Pro Futurity Preliminary Round:
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.
Following extensive discussion with its European Executive Board, the National Reining Horse Association announced plans for the future of the 2020 and 2021 NRHA European Derbies. The eleventh-hour cancelation of the 2020 Derby previously set for October 28–November 1 in Lyon, France had been made in consideration of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - The IRHA Board met in conference call yesterday evening Thursday 29 October and, despite the desire to complete the troubled 2020 show season plagued by the Covid-19 Pandemic, after intense days of analysis and discussion on all elements, aspects and numbers inherent to the possibility of keeping the Big Show at the end of November in Cremona, with great regret and displasure, the decision was made to postpone the entire Special Event: 4-year-old NRHA European Futurity, 3-year-old Futurity Irha-Irhba, and the finals of the Italian Championship hoping to be able to reschedule it for the end of February next year.
Casey Deary's career sky-rocketed when he won the National Reining Horse Association Futurity on Americasnextgunmodel. Deary and the incredible mare accumulated nearly $300,000 in earnings, so it was a poignant moment for the Weatherford, Texas, trainer when he rode one of her colts, Americasnexttopgun, owned by Jody Puno of Puno Performance Horses, to win the National Reining Breeders Classic Open Championship on Saturday evening.
Indy Roper is still glowing from her big win just months ago in Oklahoma City when she won the National Reining Horse Association Derby Non Pro Level 4 Championship on her horse Spooks Show Time. The pair are on a role, because on Friday afternoon, they added another line to their resume with the NRBC Non Pro Level 4 title.
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