Ancillary Competition Heats Up at NRBC
The competition in the Affiliate Regional Championship and ancillary classes continued at the National Reining Breeders Classic, with several more winners being crowned on Friday. The crown jewel of the day was the NRBC Open Classic Challenge, which ran concurrently with the $25k Open.
Friday night's Open Classic Challenge and $25k Open featured 17 exemplary horses and riders that had the crowd at the edge of its seat from the beginning. Whoops and hollers emanated from the Ford Truck Arena, with some of the loudest being for Andrea Fappani.
Fappani made the most of it, winning the $25k Open on Modern Gun, and taking second in the Open and winning the Open Classic Challenge with Platinum Vintage.
Modern Gun, a former NRBC Open Champion who had lifetime earnings exceeding $213,000 prior to the event, earned $7,166, while Platinum Vintage, with more than $308,000 in lifetime earnings, took home $15,438.
The field is set, the players are named. The 2020 National Reining Breeders Classic Open preliminaries wrapped up Thursday evening after two tough days of competition. More than 180 horses entered the Ford Arena of the Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and that was whittled down to the best of the best who will compete in Saturday's clean-slate finals.
The National Reining Breeders Classic Open Preliminaries began Wednesday, September 2, at the Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The field of 194 will be narrowed to the top 30 in each division at the conclusion of Thursday's competition.
A quick perusal of the draw sheets quickly tells of the tough competition in the Ford Truck Arena. Holding the top spot at the end of the first day is Casey Deary on Gunnabeabrightstar with a 225. Gunnabeabrightstar, by ARC Gunnabeabigstar out of Abbie Be Tuff, is owned by Neiberger Performance Horses LLC.
The 2020 National Reining Breeders Classic, being held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the current year, is off to a great start. The Non Pro preliminary round wrapped up Tuesday evening, and the field for Friday's clean-slate finals is set. The 188 entries were whittled down over two days to the crème de la crème, and in the end, Indy Roper and Spooks Show Time lead the field with an impressive score of 222. In addition to a finals berth, the pair won a go-round check for $7,151.
NRHA Announces 2020 Hall of Fame Inductees
Following the presentation of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Hall of Fame Committee’s recommended nominees, the Board of Directors and past Hall of Fame inductees voted to approve Sally Brown and Jerry Kimmel for induction into the NRHA Hall of Fame, a project of the Reining Horse Foundation (RHF). Induction is recognized as the sport’s highest honor.
The first week of the 2020 National Reining Breeders Classic culminated with the SmartPak Non Pro Futurity on Saturday. Longtime NRBC and Tulsa Reining Classic sponsor, SmartPak opted for the sponsorship of the $27,000 added SmartPak Non Pro Futurity in this transition year. It's a perfect fit for SmartPak at a time when the highly popular "Texas Hold-em" night could not be held due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The pinnacle of futurity competition at the National Reining Breeders Classic was held Friday, August 28, with the incredible $61,000 added Hollywoodstinseltown Open Futurity. The 114-entry futurity featured top riders from all over, and when the last horse had left the arena, there was tie for the win. Abby Lengel and Andrea Fappani had both marked a 224. While they could have elected to run-off for the title, they decided to stay co-champions.
Fappani and Lengel weren't the only co-champions crowned, as Arno Honstetter and Kole Price tied for the Open Level 3 win, and Diego Gaona and Julie Roshelli posted identical scores to top the Open Level 1.
The Reining Horse Foundation Board of Directors has elected Andrea Stillo of Pilot Point, Texas, to serve on the Board of Directors. Under RHF Bylaws, the recommendation was reviewed and approved by the NRHA Board of Directors at the August meeting.
The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Board of Directors met via video conference to conduct association business. The agenda included 2021 rule change proposals, review of the proposed 2021 fees policy and a financial report among other items of business.
In a year of unprecedented challenges and seemingly endless unknowns, associations have struggled with difficult choices. Key among them has been making decisions that are best for the most members. The National Reining Horse Association, like other equine organizations, has waded through difficult waters, very aware of the reality that what benefits one member can negatively impact another. The recent move of the NRHA Board of Directors to reinstate the NRHA World Championship races and titles for 2020 is a perfect example. In June, the championships were suspended because of how the COVID-19 pandemic had reduced the amount of shows, but feedback from members resulted in reconsideration of the issue.
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