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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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