Thursday at the National Reining Breeders Classic in Tulsa, Oklahoma, saw a very full day of horse show classes. The entry numbers were so high, that the decision was made to open up a fourth arena to accommodate all the runs! Thursday also marked the first Affiliate Regional Championship classes, with many exhibitors earning a spot at the North American Affiliate Championships that will be held with the National Reining Horse Association Futurity in Oklahoma City later this year.

Dan Huss & Smart Voodoo Brother – ARC Open and Open [1] Champion

Dan Huss brought Smart Voodoo Brother to the NRBC to gain some experience in the show pen. It looks like the four-year-old stallion, by Shiners Voodoo Dr out of Smart As Sister, is also getting some experience in the winner’s circle. Huss and Smart Voodoo Brother laid down a smooth run, earning a score of 146 to win both the ARC Open and the ancillary Open.

“We brought him here to get some good show experience, and we were hoping along the way we could win a bit, too, so it was a pretty good day,” Huss said. “The first maneuver he spun really well but had a little overspin, but then we stayed out of the penalty box the rest of the way.”

Owner Patrizio Fumagalli purchased the colt as a two-year-old. Patrizio showed him in the Non Pro Futurity, but the colt wasn’t quite ready. “He wasn’t seasoned enough, so I took over, and he’s been coming around rather good. He’s a really athletic horse. He just is a little busy minded,” he said. “Pat is going to start taking over the reins at the Best of the West.”

Huss will show Smart Voodoo Brother again in Friday’s Novice Horse Open classes. “I thank Pat for allowing me to show this horse. I also thank my wife who is my biggest fan and is the reason I am still competitive,” he said.

Fredrick Thomsson & Gunna Cash Out – ARC Int. Open/Int. Open [1] Champion and ARC Ltd. Open/Ltd. Open [1] Co-Champion

Fredrick Thomsson and Gunna Cash Out took home numerous wins in Thursday’s Super Duty Arena classes. Not only did they win the ARC for the Int. Open, as well as the ancillary class, they also tied for the win of the ARC and ancillary Ltd. Open.

“The run today was easy. We had plus maneuvers across the board. She was excellent and super easy to show,” Thomsson said of the 144.5 run. “We ended up only warming up a few horses before we went in, but it seemed to be the formula for her.”

Gunna Cash Out, a five-year-old mare, is by Gunnatrashya out of Little Bitty Spark. “The owners bought her a while ago with the intent to get her shown and then keep her as a future broodmare. This is actually only her second show,” Thomsson shared. “We didn’t enter here in the NRBC because she’s so green. We won some ARC stuff, so most likely we’re going to gear her towards the NAAC at the Futurity.”

Thomsson voiced his appreciation for the mare’s owner Kathleen Ray. “I thank the owners. I have a great group of owners, and they are very supportive. The owners do everything for us. I also have a great team working for me here and at the ranch that do a great job. It’s a team effort and everyone deserves the credit,” he said.

Thomsson will be showing several more horses the rest of the week in the Classic finals as well as in the ARC classes. “We love this show and what the organizers have done. This is super nice, and Tulsa is great with all the riding arenas and wonderful facilities,” he said.

Sumer Opinker & Hermosa Star Dream – ARC Ltd. Open/Ltd. Open [1] Co-Champion and ARC Rookie Pro/Rookie Pro [1] Champion

Sumer Opinker & Lil Joes Hushmoney – Ltd. Open and Rookie Pro. High Point Champion

In just two days of competition, Sumer Opinker has racked up numerous wins on two different horses. She won the Ltd. Open and Rookie Pro. high-point buckles on Lil Joes Hushmoney, thanks to wins in those classes on Wednesday. Lil Joes Hushmoney is owned by James Hobbs. In Thursday’s classes, she tied for the Championship of the ARC and ancillary Ltd. Open, and was the sole winner of the ARC and ancillary Rookie Pro.

This time she won on Hermosa Star Dream. “I have been riding her a couple months. My boss was nice and let me show her this week, so I’m really happy,” Opinker said of the Magnum Chic Dream mare who is out of Hermosa Dun It. “She felt great today. It was a lot of fun.” Hermosa Star Dream is owned by Mirjam and Andrea Stillo.

“I thank Mirjam and Andrea. They have been great and helped me so much with showing and becoming the young professional I am today,” she said.

Sarah Locker & Snips Shining Gun – Non Pro [1] Champion

Snips Shining Gun holds a special place in the hearts of everyone at Hilldale Farm. At the 2019 NRHA Futurity, the talented mare, with Jessicah Keller at the reins, won enough money to catapult her dam, Snip O Gun, over the million-dollar mark for offspring earnings. That made her only the third mare to reach that milestone. The mare is now being ridden by Jessicah’s sister Sarah Locker, and the two put together a polished run in the Mustang Arena to score a 145 and win the Non Pro [1].

“She is very special to our family not only because we bred and raised her, but because she’s the one who put Snip O Gun over one million for Hilldale Farm,” Locker explained.

A two-time NRBC Non Pro Champion, Locker entered Snips Shining Gun in the Non Pro Preliminaries. “This is my first real horse show with her. I showed her in the preliminaries, and she was great, but I wasn’t as great as she was. I wanted to try again in this non pro class. She was great, and I was better today,” Locker shared.

Locker rides with Casey Deary, who made sure to share some sound advice. “My biggest challenge in the Classic was I didn’t run fast enough in my circles. Casey told me that if he was whistling, I needed to go faster. He whistled a few times, so we went a lot faster,” she said. “I was really happy with how she performed today, and happy with myself.”

Locker plans to show Snips Shining Gun in the non pro classes on Sunday. “I want to put together another nice run and keep improving our relationship and getting together so we can show the next several years,” she said. “I thank Casey Deary and the whole Deary team. Without them we wouldn’t have made it this far. Thank you to my mom who raises so many amazing horses for my sister and I to show. Thank you to my husband who is very encouraging. Finally, thank you to everyone here for putting on an amazing show, and for the Tulsa Reining Classic for allowing the NRBC to be here.”

Paul Queen & Outta Dough – Int. Non Pro [1] Champion

Outta Dough has been a part of the Queen family for many years, and the 15-year-old stallion has amassed more than $77,000 in lifetime earnings. On Thursday, he added to that total when he marked a 144 with Paul Queen in the non pro classes. They topped the Int. Non Pro, and finished in the top five of the Non Pro.

“He did really well. He’s one of those old horses that you have to school a little bit because they start to think for you. He’s as true as can be all the time. It’s a partnership we have,” Queen said. Queen and Outta Dough, by Gallo Del Cielo out of Dough Olena, will show again Sunday in the Non Pro Classic Challenge.

“I thank Jared Leclair. He’s made a real impact on me lately and took me to another level. I also thank my mother who has always been there for me, and of course, I thank this horse,” Queen said.

Sarah Armenta & Gun Smoke Dennis – Ltd. Non Pro [1] Co-Champion

Gun Smoke Dennis can lay down some monster stops, so the pattern chosen for the Non Pro classes was made for him. “He really thrives on run-ins since we can hit all four stops,” noted Sarah Armenta, who piloted the gelding to a 143 to tie for the win of the Ltd. Non Pro [1].

Armenta rides with Casey Hinton and Jimmy Van der Hoeven. “They both told me to kick today. I can’t kick to save my life,” the 18-year-old said with a laugh. Gun Smoke Dennis is by Lil Dry Peppy out of Gun Smoke Denise. Armenta noted that the 15-year-old gelding “Loves every type of food under the sun and is really lazy.”

Armenta will be showing again this week. “I’ll show again Sunday in the affiliate on him. Also, my mom made the Non Pro Level 4 finals tomorrow night, so I will be cheering for her,” she said. “I thank the whole barn for helping me. I thank my parents for taking me to all the shows, and Robbie and Julia who gave me the awesome opportunity to buy this horse.”

Kaylene Cunningham & Shiner Joe – Ltd. Non Pro [1] Co-Champion

It was Kaylene Cunningham and Shiner Joe’s first big event together, and the two made it count, putting together a nice run that resulted in a 143. That tied them for the win of the Limited Non Pro.

“The whole time he was with me. When I felt him under me, I thought I could push him a little bit. He stayed with me,” Cunningham shared.

Cunningham bought four-year-old Shiner Joe, by Lil Joe Cash out of Shiners Miss Lena, at the 2019 NRHA Futurity. “We’ve only been to two shows, and this is our third and biggest one,” she said.

Cunningham, a high school junior, rides with Franco Bertolani of Cardinal Reining Horses. “I thank Franco for helping me and of course I thank my horse, Joe,” she said. “We’ll show Saturday and Sunday in the youth and the other slate of non pro classes.”

Bill Fingland & Xtra Step On That – Prime Time Non Pro [1] Champion

Bill Fingland showed Xtra Step On That in the Non Pro Classic preliminary round earlier in the week. Unfortunately, a bobble in the lead changes kept them out of contention. Fingland elected to show the colt in the Prime Time Non Pro [1] in the Mustang Arena, and the pair marked a 145.5 – the highest score of the day.

“I wanted to get the lead change right, and I was pleased we got that. This horse just kept stopping like he always has for me,” he said.

Fingland has owned four-year-old Xtra Step On That, by Wimpys Little Step out of All That’s Dun, for about a year. “Shawn Flarida trained this horse, and he has helped me with him immensely. I thank Shawn and all his crew who have made sure I got what I needed to get,” Fingland said. “I also thank my family who has been very supportive of my craziness and the hours I put in here.”

Nicole Baradat & Spooked Out Chex – Green Reiner Levels 1 & 2 [2] Champion

To say Nicole Baradat is excited is an understatement. On Thursday, she and her horse Spooked Out Chex won both levels of the Green Reiner classes with a 72. “This is a first for me. It’s my first win at a horse show. This was my first year officially showing, and this is only my second show,” she shared.

“Today was fabulous. I have had lots of runs this week, and we’ve been putting it all together. I had a few unfortunate bobbles the other times I showed, so for it to all come together today is really sweet.”

Baradat grew up riding horses in 4H, before transitioning to western pleasure. “I always loved the reiners and had friends who did it. When I grew up and was able to pick what I wanted to do, this was it,” she said.

She noted that a lot of her success was because of her great mare, Spooked Out Chex, by Smart Spook out of Nu Tuf Lil Chex. “She’s fabulous. She has been there and done that. I was lucky to pick her up last year,” Baradat said. “She has taught me everything I know so far.”

Baradat and Spooked Out Chex will show again in Friday’s Rookie classes. “I thank my trainer Jordan Larson. He has gone above and beyond taking me on this year. I also thank everyone at his ranch. Thank you also to my husband, who is not a horse guy, for coming to all these shows. I have a lot of support,” she said.

Kalicia Walters & Lady Gotta Gun – Green Reiner Levels 1 & 2 High Point Champion

She may not have had quite the run she wanted in the second slate of Green Reiner classes, but Kalicia Walters still managed to pull off the high-point championship on Thursday. “We changed arenas, and that was a big change for me and my horse. We hadn’t been in this pen at all, so she was kind of watchy,” Walters explained. “We got it done though. I’m very excited to win the high point.”

Walters is riding her mare Lady Gotta Gun, by Spooks Gotta Gun out of Ms Kiper Nic. “Tomorrow I will show in the Rookie classes. I’m really hoping my horse Pale Faced Whiz (ridden by Dany Tremblay), makes the Open Finals on Saturday,” noted Walters.

Her other Open Classic entry, Tinker With Dreams, is also ridden by Dany Tremblay, and the pair are currently sitting third in the Open preliminaries. “I thank the entire Tremblay team. They are all here showing, but they stopped what they were doing to come help me and watch me show. The entire team is awesome.”