Down Right Amazing’s run in the National Reining Breeders Classic Open Prelims was exactly that. Under the expert hands of NRHA $2 Million Rider Casey Deary, the 5-year-old stallion by Gunner and out of Shesouttayourleague marked a 225.5 to top the first section of Open horses in the 25th NRBC at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. Down Right Amazing is owned by DAG Ventures LLC.

Sitting second in the Level 4 is Cira Baeck, a Belgium native who travelled to the United States to compete this year. She made her NRBC Open debut a loud one, scoring a 224.5 on Americasnextcovrgirl (Walla Walla Whiz x Americasnextgunmodel), the 5-year-old mare she finished reserve on at the 2021 NRHA European Futurity. Americasnextcovrgirl is owned by Maria Cecilia Fiorucci.

A pair of 222s lead the Level 3—Ruben Vandorp and Mr Farenheit (Magnum Chic Dream x Wimpy Little Girl), owned by the partnership of Morin and Vandorp, are tied with Nathan Piper and Patriot (Smart Spook x Dunit A Lil Ruf), owned by Shannon and Hershel Reid.

The Level 2 is also tied, with Billy Williams on Hit The Walla (Walla Walla Whiz x Dun It By Chick), owned by Mark Bradford, and Austin Jewell on Face Chics Love (Pale Face Dunnit x She And Chic Dunit), owned by Ali Dances, both marking a 219.5.

Haley Franc sits atop the Level 1 with a 216.5 on J Jameson (Star Spangled Whiz x Lime A Rita), owned by Arno Honstetter.
The NRBC Development Division Championship is decided during the preliminary round. Trevor Dare holds the No. 1 spot with a 220.5 on Redhot Vintage (Platinum Vintage x Redhot Walla), owned by Sandy Vargo.

Leading the Open Prime Time is Duane Latimer on Roxanne Koepsell’s Hesa Rockin Whiz (Topsail Whiz x A Bueno Poco Dunit) with a score of 222.5 (includes handicap).

The second section of Open Classic prelims begins at 8 a.m. Thursday, April 21, and Finalists will be drawn that evening in the Matt Mills Reining Horses Open Draw Party at 7:30 p.m. in the Sponsor Area.

Follow along with the action at www.NRBC.com

What is almost as daunting as riding into the arena at the National Reining Breeders Classic, competing for a piece of the more than $1 million purse?

Being one of the officials whose job is to score those exhibitors.

That is why the judges for the NRBC are always knowledgeable, well-respected, and highly qualified. Each has several major events under his or her belt, and many are veteran NRBC judges.

The Coliseum judges for the 2021 NRBC in Katy, Texas, will be Robert LaPorta, Van Luse, Shannon Fowler, Reid Fady, Corey Hendrickson, and Nick Baar. They will be assisted by scribes Ron McMillian, Carla McMullen, Schelly Bankston, Nicole Marr, and Selena Bradshaw.

The Coliseum Pre-check judge will be Gary Putman.

Doug Millholland, Ed Cridge, Terry Thompson, and Andi Paul will be scoring the action in the Tellepsen and Wheless Arenas with scribes Lynn Nelson, Monica Westbrook, and Vicki Wright.

The NRBC will be held April 18 – 25 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. A complete schedule, entry forms, news, and more can be found at www.NRBC.com.

National Reining Breeders Classic blue will be making room for a new hue at the 2021 show slated for April 18-25 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. During the show, some of the back numbers will be sporting a red stripe, but why?

“The NRBC Board of Directors decided to do this as a service for our exhibitors to allow them to advertise that the horse they are riding is for sale,” said NRBC President Tom McCutcheon. “The red stripe can be requested at the show office for a $5 donation to Rein In Cancer and can be added to any back number.”

Like so many things, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the buying and selling of horses. Travel has been challenging for many, so this will allow prospective buyers to easily spot horses being offered for sale during the show, even as they are being shown. The red stripe will also be visible to those watching the live feed from home. The horses’ owners’ and riders’ names will be shown on the screen during the run as usual, so making a connection will be simple. If the horse is seen schooling, an interested person can drop by the show office to find out how to contact the owner just by giving the back number.

Rein in Cancer is a 501c3 Non Profit Corporation that, to-date, has raised over a million dollars to support cancer patients. The organization has no employees – only volunteers – and over 98% of donated funds have gone directly to helping cancer patients. To request assistance or for information on how to contribute, how to host a fundraiser at an event, or set up a bequest, visit the Rein In Cancer website at www.reinincancer.com.

For more information about the National Reining Breeders Classic, visit www.nrbc.com.

Since its beginning in 1998, the National Reining Breeders Classic has been known for its huge payout, abundant prizes, and unwavering focus on rewarding reiners. So, when the NRBC Board voted on February 8 to increase the show’s added money by a whopping $50,000, the action should not have come as a surprise.

According to NRBC President Tom McCutcheon, the NRBC Board and staff are excited to make this change. He noted, “We have always been proud for the NRBC to be a leader in the reining industry and to stay ahead of trends. We were committed to increasing the added money for the Non Pro division as we know this is an important and rapidly growing part of the industry we want to continue to support!”

The addition of funds makes the NRBC Non Pro the world’s largest added money Non Pro for Derby age horses. McCutcheon added, “The NRBC L4 Non Pro already has an incredible payout and pays high in the go-round and in the finals. This $50,000 will be added to Levels 3, 2, 1 and the Prime Time Non Pro to encourage participation and reward the exhibitors in those divisions.”  

The addition of $50,000 to the Non Pro added money will take place right away, at the upcoming NRBC, set for April 18-25, 2021 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas

Entry information for the 2021 NRBC can be found at NRBC.com or by calling 580-759-3939 or emailing info@nrbc.com. The first payment for the 2021 NRBC is due on February 15.

The National Reining Breeders Classic, held April 18-25, 2021 in Katy, Texas is known for having something for everyone. The NRBC Developing Horse Division was created to give horses that may have had a limited show career the chance to earn money, and in 2021, the earnings cap has been moved from less than $2K by March 31 of the year it will be shown to less than $5K.

Held annually during the Open Classic prelims, the $10K added side pot that averages about 35 entries, has no additional entry fee, and pays five places. With modern shows paying out more and more, the NRBC Board of Directors chose to extend eligibility to more horses.

NRBC Board Member Dell Hendricks said, “This modification gives horse owners a place to compete for good money with the horses they chose not to show as three-year-olds or those who might have had an injury, or a showing error. We saw a need for the opportunity for these horses to show against other horses in similar situations.”

In order to enter, 4-, 5-, 6-, or 7-year-old NRBC enrolled horses must also be entered in the Open Classic. More information about the show and the Development Division entry form can be found at NRBC.com.

The National Reining Breeders Classic, held April 18-25, 2021 in Katy, Texas, will be hosting Non Pro and Rookie Qualifiers for the richest event in history. The Run For A Million, held at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, Nev., is slated for August 17-21, 2021.

In addition to the million-dollar competition, there is a $100K Open Shoot Out, a $50K Invitational Freestyle, a $50K Non Pro Championship, as well as a Rookie Championship.

Qualifiers are being offered across the United States and Canada and the NRBC is proud to be one of them. “The Run For A Million is not your average horse show,” said NRBC President Tom McCutcheon. “By televising reining through the Last Cowboy, the sport has reached new accolades in and out of the performance world. The NRBC will support that any day.”

The Rookie and Non Pro Qualifiers will run concurrently with the corresponding Ancillary classes. Those wishing to qualify to compete at The Run For A Million must enter the correlative classes, fill out the TRFAM Qualifier form found on the NRBC website, and pay the $200 fee per slate that they wish to enter. The top five placings plus ties in each slate with a paid qualifier fee will be able to compete in Las Vegas at TRFAM. The Qualifier fee was established to ensure those who want to take part in TRFAM Championships have the opportunity without being knocked out of the top five by someone who has no intentions of participating at TRFAM.

For more information about The Run For A Million, go to trfam.com. To learn about the National Reining Breeders Classic and access the TRFAM Qualifier form, visit nrbc.com.

The Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma may be quiet now, but behind the scenes, it is bustling with activity. The National Reining Breeders Classic kicked off last Wednesday as part of an extended schedule that included four futurities to start the event. After four days of competition, Sunday was a day of rest and regrouping, with the main event set to begin in less than 18 hours.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the NRBC to postpone its original show day in April, and eventually move the event to Tulsa. The Global Reining Sports Group, which owns the Tulsa Reining Classic, graciously acquiesced to loan the dates to the NRBC, resulting in one large super NRBC. To give trainers and owners another option to show their 3-year-old futurity horses, the NRBC Board elected to retain the four futurities that are Tulsa Reining Classic regulars.

 More than 360 futurity horses walked through the gate of the Ford Truck Arena during the four days of competition, paying out an incredible $211,190. As everyone moves their focus from the futurity horses to the Classic, Classic Challenge, ancillary, and Affiliate Regional Championships, last-minute preparations are underway.

Although more than 1,500 stalls were reserved for the event, the numerous arenas scattered across the Expo Square ensure that every exhibitor has plenty of room to get ready. While the NRBC might have a different location, look, and feel, there’s no doubt that the caliber of horses competing in the coming week will be off the charts.

There are many ways to keep up with the Million Dollar Show. The live webcast and live scoring, as well as the schedule, results, and draws, can be accessed at www.NRBC.com. Regular updates are also posted on the NRBC’s Facebook page. You can sign up to receive daily newsletters from the event by clicking here.

Judging a major event is a challenge and the NRBC Judges take seriously their job of assessing the action each year. Chosen this year to officiate the NRHA Futurities are Corey Hendrickson, Brian Welman and Gary Putman with Pre-check judge J.D. Roberson. In the Classic, the judging duties go to Terry Thompson, Ed Bricker, Robert LaPorta, Nick Baar and Kelly Sapp. The ARC and NRHA Classes will be officiated by Ed Cridge, Van Luse, and Charlie Smith.

Efficient judging depends on competent scribes and the 2020 NRBC Scribes are as experienced as their judging counterparts. This year, Ron McMillan, Selena Bradshaw, Lynn Nelson, Vicki Wright, Schelly Bankson, Bob Alberding, Bill Wright, Nicole Marr, and Amanda Cormack will be scribing throughout the show.

Following a board meeting on May 7, the National Reining Breeders Classic Board and Management has announced that this year’s show will be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma August 26 – September 6.

In an unparalleled show of generosity, the Global Reining Sport Group, which annually produces the Tulsa Reining Classic, made the decision to offer its dates to the NRBC. It was a landmark move in an unprecedented era.

Anne-Marie Burns, a partner for GRSG, said, “These are extremely difficult times for the reining world and we believe that we had to put the good of the industry ahead of the plans for our show. The NRBC, with its massive payout, is more important at this time.”

The offer was key in being able to hold the 2020 NRBC. NRBC President Tom McCutcheon noted, “We appreciate this important gesture from GRSG and thank them for their willingness to do what is best for the industry. We had been analyzing options since it became apparent that we would not be able to hold the show in Katy this year. Not every facility can host an event this large and frankly, there were not many dates that would work with the fall schedule already in place in our industry. Thanks to the Global Reining Sport Group’s willingness to work together, we can go forward and hold the NRBC.”

NRBC Secretary-Treasurer Cheryl Cody said, “In the next week, we will be revamping the schedule, show terms and deadlines to be able to give options to our exhibitors and owners as far as entries for these new dates. We will also work with our loyal sponsors and vendors to make this date and location work for everyone.” McCutcheon added, “This year’s NRBC will have a different look and feel, based on the new health restrictions, and we will be working through those in the coming weeks. We are confident that our participants will bear with us and continue to support us until we can get back to a more normal show for 2021 in Katy.”

Colleen McQuay, Vice President of the NRBC and a partner in Global Reining Sport Group said, “Both groups are tuned in to the fact that this will be futurity time and we want to offer opportunities for futurity horses. So, in addition to the NRBC’s normal set of classes, futurities have been added which will take place at the beginning of the show. There will be an Emerging Horse Futurity, a Developing Horse Futurity, an Open Futurity and a Non Pro Futurity. The NRBC will also host the South Central Affiliate Region Championships.”

Cody noted, “We value the contribution of officials and staff as they are such an important part of the team producing both events. We are contacting judges and event staff to work out the best scenario for a blended staff.”

The Board Members, Officers and Management of NRBC were quick to thank all the exhibitors, owners, vendors and sponsors who are so important to this event. For updates on the show, the schedule and conditions please check the website at nrbc.com.

On March 13, it was announced that the Run For A Million qualifier originally slated to take place at the Cactus Classic has been rescheduled to take place at the NRBC. This step was taken because of travel limitations for the Paramount Network film crews traveling from New York and Los Angeles.

At this time the NRBC is slated to begin in 29 days on April 12. The Board and Management of the NRBC hold the health and welfare of our exhibitors, owners and sponsors as the highest priority. We will continue to monitor the factors impacting the event and will update as any plans change in the case of postponement or rescheduling. In the case of cancellation, the NRBC will refund entry fees already paid.