Not only does the National Reining Breeders Classic boast one of the largest aged events in reining, it also hosts a full slate of National Reining Horse Association approved classes. The first of those were held Tuesday, Sept. 1, in the Mustang and Super Duty Arenas.
Pete Kyle Returns to Show Pen to Win Novice Horse Open Classes on KR Smart Dreamer
It’s been six years since Pete Kyle has shown a reiner, but if his run on KR Smart Dreamer is any indication, he hasn’t missed a beat. Kyle and the four-year-old colt, by Magnum Chic Dream out of Smart Shiney Lena, marked a 145.5 to win the Novice Horse Open Level 2 and tie for the win of the Level 1.
“This was really fun today. I have enjoyed getting to ride this summer and being able to get back to what I’ve done all my life. It was great to get in there and be competitive again,” he shared. “This is my wife Tamra’s horse. She’s shown him in some reinings and ranch riding this spring and summer and has done really well in those. I’m just glad she let me show him today. It’s great to be back in the saddle and back in the winner’s circle again.”
Kyle will also be showing the talented gelding in the Int. Open class on Wednesday, then Tamra will take back the reins. “We have taken our time with this horse and brought him along and he has a good foundation on him. He’s stepping up, and I feel he’s going to give us some more solid runs,” he said.
Pete and Tamra bred and raised the colt. “We’ve really enjoyed him. Casey Hinton rode him as a three-year-old for us while I was working, and Dan Huss helped Tamra out this spring with him. Those two guys were big in this horse’s development,” he explained.
Kyle pulls double duty at the NRBC, as both an exhibitor and an NRBC Board member. “The show management here does such a great job, as Board Members, we don’t have to do much except enjoy the show and let things roll along. The staff does a fabulous job, and we don’t have much we have to do with it,” he said.
He voiced his appreciation to the Tulsa Reining Classic owners, noting, “We are extremely fortunate to have been able to have the NRBC here in Tulsa, and the Tulsa Reining Classic enabled us to do that. We offered futurities at the first of the week, and now we are into our normal classes. We really appreciate them letting us do this,” he said.
It’s been a great week for the Kyles’ breeding program already, as another horse they raised, Thee American Dream, tied for the Open Level 4 Championship of the Hollywoodstinseltown Open Futurity. The colt, ridden by Andrea Fappani, is owned by Morris Kulmer.
Mike McEntire Ties for Win of Novice Horse Open Level 1 on Cosmic Vintage
With a score of 145.5, Mike McEntire and Cosmic Vintage tied for the win of the Novice Horse Open Level 1. The talented stallion is by A Sparkling Vintage out of Starjac Miss, making him a full sibling to standout stallion Platinum Vintage.
The colt, now five years old, was purchased by Megan Lindberg as a three-year-old. “I trained on him when we were in California his four-year-old year,” McEntire recalled. “When we left, he actually got hurt in his stall and slipped a disc in his back, so he had a long time off.”
Given time to heal, Cosmic Vintage is once again ready to compete. “He’s sound and we’re legging him back up. We’re trying to get him ready for Megan to show in non pro events,” McEntire said. “This is a really nice horse. He’s so good-minded. He’s a really sweet stallion and we’re looking forward to the future with him.”
McEntire already showed several futurity horses and will also be showing in the NRBC Open. “I thank Megan. She’s a wonderful owner, and I appreciate everything she has done for Natalie and me,” McEntire said.
Rodrigo Nieves and One Mr JJ Tie for Win of Nov. Horse Open Level 3
Rodrigo Nieves has only shown One Mr JJ two times, and both have been at the NRBC. The duo is two for two, as they won the AQHA Jr. Reining earlier in the event, then took the Novice Horse Open Level 3 Co-Championship on Wednesday with a 144.5. Nieves and One Mr JJ also finished in a tie for second in the Level 3, and in a tie for third in the Level 3.
One Mr JJ, by Colonels Shining Gun out of QHR Jamaica Express, is owned by XCS Ranch LLC. “This is a nice stallion. I’ve ridden him maybe 16 days,” he said. “Duane Latimer trained this horse, and Gina Schumacher rode him at the Futurity last year.”
It’s Nieves first NRBC, but he says he’s enjoying the show. His young daughter might be showing in the youth classes on Sunday. “I thank XCS Ranch and Duane Latimer for this opportunity,” he said.
Matt Palmer Ties for Win of Nov. Horse Open Level 3 on Einsteins Lil Prize
Riding Einsteins Lil Prize for Robert Santagata, Matt Palmer marked a 144.5 to tie for the win of the Novice Horse Open Level 3, as well as second in the Level 2. It was only the third time for Einsteins Lil Prize, by Einsteins Revolution out of Smart Little Prize, to be shown.
“I showed him once in Florida and he was good there. Then I showed him once back home and he won that,” Palmer recalled. “This is my first Einsteins Revolution to ride, and he’s out of one of Bob’s really great mares. He’s a really sweet horse and has been really good to me.”
While Palmer was pleased with the day’s run, he admits there were places for improvement. “I cruised him through here. We had a little hiccup on one rollback, but he’s a really nice horse and I’m starting to learn him a bit more,” he said. “It was great to get him here and have another nice ride on him.”
Palmer will be busy the next several days, with three horses to show in the NRBC Open Classic as well as one to show in the Open on Friday evening. “I thank Bob and Arlene Santagata. They have been nothing but amazing to me. I thank all my customers. I’m just fortunate to be the one who gets to ride all these great horses,” he said.
Pierre-Luc Phaneuf Takes Nov. Horse Open Level 3 Co-Championship on Dontmesswhiztexas
The third leg of the three-way tie for the win of the Novice Horse Open Level 3 was Pierre-Luc Phaneuf. Phaneuf rode Dontmesswhiztexas, by NRHA $12 Million Topsail Whiz out of Dolled Up Gunner (who had lifetime earnings exceeding $40,000). Dontmesswhiztexas is owned by Kim Marconi.
Payton Neiberger and Xtra Dun Step Win Round 1 of Yellowstone Rookie Shootout
Payton Neiberger hadn’t planned to enter Xtra Dun Step in the Rookie classes at the NRBC, but after a disappointing showing in the Non Pro Classic preliminaries, an 11th hour decision was made. “I showed yesterday, and it didn’t go as well as I had hoped, and I wanted another class. I decided this would be a good one because I knew there was a big event on Saturday night,” she shared.
That paid off, and she and her six-year-old stallion marked a 142.5 to win Round 1 of the Yellowstone Rookie Shootout, as well as Rookie Levels 1 and 2. “Today was good. My turns, circles, stops and rollbacks were all good. I had a change penalty on my first big change, but other than that I was really happy,” she said.
Riders who enter both rounds of the Yellowstone Rookie Shootout are eligible to advance to the Shootout Finals, which will be held just prior to the NRBC Open Level 4 Finals on Saturday night. The riders with the top five composite scores from the two rounds will advance.
Neiberger and Xtra Dun Step, by Wimpys Little Step and out of All Thats Dun, are in great position to advance if they decide to enter the second round on Friday. “Josh Tishman is actually going to show him in the Open Classic on Thursday, so it depends on if they make the finals or not. That would be a lot of runs if we did both,” she said. “I thank Josh Tishman and Casey Deary for preparing my horse, and the whole Deary team for being so encouraging. I also thank my parents for getting me here and being so supportive.”
Valencia Pitzing Takes Prime Time Rookie Championship on RC Fashion Chic
Valencia Pitzing has only ridden RC Fashion Chic two times since the NRHA Derby in June, but that didn’t stop her from laying down a winning run in the Prime Time Rookie class. Her score of 141.5 also tied for second in Rookie Levels 1 and 2 and for second in Round 1 of the Yellowstone Rookie Shootout.
“I’m very excited. It went really well today. He felt good and did his job, and I did mine. Everything came together and it was a really good run,” she said.
Pitzing has owned RC Fashion Chic, by RC Fancy Step and out of Shesa Fashion Chic, for a couple of years, and gives credit for her success to her trainer. “I thank Ruben Vandorp and his assistant Arno. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be there. They always have my horse ready. I don’t get to ride as often as I need, but the horses are always ready and it’s awesome,” she said.
The second-place finish in round one of the Yellowstone Rookie Shootout puts Pitzing in a good position, as the top five in the composite from the first two rounds will advance to the Shootout Round on Saturday night. “I’m excited. I’m going to go for it. This run gave me a lot of confidence. I felt really good, and my horse feels ready,” she said. “I’m just going to do whatever Ruben tells me between now and then.”