The team at Markel has always been there for the reining industry, whether insuring a horse, commiserating with clients, celebrating successes, or supporting the sport at all levels.
The renowned insurance company has long sponsored the National Reining Breeders Classic and has hosted the Non Pro Finals Draw Party to celebrate those riders for the past 13 years.
On Thursday, April 24, during the Open Finals Draw Party, it was announced that Markel is not only continuing to support the NRBC through sponsorship of the Non Pro Draw Party, it is also going to become the naming sponsor of the Open Draw Party.
“It has been a pleasure to work with Frank Costantini and Markel for many years. As Markel’s Senior Director of Western Disciplines, Frank’s passion for reining led him to bring Markel on board as the sponsor of the Non Pro draw party in 2011,” said Cheryl Cody, NRBC Secretary/Treasurer. “Through the years, along with celebrating the finalists, this party became a platform for recognizing all levels of contribution to the industry by Non Pros. We had conversations this week, though, and we talked at length about equal recognition being due to the Open riders and owners. I’m thrilled that, beginning in 2025, Markel will be the naming sponsor of both NRBC Draw Parties.”
Costantini, a staple in the reining industry, explained why Markel decided to invest in the sport this way, stating, “Markel has been supporting the Non Pro Draw Party for a long time now, and with the availability of the open draw party, I thought it was a natural next step for Markel. Throughout my tenure with NRHA, I’ve been supporting open riders, because they set the standards for everyone else to strive for, because in my opinion, without the open riders, there is no Non Pro.”
The Markel Insurance Open Draw Party featured a Calcutta auction, where the 30 Level 4 Open Finalists were divided into teams of three. Party attendees bid based on their best guess of which team would score the highest collectively in the finals.
The Calcutta raised a total of $13,500 in bids, with $3,375 going to benefit Rein In Cancer. The remaining $10,125 will be distributed through four places, so if you bought a team in the Calcutta, keep an eye on the scores coming out of the Open Finals because you could win some money!
After the Calcutta, riders selected commemorative challenge coins from the table, on the back side of which their draw number was revealed.
There was also a memorial to commemorate members of the reining community who recently passed away, including Alan Kirshner and Bill Flarida. Fond memories of these loved ones were shared by those who knew them, and they were recognized for all their contributions to the sport of reining.