The 2024 National Reining Breeders Classic, held April 16-27 at the Built Ford Tough Livestock Complex at Expo Square, in Tulsa, Okla., boasted its all-time record purse of $1,708,043!
High payouts for the venerable program are actually nothing new. The NRBC’s reputation for lucrative purses began with a boom at the very first event in 1998, when it awarded just shy of a quarter-million dollars – an incredible total in those days.
The NRBC was created to provide a place to show reining horses past their futurity year for lucrative money in an era when there were very few opportunities for derby-aged reiners. In just seven years, the payout for the 2005 show surpassed one million dollars – a record for any reining derby. Since then, it has never paid less than $1 Million per show. The NRHA Derby would pass the million dollar milestone eight years later and the value of, and market for post futurity horses continued to strengthen.
NRBC Secretary-Treasurer Cheryl Cody said that the NRBC has always stayed true to its original formula. “It’s simple really. Foal and stallion enrollment money create the bulk of the purse. 100 percent of the foal money four years previous goes into the purse along with 90 percent of the current stallion enrollment money. That’s been the basis of the program and its growth for nearly three decades, although at times the board has added additional money to incentivize different divisions.”
With the conclusion of the 2024 event, the total payout for the past 27 years now exceeds $29.5 million! NRBC Vice President Colleen McQuay noted, “What we created back in 1997 with the NRBC is still so relevant today. The NRBC has had an incredible impact on our industry, and each year it continues to affect so many.”
Besides the remarkable payout, the 2024 show featured multiple changes and additions. An extended schedule that saw the show grow from 8 days to 12 days was the most obvious modification. The relaxed schedule and addition of the Central Park Hall Arena guaranteed that there was plenty of time for riders to school their horses and still have time for dinner with friends followed by a good night’s sleep.
The schedule gave plenty of time to enjoy innovative new classes – like the $20,000 added Claiming Class. The new Rios Family of Brands Green Reiner Shootout, the Blo Gun/Spooks Grand Slam Masters Shootout and the Fappani Performance Horses/Spooks N Jewels Legends Shootout classes joined the Yellowstone Rookie Shootout. There were fun additional activities like the Nutrena Cornhole Tournament and the kid’s bouncing pony race and lead-line. The church service held on the first Sunday featured Jason Vanlandingham and had nearly 80 attendees.
According to the NRBC Board and Management, the 2024 schedule will be tweaked going forward. Cody added, “We’ve taken notes of all comments and suggestions and the Board will carefully choose what to modify for 2025.”