The pinnacle of futurity competition at the National Reining Breeders Classic was held Friday, August 28, with the incredible $61,000 added Hollywoodstinseltown Open Futurity. The 114-entry futurity featured top riders from all over, and when the last horse had left the arena, there was tie for the win. Abby Lengel and Andrea Fappani had both marked a 224. While they could have elected to run-off for the title, they decided to stay co-champions. Fappani and Lengel weren’t the only co-champions crowned, as Arno Honstetter and Kole Price tied for the Open Level 3 win, and Diego Gaona and Julie Roshelli posted identical scores to top the Open Level 1.

Abby Lengel & Thischichasbigdreams Take Hollywoodstinseltown Open Futurity Level 4 Co-Championship

Prior to the NRBC, Thischichasbigdreams was giving Abby Lengel a lot of confidence. The mare’s style and feel had her convinced she was special and ready to compete. That feeling started to leave, though, when Lengel arrived in Tulsa.

“I felt like she was special early on, and then I got to this horse show and things didn’t feel like they do at home,” Lengel admitted. “It stressed me out a little bit because she didn’t act like herself.”

That all changed when the two walked into the Ford Truck Arena. “When she went in there she fired, and she was what I thought she was going to be. She can be a little looky, but she was with me. She really fired turning and was fantastic both ways. We had a small under-turn which was my fault, but everywhere she was with me,” Lengel said. “This was the first time to show her and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I couldn’t be any happier with how it went.”

Lengel and Thischichasbigdreams, by Magnum Chic Dream out of Slide By Shiner, marked a 224 to tie for the Open Level 4 Championship, worth $12,720. Although she had the opportunity to run-off for the win, Lengel noted it wasn’t something she would elect to do. “It was her first time being shown and she’s just a baby with a long career ahead of her. I’d take second place before I’d do a run-off. She’s tired and I wouldn’t want to risk giving her a bad experience,” she said.

Lengel’s customers, Krista and Paul Schulman, bought Thischichasbigdreams from the NRHA Futurity Sale. “I picked her out as a yearling, and my great customers who own the ranch that I train out of bought her. I’ve been the only one to ride her at this point,” she shared. “I always thought she was special. This was great to win. You can think you have a nice one, but you don’t really know until you get out there. I believe this mare’s a show horse for sure.”

Lengel gave a special thank you to Paul and Krista. “They believe in me. They own the ranch and they trusted me when I said we should buy this mare. Also, thanks to my whole crew. Thanks to Clint Perkins, Sandy Bentien, my help, Molly, and everyone else who helps me. I couldn’t do this without them,” she said.

Andrea Fappani Wins Hollywoodstinseltown Open Futurity Level 4 Co-Championship on Thee American Dream

Over the years, Andrea Fappani has developed a distinctive style of riding and showing which has catapulted him to be one of the NRHA’s leading riders with more than $5 million in earnings. It was that style that led NRBC Board Member Pete Kyle to contact him about a yearling colt.

“Pete and Tamara Kyle owned the dam. Pete called me and told me they had one that would fit my style. I’m not sure how they knew, but this horse definitely did. Morris Kulmer, my good friend and client, bought him as a late yearling, and he’s been in my program ever since. He’s been special from the beginning. We knew he was great-minded from the start,” Fappani shared.

That colt was Thee American Dream, by Magnum Chic Dream out of Gunner Git Ya Dun. With Fappani at the reins, the colt performed a picturesque pattern, resulting in a score of 224 to tie for the win of the Open Level 4, worth $12,720. “We didn’t know how tough he was going to be, but this was his first outing and it turned out pretty special,” he said.

Fappani added that Thee American Dream had an almost veteran-like feel in the show pen. “Coming in I felt pretty confident because he felt really solid, like an older horse. The only thing he did was I lost his attention just a bit on the first maneuver because he was looking at the judges and we had a small overturn penalty, but after that, he locked in and was solid all the way through,” he recounted.

He added, “I didn’t go for broke, but I wanted to push him and see what I had and see if it was the same as what I had outside the pen. He was exactly the same horse, and the longer we were in the pen, the more relaxed he got. By the time we were done with the run, he was really hooked up and I was really happy with it.”

For Fappani, the decision to forego a run-off was an easy one. “We need to remember that these are pre-futurities and they are to get the horses ready for Oklahoma City. I think it would be kind of crazy to do a run-off just trying to win some money and a title. What we’re trying to do is build these horses up,” he said.

Fappani made sure to give special thanks to Pete and Tamara Kyle, as well as Morris Kulmer. “I thank Morris. He’s had a few really nice horses with me. He didn’t see this horse before we bought him, but I called him and said, ‘Morris, you told me to keep an eye out for the next one, and this will be it.’ He trusts me and my program, and that’s what makes it all happen,” he said.

Arno Honstetter & Gunnabetopdog Take Hollywoodstinseltown Open Futurity Level 3 Co-Championship

Arno Honstetter and Gunnabetopdog were the high money earners of the day, tying for the win of the Hollywoodstinseltown Open Futurity Level 3, winning the Open Level 2, and tying for third in the Open Level 4, bringing the day’s earnings to $13,415.

“He was very nice. He looked around when we walked in, so I just stood there until he relaxed. He turned good the first way, and then he settled in. When he loped off, I knew he was with me. He guided for me and I could just let him do his job,” Honstetter explained. “He was very nice. He worked better here on this ground. He’s a big stopper but our ground is not as easy as this. It allowed him to travel much further in his stop. I still have to work on a few things overall, but I was really happy with him and how he worked here.”

Gunnabetopdog, owned by Frederick Christen, is by Gunnatrashya out of Sparkle On Top, came through the Legacy Sale. “He was with Marco Ricotta when he was working for Storybook Stables, and then he went to Andrea Fappani,” Honstetter shared. “When Andrea decided on his futurity horses, this one came back to the farm, so I got to start riding him. This was my first show with him, and he was a lot of fun, so I’m looking forward to the rest of the year with him.”

With the great showing in Tulsa, Honstetter is looking forward to showing Gunnabetopdog at the NRHA Futurity. “We have a little more work to do, but I think by the end of the year I’ll be able to ask him for everything,” he said. “I thank my wife, as well as my bosses, Brenda Joyce and Rick Christen. They’re great and support me in any way they can.”

Kole Price Wins Hollywoodstinseltown Open Futurity Level 3 Co-Championship on Gunnastrikeyaout

Kole Price had a great day at the NRBC in the Hollywoodstinseltown Open Futurity. His three entries showed well, with Gunnastrikeyaout tying for the Open Level 3 Championship and finishing tied for third in the Open Level 4 for an $11,170 payday.

Gunnastrikeyaout, nicknamed Yadi after St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, is owned by Todd and Angie Albers. “They’re huge Cardinal fans. I’m a Cubs fan, so I’ve had to adjust to that,” Price laughed. Price started Gunnastrikeyaout, by Gunnatrashya and out of Strike A Star, as a two-year-old. “This was his first time to show. He’s a little lazy, so I was able to chase him out there pretty good. He showed exactly how I was hoping and how I had planned he would,” Price said.

Price noted that the colt’s mind and good looks bode well for his show career. “He’s been very easy in general. He’s great-minded, and I think he has so much eye appeal out in the show ring. I’m excited about him,” he said. “We’ll go home and give him a few weeks off before going to Memphis. After that, we will just tune him up for the Futurity. I think he can be a contender there even if there is a lot of the year left.”

Price’s other entries did well, with Four Oh One K, owned by Jesse Asmussen, finishing fifth in the Level 4 and third in the Level 3 to win $8,036. His third entry, Trendsetter, who he owns with Thomas Moffit, marked a respectable 217 as well. “I was very happy with all three of them. They all showed exactly how I was hoping and thinking they would. So far, it’s been a very great week for us,” he said.

Price added, “I thank Todd and Angie Albers and all my owners. I thank my wife, Kelsey, for all she does so that I don’t have to. I thank my groom, my farrier, my vet, my sponsors, and everyone behind the scenes. I’m the one who gets to show in the spotlight, but I think they’re the ones who deserve the recognition.”

Julia Roshelli Wins Level 1 Open Co-Championship on Cee Mi Diablo

Julia Roshelli’s game plan for showing Cee Mi Diablo in the Hollywoodstinseltown Open Futurity was simple; show him smart. The pair competed at the Mid-Atlantic Reining Horse Association Futurity a few weeks ago. While they had done very well, Roshelli knew there were a few things she could have done differently. In the Ford Truck Arena, Cee Mi Diablo, by Inferno 66 out of Brennas Cee, performed every maneuver asked of him, resulting in a score of 217 which clinched the Open Level 1 Co-Championship and tied for fifth in the Level 2 for a check for $1,549.

“When anyone has asked me how he did today, my answer is ‘perfect,’ because he absolutely was,” Roshelli shared. “The Mid-Atlantic was the only other time he’s ever shown. He was good there and continued on with that here.”

Cee Mi Diablo, owned by J & B Partnership, was started by Roshelli’s boss Brandon Brant as a two-year-old. “We’ve had him ever since. Brandon put a lot of time on him, and I’ve been on him most of his three-year-old year. Brandon helps me every day with this horse. He’s turning out to be a great horse with a great mind,” she said.

Although Roshelli is done showing for the week, she won’t be slowing down. “I had another three-year-old I had shown in the Developing Futurity, and then Brandon will show his two derby horses next week in the Classic. We also have a non pro in the Classic, and then a non pro in the ancillary classes,” she said. “The list of people I need to thank could go on and on, but of course I thank Brandon and Cathy Brant. They’re always so supportive with Brandon helping and teaching me and Cathy is always behind the scenes doing so much for us. I also thank my parents at home, as well as our great group of friends and clients.”

Diego Gaona and Custom Made Voodoo Take Level 1 Open Co-Championship

It was only the second time for Custom Made Voodoo to see the show pen, but the colt, by Shiners Voodoo Dr out of Custom Josie, put together a stellar run with Diego Gaona at the reins. The pair scored a 217 to tie for the Open Level 1 and fifth in the Level 2 divisions, collecting $1,549. “I really just wanted this to be a confidence-building run and for us to be penalty-free. I put a little pressure on him in some spots to see how he was going to do, and overall, it worked out alright,” Gaona said. “I had shown him in Denver, and he was good there. He definitely had gotten a little lost in some spots there, but that’s from being green. He stepped up for this show, and I’m happy with him.”

Gaona started the colt as a two-year-old. “I kind of know everything about him. He’s super mellow, and very consistent every day. He’s just one of those horses that you know what to expect when you get out there. He’s a lot of fun to ride, and extremely easy to get along with,” he said.

Gaona has only been showing reining horses for about four years. “I’d ridden some reiners and started a lot of two-year-olds, but I just actively started showing the last four years. I’m trying to get in the show pen more,” he shared. “I have a lot of people to thank. I thank my clients who have been tremendous in supporting me and trusting me with their horses. I thank my family and my wife, Shaley, who is always behind me. Thank you to everyone here at the show and the show staff who is putting it on. It’s been a crazy year so to be able to come horse show is a lot of fun.”

The popular Hollywoodstinseltown Open Futurity is held annually at the Tulsa Reining Classic, and has long been sponsored by one of the reining industry’s most successful owner teams, Dave and Bonnie Silva. It is named for their late stallion, Hollywoodstinseltown.

Hollywoodstinseltown was sired by NRHA Seven Million Dollar Sire and Hall of Famer Hollywood Dun It and out of Silva’s NRBC Open Champion and NRHA Leading Dam Miss Tinseltown. The sparkling golden stallion had it all – incredible looks, phenomenal movement, and a great mind – and those attributes earned huge rewards in the show pen.

He was an NRHA Futurity finalist, an NRBC Intermediate Open Champion, NRHA Derby Reserve Champion, and member of the 2010 Gold Medal-Winning World Equestrian Games Team with Tim McQuay. His lifetime earnings exceed $185,000. As his competitive career wound down, it was already evident that Hollywoodstinseltown would leave as dramatic a mark on the breeding world as he had in the arena.

His foals showed promise early, catapulting him past the NRHA Million Dollar Sire mark in 2017, then crossed the $2 million milestone in 2019. His offspring currently have earnings over $2.5 million. For more information on Hollywoodstinseltown and Silva Reining Horses, visit the website at www.SilvaReining.com.