The National Reining Breeders Classic has been enrolling foals in its program since 1997. The enrollments climbed steadily through 2008 then, like the rest of the equine industry, experienced a large drop in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Since then, the numbers have gradually trended upward.
The enrollments are just being finalized for 2021, and the news is exciting! With 2,633 foals enrolled, 2021 has become the third-highest enrollment year in the history of the NRBC, exceeding 2020’s enrollments by 180 foals, and nearing the high numbers set in 2007 and 2008.
“We are excited to see this recovery and upward trend for our industry,” said NRBC President Tom McCutcheon. “All the exposure that reining is getting nationally is reflected in enrollments and the reining horse business in general.”
NRBC Secretary-Treasurer Cheryl Cody agreed. “That impulsion has made it more important than ever to have foals in the NRBC. We are so glad that the reining world has recognized the significance of enrollment and how it adds value to foals.”
“With the eligibility for the Classic now including 4, 5, 6 and 7-year-old horses, the benefit has been substantially enhanced. Plus, enrolled horses 8-years-old and over are eligible for advancement to the Classic Challenge program, which continues to reward their performance.”
In another aspect of the NRBC program, the large number of new stallions coming into the program, it appears that upward trajectory has extended to stallion enrollments. “Although stallion enrollments are not due until February 1, our best preliminary projections show an increase from previous years,” Cody added.
The NRBC was created in the fall of 1997, and through the support of the breeder and exhibitors of the reining industry, has grown to become one of the top three reining aged events in the world and the most successful stallion incentive program in reining history. Now known as the Million Dollar Show, the NRBC has paid out over $24 Million in the past 24 years.
This year’s NRBC is slated for April 17-24 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas and the Silver Anniversary event marks the 25th year for the NRBC!
The National Reining Breeders Classic will celebrate its 25th-anniversary event April 17-24 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. Known as the Million Dollar Show for its annual payout in excess of a million dollars for each event since 2005, the show added money is funded by the NRBC stallion and foal enrollments. The NRBC program has long been regarded as the most successful of its kind in reining history, paving the way for similar entities.
Since 1997, fees and structure for NRBC foal enrollments have stayed constant with no increases or changes. However, according to NRBC Secretary-Treasurer Cheryl Cody, there will be a change in 2022. Cody explained, “After 25 years, we are finally going to have a slight fee increase of $50 for the weanling foal enrollment, changing it to $250.”
What is unique about NRBC foal enrollments is that 100% of the enrollment funds go directly into the show’s purse, so this change will impact the amount of money that is paid out to riders of all levels. Cody continued, “Knowing how fee increases can impact breeders, the Officers and Board of the NRBC have been very slow to make any changes or fee increases, but we all definitely want the NRBC to keep up with other events in terms of payouts.”
She outlined the organization’s structure. “Per our original by-laws, NRBC foal enrollment money is placed into FDIC insured Certificates of Deposit until the foals’ 4-year-old year, just prior to the show. When we began, the interest rate was such that the money grew substantially in three-and-a-half years and really enhanced the purse. In recent years, with interest rates so low, that type of interest growth has been stagnant, so we are excited to track the impact this will have on the purse in 2026!”
Fees for other age foal enrollments – yearlings, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds and up – will remain the same as they have been since the NRBC’s beginning in 1997 – and foal enrollments will continue to be due each year by September 15. NRBC enrolled foals have four years of eligibility and can be shown as 4, 5, 6 and 7-year-olds; then can be advanced into the Classic Challenge program to continue showing throughout their careers. For more information or to enroll foals, go to nrbc.com or call 580-759-3939.
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.
Reiners have been enrolling foals in the National Reining Breeders Classic Program since 1997. After so many years, enrollment in the NRBC has become an integral part of raising reining horse prospects, adding value and creating opportunities. Last year, 2,645 foals from around the world became a part of the program, pushing the total number of horses enrolled in NRBC to nearly 54,000.
The first enrollment deadline of the year doesn’t come until September 15, but many foals are now enrolled upon birth. The first one to become an official 2022 NRBC enrollee, a foal by Jacs Electric Spark out of Wind Her Up Chic, was born on January 3 and enrolled within weeks of her birth by owner Tim Anderson of Milbank, South Dakota.
Wind Her Up Chic (Smart Chic Olena X Wind Her Up Doc) is on the National Reining Horse Association’s Leading Dam Top 10 List with $752,894 in offspring earnings and Jacs Electric Spark is an NRHA $3 Million Sire, so the lovely bay filly has a bright future ahead of her.
Anderson didn’t get to keep her long. He explained, “She was born at Toyon Ranch, and Mike McEntire got to see her before I did. He was down there and fell in love with her. He called and wanted to buy her for Shenandoah Ranch, in Plymouth, Calif., which he manages. I usually don’t keep fillies for the most part, so we made the deal. After I saw her in person, even though I know she’s going to a great program, she was so good-looking that I wasn’t sure I had done the right thing!”
But the purchase was complete, so Tim immediately enrolled her in the NRBC. He said, “I’m a strong supporter of the NRBC. It’s a great program and the show is a great model for any event.”
Interestingly, Anderson’s first trip to the NRBC was with another Jacs Electric Spark mare he owned, Lost In Tinseltown, that was the high scoring mare of the 2011 L4 Classic.
Since its inception, the NRBC has grown to include over 225 subscribed stallions with over 30 new sires coming into the program in the past year. The 2022 NRBC Show will take place April 17-24 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. For information on the NRBC, visit the web site at www.nrbc.com or call 580-759-3939.
As the first horse out in the final set of Saturday night’s adrenaline-charged NRBC Open Classic Finals, Tinker With Dreams and Dany Tremblay held the approval of the crowd from start to finish to secure a dream win. The 7-year-old stallion sired by Tinker With Guns and out of This Chicsdundreamin is owned by Shane and Kalicia Walters of Diamond Dub Quarter Horses and was bred by Rhodes River Ranch.
Tremblay and Tinker With Guns, aka “Cilantro,” were awarded $62,500 to add to the stallion’s NRHA lifetime earnings coming into the NRBC of $194,000. Tremblay says the elite equine athlete absolutely rose to this prestigious occasion. “The last couple of days we really tuned up and he knew what we were here to do. He went into that pen and it was like he knew exactly what we were doing. He knows the sound of the crowd and he’s just a show horse,” said Tremblay.
Tremblay, a two-time NRBC Open Level 3 Champion, who has also won a Level 4 Reserve Championship, says it’s a great feeling to earn the ultimate crown. “I’m glad that I did it with Shane and Kalicia,” he said. “They are great customers. They are awesome.”
Kalicia was on hand to express her mutual appreciation. “We are such big fans of Cilantro and Dany and the team together, so we knew this win was coming. We just didn’t know when, but I’m so glad it’s right now. The crowd was with us, we had our friends, and it was so exciting.”
“He loves the crowd,” said Tremblay. “It’s super fun to show that kind of a horse and I don’t think there are many of those types. They are happy to do it and work harder for you.”
Beyond high praise for Cilantro, Tremblay said, “Thank you to my team here. Thank you to Shane and Kalicia. They trust us with the horses, and they make it easy and fun.”
“Shane and I would like to thank Fred and Dany Tremblay for doing an amazing job,” added Kalicia. “Their program and the whole team is amazing. There is so much support; it’s the best I’ve ever seen, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.”
When the announcement of a 228.5 score was made, Tremblay says that he, like Vanlandingham, was comfortable with opting to accept the co-championship rather than running it off in anticipation of more high-stakes runs in the near future.
Jason Vanlandingham
Level 4 Open Co-Champion – Jason Vanlandingham & A Vintage Smoke
NRHA Triple Crown winner A Vintage Smoke (A Sparkling Vintage x Lady Smoke Peppy x Mr Dual Pep) entered this evening’s Finals with the chance at becoming a two-time NRBC Open Classic Champion—and pulled it off. Ridden by NRHA $2 Million Dollar Rider Jason Vanlandingham, A Vintage Smoke set the pace at draw No. 26 with a masterful 228.5 performance that held through the 34-horse field.
Making a statement with their run-in entrance and endless sliding stop, A Vintage Smoke and Vanlandingham had the audience on the edge of their seats until the end. “Any time I go through the gate on that horse, the crowd is great,” said Vanlandingham. “And it was no exception tonight. They were behind us the whole way. When you have a special horse—and I heard them with Dany tonight, too—the crowd can really step up and I think the horses feed off of that energy. Definitely the great horses, they step their game another level when the crowd is that involved.”
A Vintage Smoke is owned by Diane Messmer of Colorado and was bred by Karl and Debbie Hapcic. The six-year-old black stallion added $62,500 tonight to his NRHA lifetime earnings coming into NRBC of $393,761.
Of how this win compares with he and A Vintage Smoke’s first NRBC Level 4 Open title, Vanlandingham says there’s a stark contrast. “The first time, he was a four-year-old coming straight off a win at the Futurity and it was the young horse going against the older horses,” he said. “Now it’s the opposite. He’s the older, more mature horse but now I have to keep everything together.”
Vanlandingham takes nothing for granted with respect to the caliber of horsepower underneath him, which in part played into this decision to share the championship with Tremblay rather than to run it off. “He’s all heart and guts and I know what I have,” he said. “We’re both planning on showing these horses more this year, so why waste it? They are both champions right now and we will save that run for the next one.”
Vanlandingham summed up the night with gratitude for the horseflesh and the opportunities that he has to make his livelihood as an elite reiner. “Thank the good Lord and Diane,” he said. “We are blessed to do what we do. For me to be able to it with my family and with my wife by my side, I’m just blessed.”
Gunny Mathison
Level 3 Open Classic Champion – Gunny Mathison & Shes Reddy On Line
Level 3 Open Classic Champions Gunny Mathison and Shes Reddy On Line stepped up in response to the electric atmosphere at this evening’s NRBC Open Classic Finals. Mathison and the 2016 mare, sired by Shine On Line and out of Guns R Reddy, owned and bred by Mary Jansma, were awarded $21,875 and a plethora of first-class awards thanks to their 225 score.
“I saw all the people in the crowd, and it just changes your perspective,” Mathison said of the increased confidence he felt after hitting his first stop on the run-in Finals pattern. “I ran in and stopped, and it felt good because she’s a great stopper. It felt amazing.”
The charismatic horseman, a Houston-area native, stepped up in response to performing in front of a hometown crowd, but says he knew he had to achieve a flawless performance in order to win the ultra-competitive Level 3 Open. He was pleasantly surprised to finish fifth in the Level 4 for $22,500. “I knew I could, but it feels good to pull it off once in a while,” he said. “The hardest part is staying focused enough just to get it done.”
Mathison Reining Horses makes its home in Tioga, Texas, where Mathison says he’s grateful for the support team behind his winning program. “Mary Jansma for breeding this horse, my owners Tom and Cindy at Bozidar Ranch who have been with me literally through thick and thin. I know they always have my back,” he said adding an emotional tip of the hat to his other half. “I’d like to thank my wife, Monica, for all she does for me. All of my employees—Hava Vital and Dakota Guthridge. There are so many people to thank. I don’t think I really deserve the credit for this. It’s all the people that helped me get here and the horse, she deserves it, she didn’t quit.”
Eduardo Salgado
Level 2 Open Classic – Eduardo Salgado & Isnt She Dreamy
Eduardo Salgado and Isnt She Dreamy achieved a score of 219.5 to tie for the Level 2 Limited Open Classic championship. Owned by Renata Lemann, the five-year-old mare is by NRHA $6 Million Sire Magnum Chic Dream and out of Miss Silver Gun.
“I’m very proud of Eduardo and mare,” said Renata Lemann. “The mare has a very strong heart and gives everything. She is very special. I have known Eduardo since I was in Brazil, and I think he has a gift of knowing the horses and knowing which horse will fit the client best, he knows how to take the best from each horse and make it better.”
“The run, I thought it was perfect,” said Salgado. “She is stopping so good. She gave it all to me tonight. “I have ridden her for two years. The mare wasn’t shown much before this. This is the first show to show hard, and I love her. She was amazing.”
Salgado, who said this is his first major win at NRBC, said, “For me this is the best show in the reining world, the best horses and best trainers.”
Salgado began training reiners in Brazil in 1999 before moving to the United States in 2013. He now trains out of Gainesville, Texas, and said he appreciates the support of his clients, Diane Boeckman and Renata Lemann. “I have some good horses for this year. Thank you for everything to my team and my wife, my kids, my customers Renata and Diane.”
Leo Kellerman
Level 2 Open Classic – Leo Kellerman & Blazed By Magnum
With a solid 219.5 performance in Saturday’s NRBC Open Classic Finals, it was Leo Kellerman and Blazed By Magnum claiming the Level 2 Limited Open win, which paid 6,866.
The NRBC is Kellerman’s second show with the 2016 stallion owned by Diane Yoder and bred by Holy Cow Performance Horses, Texas, LLC. After marking a 214.5 in the prelims, Kellerman called harder on the son of NRHA $6 Million Sire Magnum Chic Dream out of Blazed By Commander and Blazed By Magnum answered the call. “We didn’t run as fast as in the first go as we did in the second go,” Kellerman said. “He was good both times, we just ran a little faster this time.”
The first-time NRBC Open finalist is enjoying the ride. “I really love it, it’s really fun. He’s a really special horse. He’s a big stopper and really good-minded,” Kellerman said.
Kellerman has been a member of the elite Fappani Performance Horses team for the past two-and-a-half years and began showing in 2020. The native of Brazil says he started riding reining horses at the age of 11 and moved to the United States at age 19. “I really love working at Andrea’s,” he said. “We always have him by our side to teach us and help us through everything. He gives us advice all the time with everything.”
Kellerman thanks God first and foremost, as well as his family and the entire team at Fappani Performance Horses in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is particularly thankful to Andrea for mentoring him. “I thank Diane Yoder, the owner of the horse. We are really happy to have this horse with us.”
Lucio Pontes Casalecchi
Level 1 Classic Open – Lucio Pontes Casalecchi & Ruffed Up Spooks
Capturing the NRBC Level 1 Open Classic win was Lucio Pontes Casalecchi riding Ruffed Up Spooks for owner Ixtul Quarter Horses, LLC. Ruffed Up Spooks and Casalecchi marked a 217.5 to win the division. Ruffed Up Spooks, sired by NRHA $2 Million Sire Spooks Gotta Gun and out of All Ruffed Up, is a 2016 stallion that was bred by Silver Spurs Equine.
Casalecchi and Ruffed Up Spooks also made the Level 2 Finals. “[This is] my second time to show here at the NRBC.,” Casalecchi said. “I made the L1 Finals the first time, but this year I made Level 1 and 2.”
“I think he gave me everything he had,” Casalecchi said of the horse’s effort in the Finals. “He stopped really big, and it was all good. Ruffed Up Spooks is a five-year-old now and is a real consistent horse. I love him. I have been riding him for one year.”
Casalecchi, who is 24 and hails from Brazil, has ridden reiners since the age of 12. “My uncle is a horse trainer, so I started to ride with him. I came to the United States two years ago where I work for Thiago Boechat. I thank my boss, Thiago Boechat [in Purcell, Oklahoma], and the owner of the horse, Lorenzo Vargas.”
When asked how he felt about competing at NRBC, Casalecchi replied, “It’s awesome. I love this place!”
Casalecchi is looking forward to the upcoming NRHA Derby and said he plans to stick the same winning strategy he employed here at NRBC. He qualified two horses to the Open Classic Finals; the other is Xtra Voodoolicious owned by Boechat, which he guided to a top 10 finish in the Level 1.
Shawn Flarida
Development Division – Shawn Flarida and Americas Got Talent
Prime Time Open Classic – Shawn Flarida and Shine Colt Shine
Emerging as the winner of the Open Classic Development Division with a score of 221 to earn $9,606 was NRHA $6 Million Rider Shawn Flarida and Americas Got Talent. Americas Got Talent, by NRHA $12 Million Sire Wimpys Little Step and out of Americasnextgunmodel, is a 2017 stallion owned by Marie H Whitmarsh and bred by Arcese Quarter Horses USA.
Americas Got Talent came to Flarida’s program in January. “He has an enormous amount of talent. This is the first time I’ve ever shown him. He circles amazing. What a fun horse,” said Flarida, adding that he looks forward to gaining more show experience with the feely equine athlete. “I pretty much just treated him like a three-old-old that I’ve never shown before and made sure that he was pretty comfortable.”
Flarida kept his win streak running hot when he topped the Prime Time Open Classic aboard Shine Colt Shine with a 222. The five-year-old stallion is sired by Shine Chic Shine out of Gunners Miss Oak and is owned by Gaynia Revenberg and bred by Amabile & Strusiner. “This is a great horse and I’m just happy to be in this position,” Flarida said. “I was second in the reining futurity on him, this has been an awesome horse for me.”
Coming back with three Level 4 finalists was right in line with the leading rider’s passion for competition. “I love to compete,” he said. “This is obviously my life. This is the toughest event there is and it’s an honor to get three back.”
Flarida said the huge-stopping colt did not disappoint on Finals’ night. “He’s a tremendous athlete, obviously his stop is his best deal and he’s big and gorgeous. He’s out of a Chic mare on the bottom with a Gunner so that just helps him with his maneuvers. He’ll go from here to the NRHA Derby.”
“There are so many people I need to thank,” added Flarida. “All my sponsors. The owner of Americas Got Talent, Marie Whitmarsh, she’s been awesome and so supportive. The owners of Shine Colt Shine, Gus and Gaynia Revenberg, have been tremendous supporters for my entire career. My wife, my two sons and daughter; my family is the backbone of my business, and all of my help. It wouldn’t be possible without all of them.”
When the curtain closed on the Level 4 Non Pro Classic Finals, it was NRHA $2 Million Rider Mandy McCutcheon and JLosa scoring a 224.5 to cinch the championship and $30,000. JLosa, by Arlosa Whiz and out Spook N Jessie, is owned by Mandy and her husband Tom McCutcheon.
“I bought her last fall from Fred Thommson and Josefine Spangfors,” Mandy said. “They did all the work on her; I’m just getting to enjoy the glory. I tried for a long time to buy her.”
JLosa made a special first impression on Mandy. “Her stop is what caught my eye and I just watched her the whole time Josefine had her. I loved the look in her eye. It looked like the thoughts in her mind would be good thoughts.”
After showing JLosa at the Cactus Classic in the Open, Mandy said she gained valuable experience and adjusted a few things accordingly. “I used that run really to learn how to show her,” she said. Her changes paid big dividends by the time they arrived at NRBC.
Unofficially, McCutcheon is nearing NRBC earnings of $700,000. This year marks her eighth NRBC Non Pro Classic championship, but Mandy said it’s especially meaningful considering her daughter Carlee’s success in the Finals. “That part was amazing. That put it right over the top for me,” she said of Carlee earning dual Non Pro championships.
In the time leading up to NRBC there was some horse-swapping amongst the McCutcheon ladies, but the final decisions regarding horse and rider pairings were good ones. “Cade said, ‘Mom, you’ve got to give her Dununzio [Dun With Guns].’ Her big brother was looking out for her,” Mandy said. “She had three horses in the finals today and she showed every single one of them so smart. She showed each horse to its ability and I couldn’t be more proud of her.”
While a little horse trading is customary among the McCutcheons, Mandy said with a smile, “I’m not sharing JLosa. For now, momma’s keeping her. That’s the plan anyway.”
Mandy expressed her gratitude to the team behind her on her journey to the NRBC winner’s circle. “My parents, my husband, Cade, Carlee, the crew at the barn, my crew that stays home and makes it so we can be away showing. They make it possible for us to do what we do.”
Carlee McCutcheon
NRBC Level 3 & Level 2 Classic Champion – Carlee McCutcheon & Dun With Guns
Keeping the winning trend going strong in her family was Carlee McCutcheon, 15, of Aubrey, Texas, who won the Level 3 and Level 2 Non Pro Classic championships. Carlee rode Dun With Guns to a 218.5 to earn a combined $18,500. By NRHA $4 Million Dollar Sire Gunners Special Nite and out of Belle Star Dunn It, Dun With Guns is owned by Carlee’s parents, Tom and Mandy McCutcheon, and was bred by Turnabout Farm, Inc.
McCutcheon, who has been in Katy, Texas, since January attending the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show with her hunter/jumpers, shifted gears into reining with ease as she prepared in the week leading up to NRBC. “Pin Oak started in January, so I haven’t ridden many reiners since then. I just have to focus as much as I can and switch over,” she said.
Of her performance in the Finals, Carlee said her parents told her to go have fun, and that is exactly what she did. “It was a lot of fun. My horse was with me every step. He’s super smart and honest, and I just trust him.”
Carlee thanked her parents and grandparents, Tim and Colleen McQuay, as well as her brother Cade for all their help and support, along with Sara Willeman of Turnabout Farms for breeding Dun With Guns.
Anna Harris
NRBC Level 1 Non Pro Classic Champion – Anna Harris
Sixteen-year-old Anna Layne Harris from Sheridan, Arkansas, made her first NRBC count when she captured the Level 1 Non Pro Classic Championship riding Ready N Willing with a 215.5 in the Finals. The 2015 gelding sired by NRHA $3 Million Sire Walla Walla Whiz and out of Dainty Dunit is owned by Delaina Harris and was bred by Arcese Quarter Horses USA.
“I didn’t know what to think coming in, but I was really excited that everything went smooth. Overall, I was just happy that he performed,” Harris said.
Harris, who rides with Yonathan Baruch, invested a lot of time and miles into preparing for the NRBC. “We drive every weekend to Texas, it’s about four hours [one way] so we drive about eight hours to go ride. We went to Tulsa not long ago and cruised him through and it was really smooth. We watched the videos and saw what we could fix and just went in thinking of how to avoid any mistakes.”
Ready N Willing, aka “Red,” qualified with Baruch to the NRHA Futurity Level 4 Finals before Harris and her family acquired him. “I tried him in December, and we ended up buying him then. He rides a lot like my old horse, so it was very easy to step on him and adjust. He’s very quirky, he likes scratches and anything he can eat.”
Harris said her horse handled the run-in pattern for the NRBC Finals with confidence. “I had run very few run-in patterns, so I was very excited to get to do that. He was really free and his circles were really good. I was nervous about the turns, but he got through it good.”
Harris thanked her parents, Delaina and Shane Harris, the entire crew at Baruch Reining Horses, and “I have to thank God for the talent He has given me.”
Shaunda Rai Blinzler
NRBC Prime Time Non Pro Classic Champion – Shaunda Rai Blinzler & Tagin Stiletto Chics
The Champions of the Prime Time Non Pro was Shaunda Rai Blinzler and Tagin Stiletto Chics with a 219. By NRHA $4 Million Sire Gunners Special Nite and out of the mare Stiletto Tag, Tagin Stiletto Chics was bred by Jennifer Marley.
Blinzler of Scottsdale, Arizona, acquired Tagin Stiletto Chics, aka “Duke,” right before Christmas and has been working to form a partnership that proved to be fruitful at NRBC. “He’s a lot of fun, he’s super honest. I’ve just tried to learn him because I literally haven’t had much time with him. It’s been a crash course in learning,” she laughed.
Of her Finals performance, Blinzler said, “He ran in really good. I’ve been having a little bit of trouble with my spins, but I felt like I got through it good and the rest of the run he was really pure and really honest. There’s just not much more you can ask of them than that.”
Blinzler, a former NRBC Level 4 Non Pro Champion, estimates that she showed at her first NRBC in 2007 but said she hasn’t had a derby horse in several years and is happy to be back with a good one. “It was amazing,” she said. “It feels really good to be back [at NRBC]. It’s fun to be back and to see all of these people again.”
Blinzler thanked her trainer Cade McCutcheon, as well as her husband Ronnie, and the entire McCutcheon team.
The National Reining Breeders Classic, held at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas, is a must-attend event, not only for the prestigious Classic but also for the two full slates of horse show classes that are held throughout the week.
The ancillary action kicked off Tuesday, April 20, in both the Wheless and Tellepsen Arenas, with more than 117 entries across the classes. Complete results can be found at www.NRBC.com.
Colin Fitzpatrick
Intermediate and Limited Open – Colin Fitzpatrick & Ruf Up My Jersey
In the Tellepsen Arena, Intermediate and Limited Open riders competed with the team of Colin Fitzpatrick and Ruf Up My Jersey winning both divisions. Sired by Yellow Jersey and out of Dunit A Lil Ruf, Ruf Up My Jersey is owned by Teresa Goforth, of Tioga, Texas. A combined paycheck of $1,341 was awarded thanks to Dunit A Lil Ruf’s 144.5.
Originally from Canada, Fitzpatrick lives in Whitesboro, Texas, where he works for Brian Bell at Bell Ranch. “We’ve got a really good group at Bell Ranch,” Fitzpatrick said. “We’ve got a great group of clients and a good team. Everyone supports each other and we have a lot of fun.”
Winning is always fun, and today that certainly proved to be the case for Fitzpatrick, who went into the competition with the goal of making a strong, confidence-building run with Dunit A Lil Ruf. “I showed him here in Katy in order to get some seasoning,” Fitzpatrick said. “I had shown him a little bit in Hamilton [Texas] a couple of weeks ago and found a few things I needed to work on there. When I got here, I had a plan to get him ready and it all worked out.”
Fitzpatrick intends to show Dunit A Lil Ruf more in the future in hopes of adding to the horse’s winning resume. “I’m going to show him a few more times here just to get a few more miles put on him, and the end goal will be to get him ready for his owner, Teresa Goforth, to show him,” he said.
Reserve champion in the Intermediate Open was Spin N Wimp, ridden by Joshua Crawley for owner Denise Ann Severson-Hobbs, with a 144 worth $801. Spin N Wimp is sired by NRHA $12 Million Dollar Sire Wimpys Lil Step and out of the mare Spinning Beauty.
Reserve in the Limited Open was Alpha Trashyanicki, ridden by Jeronimo Leal Lobo for owner Esteban Posada Olarte to a 143 worth $187. Alpha Trashyanicki is sired by NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya and out of Chexanicki.
Katie Davis
Rookie Pro – Katie Davis and Chicsdundreamin
Chicsdundreamin and Katie Davis had a dream day in Katy, Texas, where they won the Rookie Pro division with a 141.5 to earn $241. The 2007 gelding by NRHA Six Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream and out of the mare Goody Goody Gum Drop is owned Nancy Stillwell, of Weatherford, Texas.
Davis, who resides in Weatherford, Texas, where she works for Deary Performance Horses, explained that family ties run deep with the horse she rode to victory today. “Chicsdundreamin belongs to Nancy and Allen Stillwell, who are Casey’s in-laws, and they’ve been very gracious to let me show him,” she said.
Davis, who says she had previously shown Chicsdundreamin mainly at smaller, local shows said that her run today was exhilarating. “He was showing like he was a young boy again,” Davis said. “He’s got a lot of talent; he’s got a lot of earnings and it’s all to the horse’s credit.”
In fact, Chicsdundreamin had NRHA lifetime earnings of $153,742 prior to arriving at the NRBC. Davis says she is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to show such a veteran performer.
“I especially thank Casey and Nicole Deary, and of course Nancy and Allen Stillwell, as well as all of my teammates at Deary Performance Horse because we couldn’t function as a farm without each and every one of us doing our part.”
Reserve in the Rookie Pro was Baileys Not Painted, ridden by Matheus Victor Vieiria for owner Kristen Cantacuzene. Baileys Not Painted is by NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Gunners Special Nite and out of Darlins Not Painted.
Limited Non Pro – Tamara Bush & Little Joe Vintage
It’s been five years since Tamara Bush has shown a reining horse. In fact, the last time she competed was at the 2016 NRBC. Unfortunately, an injury caused her to cease competing. “I hurt myself, and right after that NRBC I had a complete neck fusion,” Bush explained. “I stopped riding and got scared, but I got my guts back and decided to go for it, and this is our first show. It was a lot of fun. It’s awesome to be back at the NRBC. It’s the best show.”
What a first outing it was! Bush and Little Joe Vintage marked a 72 to win the Limited Non Pro in the Wheless Arena. “It felt really great. I lifted my hand a bit too much but he’s such a good, solid horse that he took care of me,” Bush said of the gelding, by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire A Sparkling Vintage out of Snappy N Smart Chic. “I couldn’t believe our score. I was just hoping I wouldn’t fall off and that I could get my lead changes, so I was 100% surprised.”
Bush and Little Joe Vintage will show again Thursday and possibly Sunday. “It all depends how it’s going.” She added, “I thank my guy Harper Conner and also Lorenzo Concarella who has given me some lessons and helped me get my confidence up.”
Tying for second in the Limited Non Pro were Arielle Hacking and Stephanie Stewart, who both marked scores of 71.5.
Hacking rode Alvin McDreamy, by NRHA Six Million Dollar Magnum Chic Dream out of Surely Whiz, while Stewart piloted A West Coast Flash, by West Coast Whiz out of Sheza Flashy Spook.
Tamra Kyle
Prime Time Non Pro – Tamra Kyle & KR Smart Dreamer
With a 72.5, Tamra Kyle and KR Smart Dreamer took the Prime Time Non Pro win in the Wheless Arena. “He was a good boy today. He was really quiet in the center, listened to me, and stayed relaxed,” Kyle said. “We had a couple bobbles in the Classic, and won’t make the finals there, so we thought we would come play in the other pens.”
Tamra and her husband Pete Kyle bred and raised KR Smart Dreamer, by NRHA Six Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream out of Smart Shiney Lena. They sold the colt but bought him back as a two-year-old. “He’s just a fun horse to ride. He’s super light, comfortable, always right there for you and he tries really hard,” she said. “We’ve done a lot of things with him like ranch riding, horsemanship, and reining. I enjoy showing him, and he enjoys being shown, so that’s what we will keep doing.”
The Kyles are members of the NRBC Board, and so the return to Katy is extra special. “I think when you’re away from some place for a bit, coming back is even more incredible. The facility has done an amazing job getting the grounds prepped and they continue to make improvements, so it is awesome. It’s such a different environment, and it is great to be back,” she said.
Finishing second in the Prime Time Non Pro with a score of 71.5 was Victoria Lambert on Magnums Chexy Dream. Magnums Chexy Dream is by Magnum Chic Dream out of Big Gold Chex.
Eric Mendrysa
Rookie L1 Champion, L2 and Yellowstone Rookie Shootout Round 1 Co-Champion – Eric Mendrysa & Scootin Through Town
Wednesday’s Rookie L1 Champion in the Wheless Arena was Eric Mendrysa of Boerne, Texas, riding Scootin Through Town. With a score of 72, Mendrysa also tied for the win in the Rookie L2, the Yellowstone Rookie Shootout Round 1, and the Run For A Million Rookie qualifier.
By NRHA $2 Million Sire Hollywoodtinseltown and out of the mare Scoot Lil Bo, Scootin Through Town and Mendrysa teamed up during the 2020 NRHA Futurity. “This is only our third or fourth show together,” said Mendrysa of the seven-year-old gelding. “We are still a pretty new team, but we are figuring things out.”
Mendrysa, who has shown AQHA all-around horses for years, has embraced the new challenge of riding reining horses—particularly here in Katy. “This is my first NRBC, and only my second year showing reining horses,” he said. “My favorite part of this show is getting to watch the open horses here because they have an unreal level of talent and it’s fun to watch. I’m looking forward to watching the finals.”
Despite the fact that the lead-up to today’s run was a bit rushed, Mendrysa appreciates the help he receives from his trainer Arnaud Ferrett in expertly preparing him and his horses. “I was early in the draw today and there were some scratches. I didn’t have much time to warmup, but it actually worked in my favor because I didn’t have time to get nervous. It was just get in and go and he [Scootin Through Town] took care of me. It was really fun,” he said.
Sharing the victory in the Rookie L2, Yellowstone Rookie Shootout Round 1 and the Run For A Million Rookie Qualifier was Katharine Cappe and her 2013 gelding Wallas Corona.
Wallas Corona, by NRHA $3 Million Sire Walla Walla Whiz and out of Coronas Major, has been partnered with Cappe for close to a year. “I got him right around the time that NRBC was supposed to happen last year. This is my first NRBC and we are off to a good start,” she said.
Of her run in the Wheless, Cappe says she was proud to have put forth the effort to improve upon a few details. “We showed yesterday, and it went really well, so the plan was to just try to improve on a few things from yesterday. Some days they come out here and you just know it is going to be good. That’s how he felt today. He was phenomenal,” Cappe said.
Cappe, a native of Maui, Hawaii, resides in Charleston, South Carolina, and rides with Dave Moore in Florida. “I’m thankful for the entire crew at Dave Moore Reining—Dave, Nicki, Kim and everyone who rides there. We are a big family and we love to travel and show together. Our next big show will be the North American Reining Stakes in July and then I guess we’re going to Vegas [in August]!”
Valencia Pitzing
Prime Time Rookie Champion – Valencia Pitzing & Baileys Sidekick
Topping the Prime Time Rookie was Valencia Pitzing aboard Baileys Sidekick, by NRHA $4 Million Sire Gunners Special Nite and out of A Shining Sidekick.
“Today, my turnarounds stood out to me,” Pitzing said of her 71.5-point run. “Overall the run felt good. He’s just a good horse and a good horse for me as a Rookie.”
Baileys Sidekick and Pitzing celebrated their relatively new partnership with the win. “I’ve only owned him for three months and this is just our third show together. This is my second time showing at the NRBC,” she explained.
Pitzing, who lives in Alabama, plans to finish out her year of Rookie eligibility with Baileys Sidekick and acquire a derby horse to show in the future. She appreciates the support and guidance of her trainer, Ruben Vandorp, of Aubrey, Texas. “He has a lot of patience with me,” she said. “We’re really doing well, and things are coming together with Baileys Sidekick.”
Novice Horse Non Pro Level 3 Co-Champion – Kary Key & Cant Spook Me
Kary Key and her horse Cant Spook Me tied for the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 3 win with a score of 144.
Key enjoys being reunited with Cant Spook Me, a home-raised product of her mother Pat Fletcher’s breeding program. “We bred and raised him, but we actually sold him as a two-year-old and got him back as a seven-year-old. I got to finally start showing him as a seven-and-up, now eight-and-up horse,” she explained.
By NRHA $2 Million Sire Spooks Gotta Gun and out of the mare Te On The Trashy Side, Cant Spook Me impressed Key in the Tellepsen Arena with his solid performance and strong momentum. “I was really happy to be going forward and running through the middle better because he’s always wanting to slow down, he’s never going to run off. We’re working on that and if I can stay out of his way, we usually do OK,” she said.
Enjoying the beautiful weather and laidback atmosphere, Key, of Millsap, Texas, added thanks to her mother for raising such a standout performer, as well as to trainer Jonathan Gauthier.
Sarah Armenta
Novice Horse Non Pro Level 3 Co-Champion – Sarah Armenta & Gun Smoke Dennis
It was the first show of 2021 for Sarah Armenta and Gun Smoke Dennis, but the pair put together a solid run, marking a 144 and tying for the win of the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 3.
Armenta, of Whitesboro, Texas, has been showing Gun Smoke Dennis, by Lil Dry Peppy and out of Gun Smoke Denise, for the past two years. “I first showed him at the Redbud Spectacular in Oklahoma City [Oklahoma], and then I took him to Switzerland for Team USA, and I’ve had him since.”
The college freshman was pleased to lay down a solid performance in her first run back since the NRHA Futurity. “My mom’s been showing him while I’ve been at school, and she has done pretty well. I thought, ‘I have to be better than my mom,’” Armenta joked.
Armenta was particularly proud of the quality of her consistently hard-stopping gelding’s circles during the run, and thanked trainers Casey Hinton and Jimmy van der Hoeven for their assistance. “Recently, with my riding schedule what it is, they’re helping me even more in the mornings when it’s tough for them. And I thank my mom, of course, and Robbie and Julia Berti, who I bought Gun Smoke Dennis from two years ago,” she said.
Darby Gardner
Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 – Darby Gardner & Chex Golden Tag
Coming out on top of the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 was Houston’s own Darby Gardner and her horse Chex Golden Tag, sired by NRHA $2 Million Sire Whiz N Tag Chex and out of the mare SR Cotton Candy, scoring a 143 to earn $561.
Gardner, who has been teamed with the horse she calls “Corn Pops” since acquiring him in December from the Texas A&M Equestrian Team, said her winning run was validation of her horse’s abilities. “I was surprised and super happy with him and I’m excited to keep moving forward. He was so much more with me today than yesterday; he just felt really good. It was like night and day.”
The recent college graduate thanks her trainer Franky Vazquez for his help and support and looks forward to showing more throughout the week at NRBC in the Limited Non Pro, Non Pro and Novice Horse divisions.
Molly Morgenstern
Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 – Molly Morgenstern & Macho In My Dreams
Molly Morgenstern, of Galina, Ohio, and Macho In My Dreams topped the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 with a 142.5 to earn $272.
Sired by NRHA $6 Million Sire Magnum Chic Dream and out of Ritas San Jo, Macho In My Dreams has been Morgenstern’s trusted equine partner for the past three years.
“We had kind of a rocky ride yesterday in the Derby,” she said. “I was pretty disappointed, but my trainer—and his wife, especially—encouraged me to enter today and give it a try again. I’m glad we did! We had a lot of fun showing, it was a fun afternoon.”
When asked if she was done showing for the week, Morgenstern said that determination has yet to be made. “I guess we’ll find out when we get back to the barn and talk about that,” she laughed, adding thanks to the support team behind her. “I’m super grateful for everything that Robin Schoeller has done for me. He has the patience of a saint and he and Laura have just held my hand through big shows and made sure that I was ready and not scared of anything on the other side of the gate.”
Frank Costantini & Ann Admonius
Markel Non Pro Commitment Award Presented to Ann Admonius!
Markel Insurance is a longtime sponsor of the NRBC and a staunch supporter of the reining industry. Several years ago, Markel and NRBC created a new award to recognize the Non Pro riders who go above and beyond to give back to the industry.
The Markel Non Pro Commitment Award recipient is always kept secret until it is presented during the Markel Non Pro Draw Party.
On hand to present this year’s award was Frank Costantini, Markel Director of Western Disciplines. Frank was excited to recognize Ann Admonius as this year’s recipient.
Rookie Level 2 (2), Prime Time Rookie (2), Yellowstone Shootout Round 2 & Rookie Level 2 High Point – Molly Cherry & Guaranteed A Magnum
Molly Cherry and Guaranteed A Magnum marked a score of 144.5 to win Thursday’s Rookie Level 2, Prime Time Rookie, Yellowstone Paramount Network Rookie Shootout Round 2, and the Rookie Level 2 High Point. Cherry is from Guthrie, Oklahoma, and made her first trip to NRBC with Guaranteed A Magnum, which was met with great success.
Guaranteed A Magnum, a 2013 gelding by Magnum With A Dream and out of Guaranteed By Amos, has NRHA lifetime earnings of $303,360 and was a Derby champion for Jimmy van der Hoeven. “He’s had a big Open career and now he’s adapting to me,” Cherry said. “It’s been great.”
Cherry felt that the strongest point of her run today was the precision of Guaranteed A Magnum’s circles. “We’re getting that figured out and gaining more confidence going faster,” she said.
Cherry added thanks for trainer Arnaut Ferret, as well as her friends and supporters. “He’s done amazing getting him adapted to me from that Level 4 type of horse,” she said. “We’ve had a great time and I want to thank him and his girlfriend, Lauren Love. Eric Mendrysa is in the barn and we all have a great time.”
Shelly Woldenerg
Rookie Level 1 (2) & The Run For A Million Rookie Qualifier (2) – Shelly Woldenberg & All Nite Spook
Winning Thursday’s Rookie Level 1 and the Run For A Million Rookie qualifier with a 143.5 was Shelly Woldenberg, of Miami, Florida, and her 2009 gelding All Nite Spook. Woldenberg has been showing the son of NRHA $6 Million Sire Smart Spook out of Dun It Fri Dee Nite for the past two-and-a-half years.
She says All Nite Spook is a pleasure to show because he always tries and is solid in all his maneuvers. “He always has at least plus-half spins, really nice circles, stops and rollbacks, and he’s always listening to me.”
Woldenberg thanked everyone at Sheridan Oaks Stable for their support and encouragement. “I thank my trainer Nikki Tyndall as well as Dave and Kim Moore,” she said.
The high school sophomore will show again on Friday in the Youth.
Valencia Pitzing
Prime Time Rookie High Point – Valencia Pitzing & Baileys Sidekick
Prime Time Rookie High Point champion Valencia Pitzing, of Dothan, Alabama, and her horse Baileys Sidekick performed like veterans at NRBC. Baileys Sidekick, by NRHA $4 Million Sire Gunners Special Nite and out of A Shining Sidekick, made his first trip to the NRBC with Pitzing, who has owned him for just three months.
“We are coming together as a team,” said Pitzing, who has attended NRBC twice. “He’s new and we’re learning together. I bought him from Ann Admonius. He’s takes good care of me as a Rookie level rider.”
Of winning the High Point, Pitzing says she was both surprised and ecstatic. “I wasn’t expecting to win the High Point, it’s awesome. This is a big, prestigious show and I was really surprised to win the High Point award,” she said.
Pitzing added appreciation for the team behind her. “I always thank my trainer, Ruben Vandorp, of Aubrey, Texas,” Pitzing added. “I’ve learned a lot, I’ve been with him now for two years and I’ve really tried to advance from a beginner up the ranks. He always has my horse ready for me.”
Colt Mitchell
Rookie Level 1 High Point – Colt Mitchell & Playgun Chic Olena
The Rookie Level 1 High Point champion was Colt Mitchell riding his sister Molly Mitchell’s gelding Playgun Chic Olena.
Playgun Chic Olena, by Smart Chic Olena and out of Mamas Packin, has carried Mitchell to many victories in the young rider’s career. The reiner from Missouri estimates that he has shown at NRBC since he was 6 years old. “I’m excited and going to try to come back next year and do even better. We’ll see if I can,” he said. “My horse is 17 and still gets it done for me, so I love him.”
Beyond expressing gratitude for his high-caliber horse, Mitchell appreciates the lengths his family goes to in order to help him achieve his goals. “First of all, I’d like to thank the good Lord above for keeping me safe,” Mitchell said. “I’d like to thank my whole family for all the support, and for helping me ride and training for me.”
