It’s less than 90 hours from the start of the 2022 National Reining Breeders Classic Non Pro preliminaries, and it’s only fitting that during its 25^th Anniversary event, the Million Dollar Show is setting records once again.

Although entries for this year’s Non Pro Classic won’t completely close until noon on April 17, this edition already boasts a record number of entries at 212 (as of 4/14/2022), up from 191 which in 2021. In addition, the added money for this year’s Open and Non Pro Classic is up by more than $65,000.

With so much on the line, it’s no surprise that the heavy hitters have already begun arriving in Katy to prepare for one of the most exciting shows of the year.

Reigning NRBC Level 4 Non Pro Champions Mandy McCutcheon and JLosa (Arlosa Whiz x Spook N Jessie) will return to the Great Southwest Equestrian Center’s Coliseum Arena on the first day of competition. McCutcheon, of Aubrey, Texas, is the National Reining Horse Association’s All Time Leading Non Pro, All Time Leading Female Rider, and boasts more than $3 million in lifetime earnings. She’s won the NRBC eight times with Dont Miss This (2002), Rawhides Banjo (2006 & 2007), I Spin For Chics (2008), Always Gotyer Gunsup (2012), Ms Whiz Dunit (2014), Party Nite (2019), and JLosa (2020).

In addition to JLosa, McCutcheon brings two other mounts to Katy. She’ll also show her 2020 NRHA L4 Non Pro Futurity Champion Shining At Nite (Gunners Special Nite x A Shining Sidekick), and Bewitchin Bella (In Like Flinn x Boomernic Bewitched).

Another 2021 Champion team, Carlee McCutcheon and Dun With Guns, returns this year. McCutcheon and Dun With Guns (Gunners Special Nite x Belle Starr Dun It) took top spots in last year’s Level 3 and Level 2. Those wins helped push 16-year-old McCutcheon up in eligibility, so she’ll only be vying for a Level 4 title this year.

McCutcheon will also show Starlights Voodoo (Shiners Voodoo Dr x Whizen Starlight) and Johnny Loves June (Lil Joe Cash x Whiz N Chexy Chic).

2021 Level 1 Champions Anna Harris and Ready N Willing (Walla Walla Whiz x Dainty Dunit) grace the roster this year, and are eligible for Non Pro Levels 1 – 4.

Reigning Non Pro Prime Time Champions Shaunda Rai Blinzler and Tagin Stiletto Chics (Gunners Special Nite x Stiletto Tag) are once again in the draw. Blinzler, who won the 2011 NRBC Level 4 Non Pro Championship on Rufanicki, will also show Smoke In Whizkey (Whizkey N Diamonds x Suga Suga) in the Non Pro Classic.

Last year’s Level 3 and Level 2 Reserve Champion Horse, Gotta Connection (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Smart Connection) returns to the GSEC with a new rider, Rylee Butler, and owner, Dawn Butler. Gotta Connection was shown in 2021 by Shelby Clausen.

2021 Level 1 Co-Reserve Champion with Rebecca Asmussen, Four Oh One Kay (Smart Spook x Miss Poco Whizard), now owned by Bur Oak, LLC, will also be competing with new rider Cappy Dryden.

In 2020, Indy Roper claimed the Level 4 title on Spooks Show Time (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Dolittle Lena). Roper has entered three horses this year, including Gals Love A Spook (Smart Spook x Wimpys Little Gal), MR Boaz (Not Ruf At All x Juicy Red Berry), and Wally Wonka (Walla Walla Whiz x Wimpys Coco Step).

Two time (2018 on Like Shiner & 2009 on Wound By Juice) NRBC Non Pro Level 4 Champion, Jose Vazquez, brings three bullets to Katy. The NRHA Two Million Dollar Owner and recent NRHA Hall of Fame inductee will ride Mr Chexy Dream (Magnum Chic Dream x Miss Chexy Lass), Xtra Smart Shiner (Shiners Voodoo Dr x SLJ Smartlikewhinny), and SLJ Corazon Valiente (Smart Like Juice x Wind Her Up Shiner).

Jack Medows won the 2017 NRBC Non Pro title on Chicsdreamofdiamonds, and this year he’s vying for a second title with Tribbiani (Gunnatrashya x Chicsdreamofdiamonds) and Dream On Whiz (Magnum Chic Dream x Ms Sassy Whiz).

Twelve years ago, Kim Muehlstaetter took the NRBC Non Pro title with Country Custom, and in 2022 she’ll be showing Late One Night (Late Night Stopper x Spooked Out Chex) and TR Baby Blues (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Spooks N Sparks).

NRHA Two Million Dollar Owner Lance Griffin won back-to-back Non Pro Championships in 2003 and 2004 on Whiz N Tag Chex, now an NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire. This year Griffin will be showing Spooks Gotta Tinsel (Spooks Gotta Gun x Tinsel Tiara).

Rounding out the list of former Champions vying for a title in Katy this year is Marc Wagman, who won the 2000 NRBC Non Pro on Tougher Than The Rest. This year Wagman will show Best Stops Belle (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Best Stop).

The preliminary competition kicks off Monday, April 18, with the first section of the Non Pro preliminaries. Follow along with the action at NRBC.com. Also, make sure to get social with NRBC on Instagram @nrbc2022 and on Facebook.com/NationalReiningBreedersClassic.

At noon, Tuesday, April 12, move-in officially began for the 25^th Anniversary National Reining Breeders Classic. The Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas, is a hive of activity. The show crew readies the arena for paid warm-ups that begin on Wednesday, while the Show Office staff is preparing to open on Thursday.

Competition officially begins Easter Sunday in the Tellepsen Arena with a limited-entry warm-up class, and then the action truly gets going Monday, April 18, with the first section of the Non Pro Classic preliminary round in the Coliseum Arena.

On Tuesday, the NRBC will be in full swing, with competition being held in all three rings simultaneously.

The Open preliminaries will kick off on Thursday, April 20. The Non Pro Finals will be held Friday, and the Open Finals on Saturday.
This year’s 25^th Anniversary Show will be a historic event. Not only are entries for the Open and Non Pro Classic up nearly 14 percent, the added money for the Classic alone has increased from the previous year by more than $65,000!

In addition to being one of the most prestigious reining events in the world, the NRBC is also a gathering place where friends old and new can socialize, conduct business, have fun, and more. Numerous parties are spaced throughout the week, including the Hygain Welcome Party, the Markel Insurance Non Pro Draw Party, and the Matt Mills Open Draw Party.

There are also Church services planned for both Sundays of the event, as well as an Easter Egg hunt for the youngest attendees, and a booth set up for photos with the Easter Bunny.

To keep up with the NRBC, check out the website at www.NRBC.com. You can also follow the event at Facebook.com/NationalReiningBreedersClassic.

There are special activities planned for Easter Weekend. Pastor Ed Harrison will be there for church services on Sunday, April 17.
The service is tentatively planned to be held in the Crystal Tent.

Ed will also be holding church services on April 24 at 7 am.

Kids Easter Egg Hunt
For the younger set, an Easter Egg Hunt will be held at 2 pm on Easter Sunday near the Coliseum.

There will be lots of eggs to find and special bonus eggs that get super prizes for the finders! Be sure and bring your cameras! This is always one of the highlights of the show!

If you would like to volunteer to help with the Easter Egg Hunt, please contact Cheryl Cody in the Sponsor/Media Office.

Get your Photo Taken with the Easter Bunny
Kids of all ages (and grownups too) are invited to have their picture taken with the Easter bunny on Sunday,

April 17 at 11 am and 1 p.m. in the Easter Alcove adjacent to the Sponsor/Media office in the Coliseum.

It will be a great time to get some magical images and for kids to model their Easter attire!

The trend of large events looks like it will continue into 2022, as the staff and show management of the National Reining Breeders Classic ready for what looks to be one of the largest shows in the event’s 25-year history. It returns to the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas, in early April, with competition beginning Easter Sunday and running through April 24.

The event is highlighted by the Classic, open only to 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old horses by NRBC enrolled stallions. The aged event alone features added money in excess of $775,000 across the Open and Non Pro divisions, with the Level 4 Open Champion guaranteed a check for $75,000!

As the deadline to be in the draw passed on April 6, entry numbers for both the Open and Non Pro Classic surpassed those set from the previous year.According to NRBC Show Secretary Kathy Gould, Open Classic entries currently sit at 219, up from 186 in 2021. The Non Pro divisions also grew, with 212 total entries, up from 191.

“On Wednesday, the final date for late entries to be in the draw, we had more than three dozen entries come in. Our team worked diligently to audit all entries to be ready for the April 7 draw,” Gould shared. “Our final numbers will be even larger, as we typically have several late entries for the Open and Non Pro Classic.”

So will this year’s NRBC take the top spot with the largest entry numbers in history? That honor currently belongs to the 2021 event, when 377 horses passed through the gates of the Coliseum Arena to compete in the aged event. That means this year’s Classic entries will beat the previous record by more than 14 percent!

While the Classic entries are already record-breaking, it’s still to be decided if the event will surpass its previous high total.

Ancillary entries continue to come in; however, many exhibitors elect to enter late while at the event, so preliminary entry numbers are likely to change substantially. “We fully expect to see a significant increase because of the convenience of entering while at the event. Our Show Office staff looks forward to seeing everyone in Katy,” Gould said.

The large influx of entries means that the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, which has been home to the Million Dollar Show since 2000, is bursting at the seams. Despite the addition of nearly 100 more stalls, stabling options are incredibly limited. “This year, we are stretched to the maximum. Unfortunately, that has created inconveniences for many of our sponsors and exhibitors as far as stabling and benefits at the show,” shared NRBC Secretary/Treasurer Cheryl Cody. “We always appreciate their support and right now, we are grateful for how understanding and gracious they have been. They are truly the backbone of this program and of the NRBC.”

To keep up with the NRBC, check out the website at www.NRBC.com. You can also follow the event on Facebook at Facebook.com/NationalReiningBreedersClassic.

Brad and Amanda Kelly with Adh Mor Ranch have long been known for their support of youth activities at NRBC. This year, for the 25^th annual National Reining Breeders Classic, slated for April 17-24 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas, they have again committed to support young reiners.

The Kellys own PS Mega Shine Chic, better known as “Crush.” Two years ago, the Kellys first sponsored the entry fees for all youth classes at the NRBC under the stallion’s name.

After the success of the “Crush the Fees” sponsorship, they decided to carry the program over to this year’s show. It’s been an incredibly popular sponsorship and the entry form displays how all the Youth entry fees have been “Crushed,” including the video, drug, and judges’ fees.

PS Mega Shine Chic is a 9-year-old AQHA stallion by Shine Chic Shine out of Megas Sugar Baby. With Dany Tremblay at the reins, he was a 2016 National Reining Horse Association Futurity Level 4 Open Finalist and 2017 NRBC Level 4 Open Reserve Champion, a two-time NRBC Open Level 3 Champion, and in 2019, won the $100,000 Shootout at The Run For A Million.

His first foals hit the show pen last year and have proven successful with offspring such RAISINTHEBAR as who was the NRHA L2 Non Pro Futurity Champion and SWRHA L2 and L3 Non Pro Futurity Champion.

For more information about PS Mega Shine Chic, visit the website at crushpsmegashinechic.com. The Adh Mor Big Luck Ranch in central Alberta is not only home to great reining horses, it is also known for exceptional bucking bull bloodlines.

John and Nancy Tague and their Toyon Ranch have been active supporters of Rookie competitors in National Reining Horse Association competition through their sponsorship of the NRHA Rookie of the Year Program. Now partnering with the National Reining Breeders Classic, that commitment to the Rookie riders continues with the creation of the NRBC Toyon Ranch Free-For-All Rookie classes.

Through this sponsorship, riders in both slates of Rookie classes at the NRBC will have their entry fees and judges’ fees paid!

John Tague said, “Supporting NRHA classes across the board has been a priority for Toyon Ranch. This NRBC sponsorship is a great way to deepen our support for Rookie competitors – extending from the Toyon Ranch Rookie of the Year.”

“John and Nancy have consistently supported Rookie riders in reining competition,” said NRBC Secretary-Treasurer Cheryl Cody. “This expansion of their support into NRBC will help make showing a little easier and more affordable for Rookies. We are so glad to welcome them on board with this new sponsorship for NRBC.”

Tague continued, “The NRBC Rookie Free-For-All fits well with the significant recent efforts many supporters have made to target industry growth and enhance experience. Together these efforts make a difference. We want to continue to create growth from the entry-level classes to the top level.”  

​In addition to the mare program, Toyon Ranch stands several of the industry’s top stallions: No Smoking Required, Shine Chic Shine, Inferno Sixty Six, Gunner Dun It Again, Shine N Spook, Gunna Stop and Colonels Smart Spook. For information on Toyon Ranch, visit the website at https://www.toyonranchllc.com/.​

The NRBC was born in the fall of 1997, and through the support of the breeders 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. To learn more about the NRBC visit nrbc.com.

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.

Follow along with the action at www.NRBC.com

What is almost as daunting as riding into the arena at the National Reining Breeders Classic, competing for a piece of the more than $1 million purse?

Being one of the officials whose job is to score those exhibitors.

That is why the judges for the NRBC are always knowledgeable, well-respected, and highly qualified. Each has several major events under his or her belt, and many are veteran NRBC judges.

The Coliseum judges for the 2021 NRBC in Katy, Texas, will be Robert LaPorta, Van Luse, Shannon Fowler, Reid Fady, Corey Hendrickson, and Nick Baar. They will be assisted by scribes Ron McMillian, Carla McMullen, Schelly Bankston, Nicole Marr, and Selena Bradshaw.

The Coliseum Pre-check judge will be Gary Putman.

Doug Millholland, Ed Cridge, Terry Thompson, and Andi Paul will be scoring the action in the Tellepsen and Wheless Arenas with scribes Lynn Nelson, Monica Westbrook, and Vicki Wright.

The NRBC will be held April 18 – 25 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. A complete schedule, entry forms, news, and more can be found at www.NRBC.com.

National Reining Breeders Classic blue will be making room for a new hue at the 2021 show slated for April 18-25 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. During the show, some of the back numbers will be sporting a red stripe, but why?

“The NRBC Board of Directors decided to do this as a service for our exhibitors to allow them to advertise that the horse they are riding is for sale,” said NRBC President Tom McCutcheon. “The red stripe can be requested at the show office for a $5 donation to Rein In Cancer and can be added to any back number.”

Like so many things, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the buying and selling of horses. Travel has been challenging for many, so this will allow prospective buyers to easily spot horses being offered for sale during the show, even as they are being shown. The red stripe will also be visible to those watching the live feed from home. The horses’ owners’ and riders’ names will be shown on the screen during the run as usual, so making a connection will be simple. If the horse is seen schooling, an interested person can drop by the show office to find out how to contact the owner just by giving the back number.

Rein in Cancer is a 501c3 Non Profit Corporation that, to-date, has raised over a million dollars to support cancer patients. The organization has no employees – only volunteers – and over 98% of donated funds have gone directly to helping cancer patients. To request assistance or for information on how to contribute, how to host a fundraiser at an event, or set up a bequest, visit the Rein In Cancer website at www.reinincancer.com.

For more information about the National Reining Breeders Classic, visit www.nrbc.com.

Since its beginning in 1998, the National Reining Breeders Classic has been known for its huge payout, abundant prizes, and unwavering focus on rewarding reiners. So, when the NRBC Board voted on February 8 to increase the show’s added money by a whopping $50,000, the action should not have come as a surprise.

According to NRBC President Tom McCutcheon, the NRBC Board and staff are excited to make this change. He noted, “We have always been proud for the NRBC to be a leader in the reining industry and to stay ahead of trends. We were committed to increasing the added money for the Non Pro division as we know this is an important and rapidly growing part of the industry we want to continue to support!”

The addition of funds makes the NRBC Non Pro the world’s largest added money Non Pro for Derby age horses. McCutcheon added, “The NRBC L4 Non Pro already has an incredible payout and pays high in the go-round and in the finals. This $50,000 will be added to Levels 3, 2, 1 and the Prime Time Non Pro to encourage participation and reward the exhibitors in those divisions.”  

The addition of $50,000 to the Non Pro added money will take place right away, at the upcoming NRBC, set for April 18-25, 2021 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas

Entry information for the 2021 NRBC can be found at NRBC.com or by calling 580-759-3939 or emailing info@nrbc.com. The first payment for the 2021 NRBC is due on February 15.