The National Reining Breeders Classic, held April 18-25, 2021 in Katy, Texas is known for having something for everyone. The NRBC Developing Horse Division was created to give horses that may have had a limited show career the chance to earn money, and in 2021, the earnings cap has been moved from less than $2K by March 31 of the year it will be shown to less than $5K.

Held annually during the Open Classic prelims, the $10K added side pot that averages about 35 entries, has no additional entry fee, and pays five places. With modern shows paying out more and more, the NRBC Board of Directors chose to extend eligibility to more horses.

NRBC Board Member Dell Hendricks said, “This modification gives horse owners a place to compete for good money with the horses they chose not to show as three-year-olds or those who might have had an injury, or a showing error. We saw a need for the opportunity for these horses to show against other horses in similar situations.”

In order to enter, 4-, 5-, 6-, or 7-year-old NRBC enrolled horses must also be entered in the Open Classic. More information about the show and the Development Division entry form can be found at NRBC.com.

The National Reining Breeders Classic, held April 18-25, 2021 in Katy, Texas, will be hosting Non Pro and Rookie Qualifiers for the richest event in history. The Run For A Million, held at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, Nev., is slated for August 17-21, 2021.

In addition to the million-dollar competition, there is a $100K Open Shoot Out, a $50K Invitational Freestyle, a $50K Non Pro Championship, as well as a Rookie Championship.

Qualifiers are being offered across the United States and Canada and the NRBC is proud to be one of them. “The Run For A Million is not your average horse show,” said NRBC President Tom McCutcheon. “By televising reining through the Last Cowboy, the sport has reached new accolades in and out of the performance world. The NRBC will support that any day.”

The Rookie and Non Pro Qualifiers will run concurrently with the corresponding Ancillary classes. Those wishing to qualify to compete at The Run For A Million must enter the correlative classes, fill out the TRFAM Qualifier form found on the NRBC website, and pay the $200 fee per slate that they wish to enter. The top five placings plus ties in each slate with a paid qualifier fee will be able to compete in Las Vegas at TRFAM. The Qualifier fee was established to ensure those who want to take part in TRFAM Championships have the opportunity without being knocked out of the top five by someone who has no intentions of participating at TRFAM.

For more information about The Run For A Million, go to trfam.com. To learn about the National Reining Breeders Classic and access the TRFAM Qualifier form, visit nrbc.com.

The Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma may be quiet now, but behind the scenes, it is bustling with activity. The National Reining Breeders Classic kicked off last Wednesday as part of an extended schedule that included four futurities to start the event. After four days of competition, Sunday was a day of rest and regrouping, with the main event set to begin in less than 18 hours.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the NRBC to postpone its original show day in April, and eventually move the event to Tulsa. The Global Reining Sports Group, which owns the Tulsa Reining Classic, graciously acquiesced to loan the dates to the NRBC, resulting in one large super NRBC. To give trainers and owners another option to show their 3-year-old futurity horses, the NRBC Board elected to retain the four futurities that are Tulsa Reining Classic regulars.

 More than 360 futurity horses walked through the gate of the Ford Truck Arena during the four days of competition, paying out an incredible $211,190. As everyone moves their focus from the futurity horses to the Classic, Classic Challenge, ancillary, and Affiliate Regional Championships, last-minute preparations are underway.

Although more than 1,500 stalls were reserved for the event, the numerous arenas scattered across the Expo Square ensure that every exhibitor has plenty of room to get ready. While the NRBC might have a different location, look, and feel, there’s no doubt that the caliber of horses competing in the coming week will be off the charts.

There are many ways to keep up with the Million Dollar Show. The live webcast and live scoring, as well as the schedule, results, and draws, can be accessed at www.NRBC.com. Regular updates are also posted on the NRBC’s Facebook page. You can sign up to receive daily newsletters from the event by clicking here.

Judging a major event is a challenge and the NRBC Judges take seriously their job of assessing the action each year. Chosen this year to officiate the NRHA Futurities are Corey Hendrickson, Brian Welman and Gary Putman with Pre-check judge J.D. Roberson. In the Classic, the judging duties go to Terry Thompson, Ed Bricker, Robert LaPorta, Nick Baar and Kelly Sapp. The ARC and NRHA Classes will be officiated by Ed Cridge, Van Luse, and Charlie Smith.

Efficient judging depends on competent scribes and the 2020 NRBC Scribes are as experienced as their judging counterparts. This year, Ron McMillan, Selena Bradshaw, Lynn Nelson, Vicki Wright, Schelly Bankson, Bob Alberding, Bill Wright, Nicole Marr, and Amanda Cormack will be scribing throughout the show.

Following a board meeting on May 7, the National Reining Breeders Classic Board and Management has announced that this year’s show will be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma August 26 – September 6.

In an unparalleled show of generosity, the Global Reining Sport Group, which annually produces the Tulsa Reining Classic, made the decision to offer its dates to the NRBC. It was a landmark move in an unprecedented era.

Anne-Marie Burns, a partner for GRSG, said, “These are extremely difficult times for the reining world and we believe that we had to put the good of the industry ahead of the plans for our show. The NRBC, with its massive payout, is more important at this time.”

The offer was key in being able to hold the 2020 NRBC. NRBC President Tom McCutcheon noted, “We appreciate this important gesture from GRSG and thank them for their willingness to do what is best for the industry. We had been analyzing options since it became apparent that we would not be able to hold the show in Katy this year. Not every facility can host an event this large and frankly, there were not many dates that would work with the fall schedule already in place in our industry. Thanks to the Global Reining Sport Group’s willingness to work together, we can go forward and hold the NRBC.”

NRBC Secretary-Treasurer Cheryl Cody said, “In the next week, we will be revamping the schedule, show terms and deadlines to be able to give options to our exhibitors and owners as far as entries for these new dates. We will also work with our loyal sponsors and vendors to make this date and location work for everyone.” McCutcheon added, “This year’s NRBC will have a different look and feel, based on the new health restrictions, and we will be working through those in the coming weeks. We are confident that our participants will bear with us and continue to support us until we can get back to a more normal show for 2021 in Katy.”

Colleen McQuay, Vice President of the NRBC and a partner in Global Reining Sport Group said, “Both groups are tuned in to the fact that this will be futurity time and we want to offer opportunities for futurity horses. So, in addition to the NRBC’s normal set of classes, futurities have been added which will take place at the beginning of the show. There will be an Emerging Horse Futurity, a Developing Horse Futurity, an Open Futurity and a Non Pro Futurity. The NRBC will also host the South Central Affiliate Region Championships.”

Cody noted, “We value the contribution of officials and staff as they are such an important part of the team producing both events. We are contacting judges and event staff to work out the best scenario for a blended staff.”

The Board Members, Officers and Management of NRBC were quick to thank all the exhibitors, owners, vendors and sponsors who are so important to this event. For updates on the show, the schedule and conditions please check the website at nrbc.com.

On March 13, it was announced that the Run For A Million qualifier originally slated to take place at the Cactus Classic has been rescheduled to take place at the NRBC. This step was taken because of travel limitations for the Paramount Network film crews traveling from New York and Los Angeles.

At this time the NRBC is slated to begin in 29 days on April 12. The Board and Management of the NRBC hold the health and welfare of our exhibitors, owners and sponsors as the highest priority. We will continue to monitor the factors impacting the event and will update as any plans change in the case of postponement or rescheduling. In the case of cancellation, the NRBC will refund entry fees already paid.

While stallions unquestionably get most of the attention at the National Reining Breeders Classic – it is a stallion program, after all – there’s no questioning the level of power the mares bring to the table.

Two outstanding mares have won the NRBC Open Championship. Miss Tinseltown (Great Red Pine x Ms Hollywood Showtime) with Tim McQuay in 1999, and Wimpys Little Chic (Wimpys Little Step x Collena Chic Olena), ridden by Shawn Flarida in 2008. In fact, Wimpys Little Chic is the all-time money-earning Open horse at the NRBC with $252,329 in winnings.

While Miss Tinseltown doesn’t make the Top 20 list of NRBC Open earners, her foal Hollywoodstinseltown does, with $103,275 in NRBC earnings, while her daughter, Dun It In Tinseltown, makes the Top 20 NRBC Mare Earners List.

Miss Rey O Shine (Shining Spark x Miss Rey O Lena) also holds a spot on the Top 20 Open Horses list and is second on the Top 20 Mares List. Ridden by Brent Wright, Miss Rey O Shine tied for the Open preliminary round win, finished fifth in the finals, and won the Prime Time at the 2009 NRBC.

Just missing the Top 20 Open Horses but holding the fourth position in the Top Mares list is former Open Co-Reserve Champion Stop Like A Dream (Magnum Chic Dream x Best Stop), ridden by Jordan Larson.

Several mares have topped the leaderboard of the Non Pro division, including Always Gotyer Gunsup, ridden by Mandy McCutcheon to win the 2012 event, and Chicsdreamofdiamonds, ridden by Jack Medows to take the title in 2017. Always Gotyer Gunsup holds the third position in the NRBC Top Mare list, while This Chics Dun Dreamin lands in the fifth spot.

Full sisters Wound By Juice and Like Shiner (by Smart Like Juice) are both Non Pro Champions, ridden by their owner Jose Vazquez. Their dam Wind Her Up Shiner herself was a Non Pro Preliminary Round winner at the 2003 NRBC. This year there are 48 mares in the Open and 43 entered in the Non Pro division, giving the girls a good chance at another Championship.

Top NRBC Money Earning Mares:

Wimpys Little Chic $252,329

Miss Rey O Shine $108,410

Always Gotyer Gunsup $95,010

Stop Like A Dream $88,152

This Chicsdundreamin $80,838

Shining N Sassy $79,725

Darlins Not Painted $63,529

Memorable Affair $60,818

Americasnextgunmodel $60,206

Conquistadors Sandy $57,377

Dont Miss This $55,348

Surprizentheprincess $52,506

Shiney Enterprise $50,113

Chicsdreamofdiamonds $47,562

Like Shiner $47,007

Kachina Oak Olena $46,998

Wound By Juice $46,673

Skeets Little Annie $46,542

Taris Modern Design $45,585

Dun It In Tinseltown $44,767

The National Reining Breeders Classic, one of reining’s largest events, has been held 22 times. It began at the historic Lazy E Arena, Guthrie, Okla., in 1998, and moved to the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in 2001. In that time, 10 different riders have captured an Open Championship while 13 riders have won Non Pro titles. Fifteen different stallions have sired Open Champions, with six having sired the Open Champion twice. In the Non Pro division, the Champions have been sired by 13 different stallions.

Dell Hendricks and Mr Boomerjac (by Boomernic), won the inaugural Open title, while Keith Crawford and Rowdy Yankee (by Smart Chic Olena) won the first Non Pro Championship. Hendricks holds the distinction of holding the most Open Championships, while Mandy McCutcheon claims the same honor in the Non Pro division. Both have won the event five times. Hendricks also is the only Open rider to win the title twice on the same horse. That happened in 2003 and 2004 with Reminic N Dunit (by Hollywood Dunit).

Three Non Pro horse and rider teams have won titles twice. Sarah Lynn Locker and Heavy Duty Chex (by Nu Chex To Cash) won in 2015 and 2016, while Mandy McCutcheon and Rawhides Banjo (by Dunit Rawhide) won back-to-back in 2006 and 2007. Lance Griffin and Whiz N Tag Chex (by Topsail Whiz) round out that list with wins in 2003 and 2004. Interestingly, Whiz N Tag Chex is the only NRBC Champion to sire an NRBC Champion. The stallion was the sire of the 2014 Open Champion Blue Collar Tag, ridden to the title by Martin Muehlstaetter.

The only full siblings to win an NRBC Championship were Like Shiner and Wound By Juice in the Non Pro. Both mares, ridden by owner Jose Vazquez, were by Smart Like Juice and out of Wind Her Up Shiner.

Learn more about the Mare Power at the NRBC in tomorrow’s Slide Street Journal.

Open Champions:

2018 Duane Latimer & Modern Gun (Gunners Special Nite)

2017 Andrea Fappani & Chic Dreamin (Magnum Chic Dream)

2016 Jason Vanlandingham & Not Ruf At All (A Sparkling Vintage)

2015 Andrea Fappani & Frozen Enterprize (Frozen Sailor)

2014 Martin Muehlstaetter & Blue Collar Tag (Whiz N Tag Chex)

2013 Thiago Boechat & Wimpyneedsacocktail (Wimpys Little Step)

2012 Shawn Flarida & Spooks Gotta Whiz (Spooks Gotta Gun)

2011 Shawn Flarida & Shine Chic Shine (Smart Chic Olena)

2010 Craig Schmersal & Boom Shernic (Boomernic)

2009 Andrea Fappani & Cromed Out Mercedes (Custom Crome)

2008 Shawn Flarida & Wimpys Little Chic (Wimpys Little Step)

2007 Andrea Fappani & Custom Legend (Custom Crome)

2006 Shawn Flarida & Einsteins Revolution (Great Resolve)

2005 Dell Hendricks & Hit The Lights (Grays Starlight)

2004 & 2003 Dell Hendricks & Reminic N Dunit (Hollywood Dunit)

2002 Dell Hendricks & Starlights Wrangler (Grays Starlight)

2001 Tom McCutcheon & Smartest Chic Olena (Smart Chic Olena)

2000 Duane Latimer & Conquistador Whiz (Topsail Whiz)

1999 Tim McQuay & Miss Tinseltown (Great Red Pine)

1998 Dell Hendricks & Mr Boomerjac (Boomernic)

Non Pro:

2018 Jose Vazquez & Like Shiner (Smart Like Juice)

2017 Jack Medows & Chicsdreamofdiamonds (Magnum Chic Dream)

2016 Sarah Lynn Locker & Heavy Duty Chex (Nu Chex To Cash)

2015 Sarah Lynn Locker & Heavy Duty Chex (Nu Chex To Cash)

2014 Mandy McCutcheon & Ms Whiz Dunit (Topsail Whiz)

2013 Ron Thompson & Taris Dreamer (Magnum Chic Dream)

2012 Mandy McCutcheon & Always Gotyer Gunsup (Colonels Smoking Gun)

2011 Shaunda Rai Ruckman & Rufanicki (Lil Ruf Peppy)

2010 Kim Dooley & Country Custom (Custom Crome)

2009 Jose Vazquez & Wound By Juice (Smart Like Juice)

2008 Mandy McCutcheon & I Spin For Chics (Tangys Classy Peppy)

2007 Mandy McCutcheon & Rawhides Banjo (Dunit Rawhide)

2006 Mandy McCutcheon & Rawhides Banjo (Dunit Rawhide)

2005 Wendy Latimer & Diamonds For Chics (Hickory Chic Olena)

2004 Lance Griffin & Whiz N Tag Chex (Topsail Whiz)

2003 Lance Griffin & Whiz N Tag Chex (Topsail Whiz)

2002 Mandy McCutcheon & Don’t Miss This (Missin James)

2001 Josh Hattig & Steadys Dude (Steady Tradition)

2000 Marc Wagman & Tougher Than The Rest (Custom Crome)

1999 James Morgan & Hesa Smart Chic (Smart Chic Olena)

1998 Keith Crawford & Rowdy Yankee (Smart Chic Olena)

Preparation is underway. The reining industry’s elite are hard at work. There are some prestigious titles up for grabs in Katy, Texas.

The National Reining Breeders Classic doesn’t truly kick off until Monday, April 15, but the Great Southwest Equestrian Center is already a hive of activity. Much of the event staff moved in a week ago and paid warm-ups have been going on in the arena since Wednesday, as the facility’s ambiance is transformed with red carpets, live flowers, and of course, the signature royal blue drapes and curtains.

Special activities take place throughout the week, and those begin Sunday morning at 10 a.m. with the Church Service, officiated by Pastor Ed Harrison. An Open Riders Meeting, with all owners welcome, will be held at 3 p.m. The day concludes with the SmartPak Texas Hold’Em Tournament at 7 p.m. All events will be held upstairs in the Texas Children’s Hospital Arena Club.

For a complete schedule, visit www.NRBC.com, and follow the NRBC on Facebook.

Officiating the action at this year’s National Reining Breeders Classic is an exemplary set of NRHA Judges. NRBC Secretary-Treasurer Cheryl Cody announced the selections in mid-February. They are Kelly Sapp, Ed Bricker, Brian Welman, Nick Barr, Ed Cridge, J.D. Roberson, Joe Hayes, Andi Paul, Bob LaPorta, Leo Fourre, and Doug Milholland.