Something For Everyone

BY GUEST BLOGGER DEANNA BECKLEY

NRHA has an array of activities for spectators and competitors enjoyment over the two week event.

For starters, there’s One Stop Shopping!

If you are in search of the perfect holiday gift or some new gear for your reining horse the gift market in the Coliseum, Super Barn and outdoor locations is where you want to be. Nearly 100 vendors offer an array of goods like western décor, tack, clothing, jewelry and more.

Sire & Dam Auction

Opens on Nov. 15 – Closes on Dec. 31 at Midnight CST
Visit the online auction and bid on breeding’s to reining’s top stallions. Sire & Dam breedings receive exceptional benefits including reduced NRHA North American Futurity and Derby entry fees, plus automatic eligibility to the NRHA North American Futurity and Derby. Start your bidding at the NRHA Futurity and follow until the end of the auction at year-end.

NRHyA Raffle Horse

 This year Steve Simon Reining Horses is donating the NRHyA Raffle Horse – a 2010 filly – Legendary Mama (Custom Legend x Doc Quixote). Tickets are just $10! Drawing takes place during the NRHA Futurity Finals on Dec 3^rd. You don’t need to be present to claim your prized filly.

NRHA World Championship Shootout

 Top reining professionals, both human and horse, will compete for the estimated paycheck of $30,000 and a shot at the title of NRHA Open World Champion. Some competitors and horses you can expect to see at this year’s Shootout are;

Shawn Flarida (NRHA Four Million Dollar Rider) expects to enter Whizkey N Diamonds ($187,000 NRHA LTE)

Andrea Fappani (NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider) anticipates showing Taris Designer Genes ($244,000 NRHA LTE) and Whiz Jewels ($92,000 NRHA LTE)

Craig Schmersal (NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider) plans to bring Boom Shernic ($280,000 NRHA LTE) and Missy Lil Addy Tude ($83,000 NRHA LTE)

 Jordan Larson ($930,000 NRHA LTE) intends to bring Custom Harley ($125,000 NRHA LTE and this year’s AQHA Senior Reining World Champion) and Stop Like A Dream (National Reining Breeders’ Classic Level 4 Open Reserve Champion).

 4R Performance Horses Hometown Heroes Slide & Freestyle Reining
Dec 2^nd at 5:30 p.m.

Hometown heroes from local police and fire stations will hop on top of some of NRHA’s fastest spinning and smoothest sliding reining horses – all to benefit the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum! Also during that night’s show, you can see an invitational Freestyle Reining, a crowd favorite where riders are free to express their “style” by performing their own reining pattern to music while both horse and rider are dressed to play the part.

NRHyA Carnival
Wed. Nov. 30 at 3:00 p.m. – Sale Arena
Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, you will not want to miss NRHyA under the big top on Wednesday, November 30th! This will be a wonderful opportunity for youth of all ages to play games and win prizes. Get ready for great refreshments and plenty of fun!

NRHA / Markel Insurance Sales
Thurs., Dec. 1 – Sat., Dec. 3 9:30 a.m. Sale Arena

Attend three premier performance horse sales while at the show. Interested buyers can view the sale catalogue online now! The sales feature yearlings, sires and dams of performers, show horses, prospects and three-year-old reining horses. Total sales of horses last year exceeded $3 million! For those of you not attending the Futurity, you can watch the auctions LIVE via webcast.

And you can’t forget about the finals!

NRHA Futurity – Cinch Non Pro Finals
Fri., Dec. 2 10 a.m. – Section 1 starts 2:30 p.m. – Section 2 starts
Come watch the world’s best non-pro riders compete for nearly $280,000 in cash, plus tons of awards. Section 1 of the finals includes Level 1-3 Non Pro and Prime Time Non Pro qualifiers while Section 2 includes Level 4 Non Pro finalists.

NRHA Futurity – Open Finals
Sat., Dec. 3 1 p.m. – Section 1 starts 5:45 p.m. – Section 2 Opening Ceremonies start

The coliseum will be packed Saturday night with fans and spectators excited to watch the best of the best compete for the coveted title and more than $800,000 in cash and prizes. Who will be this year’s NRHA Open Futurity Champion?

 Remember, you don’t have to be at the Futurity to enjoy many of these activities. From what I’ve heard from back home, it is cold and snowing back in Canada – so grab a blanket, curl up on the couch with your computer and watch the action unfold!