All About Reining - Breaking News

BY-LAWS SUBMITTED BY GARY PIPKIN AND INDEPENDENT MEMBERSHIP PASS AND WILL DRASTICALLY CHANGE NRHA BYLAWS FOR THE FUTURE

Aug. 10, 2008 - Oklahoma City, Okla.
At the NRHA Board Meeting this weekend and at the General Membership Meeting on Saturday, Aug. 9, three new Executive Board At-Large Members (officers) were elected by the membership participating in the first-ever online election which also included mail-in absentee ballots and the ability to vote in person if one didn't use any other method. Two of the three new members were write-in candidates.

The three new members included Mike Hancock, who was nominated by the committee; and Beth Himes and Mark Schols, who were write-in candidates.

Leaving the Executive Board after a few years will be Colleen McQuay and Doug Carpenter who were both also nominated candidates. Frank Constantini, who did not run for reelection will also be leaving the EB at the end of the year.

All the bylaws submitted by Gary Pipkin and his independent membership based bylaw committee passed and will drastically change the NRHA bylaws for the future as did his 2007 bylaws for the 2008 year. U.S. Affiliate Region Directors and director elections from some 13 National Association Affiliates in foreign countries are next over the next few months.

A bylaw submitted by the International Committee which will reverse "Bylaw J" of last year will once again make it mandatory that NRHA members in foreign countries be a member of not only NRHA but also their National Association Affiliate. Many of these members are also members of local NRHA affiliates within their respective countries.The National Association Affiliate is the one NRHA recognizes to govern the sport of reining in a particular country and they must meet certain criteria in membership and shows held to qualify to have representation on the NRHA Board of Directors.

PROFESSIONALS RULE:
During the Saturday session of the Board of Directors, board member Guy Vernon of Colorado moved to rescind the Professionals Rule which made it mandatory for any open rider who enters a NRHA open division class to have to be a member of the NRHA Professionals organization. This rule had been approved by the board at its June meeting earlier in the year and imposes an additional $50 annual professional's due on top of the annual $95 NRHA membership.

In 2008, there were fewer than 300 NRHA Professionals listed on the NRHA website. The mandatory membership will increase that membership to an estimated 1900 members creating an approximately $95,000 in additional revenue from professional reining horse trainers (and even other discipline trainers entering an NRHA class only once or twice for the year). Currently the dues are $25.00 annually.

The motion was defeated by 17-8. Many trainers feel this rule violates the "right to work" laws in many states which prohibit mandatory memberships in organizations in order to be able to pursue your main occupation. Proponents of the rule say the additional funds will be used to benefit all reining horse trainers through, communications, mentoring, insurance programs, a special dedicated pro website, etc. Outside discipline riders, cutters, reined cow horse riders and others, who occasionally enter an NRHA class to school their horses or to test their cross-over potential will now have to join the NRHA Professionals before they can exhibit their horse in an NRHA approved open division class.

OTHER ISSUES:
Sunday's session had some other issues, one of which was discussion on NRHA members worldwide being given the right to vote for their elected representative on the NRHA Board of Directors. Within the U.S. Regions, the NRHA members are given this right, but some of the 13 National Association Affiliates in foreign countries seem to think they can appoint directors instead of having nominations and elections and some even elect from within their own boards, thus excluding the NRHA membership in the country from being involved. The proponents of inclusion feel that if NRHA members worldwide are given the opportunity to vote for Executive Board members and to vote on the bylaws, that they should also be allowed to vote on the NRHA directors who will be representing them in Oklahoma City. The issue is continuing.

GELDING INCENTIVE:
A gelding incentive program currently exists for the NRHA Futurity whereby one pays $200 to enter their gelding into the Futurity Gelding Incentive class. Previously, the top scoring geldings in the finals received additional recognition and financial reward for their placings. The board approved a modification to the program to award the Top Ten Geldings who do not make the finals with the Top Scoring Gelding to receive a Lawson Trophy and Belt Buckle. Now one might call this a consolation prize for geldings not making the finals, but remember if you're gelding is entered, payed the $200 entry and makes the finals, he isn't eligible for the "Top Ten who didn't make the finals" awards. And he doesn't get his $200 entry fee back just because he made the finals and did better than the lower scoring Top Ten.

By Glory Ann Kurtz
July 4, 2008 – Oklahoma City, Okla.
The NRHA Derby Spotlight Sale, held June 29 in Oklahoma City, Okla., featured 68 consignments, with two outs and 44 selling for $181,700, averaging $4,130. Consignments sold from the high of $22,000 down to $250.

The high seller was Bunny Smart Chic, a 1992 daughter of Smart Chic Olena out of Bunny Tari by Doc Tari, consigned by The Right Ones and bringing a $22,000 final bid from Leopoldo Riano Diaz. The second high-seller was Litanic, a 1998 daughter of Reminic out of Colonelita by Colonel Freckles, selling for $12,500. Consigned by Debbie Hubbert and Garth Brown, the mare sold to Sergio Elia.

Also, Rooster Sunday, a 2004 bay stallion by Gallo Del Cielo out of Doc O Mia by Doc O’Lena, consigned by the Dan Hirsch Ranche, brought a $10,500 bid from Mark Lundberg. Lundberg also purchased BR Whiz In Town, a 2005 chestnut gelding by West Coast Whiz out of Holly Tinseltown by Primary Pine for $10,000. The gelding was consigned by Brian and Elaine Brown.

Much success in the show pen sent Brent Wright over the top in National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) lifetime earnings to earn a distinction many reiners only dream about. Wright has become the NRHA’s newest Million Dollar Rider.

Wright’s triumph came at the 2008 National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC) in Katy, Texas. He won the first go-round and tied for ninth in the Open Finals on Miss Rey O Shine, owned by Bahn Quarter Horses, LLC. He won over $43,000 at this year’s NRBC. According to NRHA records, Wright’s lifetime earnings totaled just over $973,417 before the NRBC. Pending NRHA confirmation of the NRBC show results, Wright, Ottawa, Kan., becomes the third rider to pass the million dollar mark at the NRBC.

When contacted about his major accomplishment, Wright seemed humble about his feat. “I feel just like I did before," said Wright. "It hasn’t changed my life very much, but I’m happy it happened in such great company. God’s been good to me and has blessed me in life. I wouldn’t be where I am without him. I thank him for the opportunities that I’ve had.”

Wright grew up showing horses but took his first reining horse in the pen in 1987. He says he didn’t have a trainer and taught himself the ropes through much trial and error. “I just figured it out. I observed people at horse shows and went to a clinic or two. It’s not the recommended way.” Wright laughed, “It’s not what I would recommend for a young rider today.”

The NRHA has been tracking the self-taught reiner’s winning ways since 1989. Since then, he’s reached many memorable milestones. Some of those major wins include earning the 2002 NRHA Open Futurity Reserve Championship on Custom Mahogany, then owned by Mary Lea Wright. That same year Wright won the NRHA Open Derby Championship on Custom Pistol, owned by Steve Simon.

Wright and Custom Mahogany, now owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, continued their winning streak by earning the NRHA Intermediate Open Derby Championship in 2004 AND 2005. In 2004, Wright and Custom Pistol made a good team and took home the NRHA Intermediate Open Derby Reserve Championship.

In 2006, Wright won the NRHA Derby Prime Time Open Reserve Championship with Self Shine, then owned by Self Shine, LLC and the NRHA Futurity Prime Time Open Reserve Championship riding Shine On Retsina, owned by Clinton Anderson. Then at the 2007 NRHA Futurity, Wright was the Prime Time Open Reserve Champion on Miss Rey O Shine, owned by Gloria Bahn.

Wright is the 11th reiner to reach the Million-Dollar Rider distinction. The others were Bill Horn (1995); Tim McQuay (1997); Shawn Flarida (2003); Duane Latimer (2003); Todd Bergen (2004); Dell Hendricks (2005); Craig Schmersal (2005); Andrea Fappani (2006); Tom McCutcheon (2006); and Mandy McCutcheon (2007).

For more information on the NRHA, or the sport of Reining, visit www.nrha.com or call 405-946-7400.

April 22, 2008
The Buffalo Ranch, Farmington, utah, has long been known for their exceptional string of cutting stallions, and now they are adding a reining stallion to the mix.

Buffalo Ranch, owned by S. David Plummer, purchased RC Fancy Step, a 4-year-old Palomino stallion by Wimpys Little Step out of Sonita Wilson by Doc Wilson, from owners Mark Schols and Jimmy Pierce. The sale was made just prior to the exciting finals of the 2008 National Reining Breeders Classic.

Trained by top reining trainer Shawn Flarida, Springfield, Ohio, RC Fancy Step made an excellent showing in the finals, scoring a 231 to earn the Reserve Championship. Flarida won the event riding another Wimpys Little Step offspring, Wimpys Little Chic, which was also the 2007 NRHA Open Futurity Champion.

RC Fancy Step has lifetime earnings of $145,752, which includes the championship of the 2007 Congress Reining Futurity and the Ohio Valley Open Futurity. The pair were also finalists in the 2007 NRHA Open Futurity. So far in 2008, the stallion also won the Wimpys Little Step Open Reining Derby.

“We’re extremely excited about this purchase, and our plans are to keep the horse in training with Shawn for as long as Shawn wants to show him,” Plummer said after the event. “He’ll make an excellent addition to our ranch.”

Schols, who owns Wimpys Little Step, was pleased with the outcome as well. Currently, the plans are to keep RC Fancy Step in the show pen and out of the breeding barn, but eventually, the Buffalo Ranch plans to continue the Wimpys Little Step legacy with offspring from RC.

“I just want to congratulate the Plummers on their purchase and wish them the best,” Schols said. “I know he’ll have a great home.”

LIVESTOCK MARKETING ASSOCIATION ASKS SUPREME COURT TO HEAR HORSE PROCESSING CASE

Feb. 27, 2008
The Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider an appeal of a lower court decision effectively banning horse slaughter for human consumption in Illinois.

According to a friend of the court brief LMA filed Feb. 22, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals “failed to address the adverse impact” on horse welfare when it upheld an Illinois law that closed a plant in DeKalb, ILL., last year. The brief suggested “tens of thousands” of horses that have reached the end of useful lives will die of neglect or be slaughtered outside the U.S., where plants are not subject to the Humane Slaughter Act.

LMA represents more than 800 livestock marketing businesses across the country. The organization’s communication to the court pointed out the Illinois law creates an unconstitutional burden upon the interstate commerce conducted at livestock markets, some of which supplied horses to the DeKalb plant.

Several beef groups helped fund the preparation and filing of the brief, including KLA, NCBA, the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.