Fappani and Lil Joe Cash Add to Their Bank Account with the Level 4 Open Championship

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Andrea Fappani and Lil Joe Cash. Photo: NRHA and Waltenberry

Oklahoma City, OK – The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) $540,000-added Open Futurity finals was held at the NRHA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC) Show at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This year’s riders were mounted on world-class reining horses all aiming for the $150,000 championship purse and their share of NRHA Corporate Partner and Futurity Sponsor awards.

Nomination Program Impact
The NRHA Futurity saw a massive increase in added money due to the NRHA Nomination Program. According to NRHA Chief Financial Officer John Foy, with the addition of the North American Nomination Program’s added monies, there was an increase of more than $600,000 in added money with over $420,000 in the NRHA Open Futurity and $180,000 in the Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity. The total purse for just the Futurity is projected to be more than $1.9 million (a 25%+ increase). Nominators are projected to collect almost $100,000 – even if they don’t own the horse!

Fappani and Lil Joe Cash Win Level 4 Open Futurity
NRHA Professional and Two Million Dollar Rider Andrea Fappani (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Lil Joe Cash were the first draw in the second section of the NRHA Open Futurity finals. They marked a 227.5 to set the bar in the $280,000-added level 4 open division. They held the lead and took the championship title. Russell Giles owns the Nu Chex To Cash stallion out of RS Lilly Starlight.

The pair earned $150,000 including the 5% nominator incentive. Kurt Harris, the nominator, earned $7,500. First place prizes include a Bob’s Custom Saddle, Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, SmartPak gift card, Pard’s Western Shop gift card, Classic Equine Contour Pedic Reiner pad, John Deere halter, Assure Guard, Sore No More, Rios of Mercedes Boots, Platinum Performance, Purina Feed and a variety of prizes from NRHA Futurity Event Sponsors.

There was a tie for the reserve championship in the level 4 open division: Spook Off Sparks, also ridden by Fappani, and the last horse to work in the finals, Show Me The Buckles, ridden by Fappani team-member Arno Honstetter. Arcese Quarter Horses USA owns Spook Off Sparks (Smart Spook x Setting Off Sparks). Show Me The Buckles (Wimpys Little Step x Sunset Whiz) is owned by Rebeca Martin. The co-reserve championship paid $119,133 with 5%, $5,956.65, going to the nominators (Spook Off Sparks – Rosanne Sternberg and Show Me The Buckles – Rebeca Martin).

Prizes for the level 4 open co-reserve champions included: Pard’s Western Shop gift card, Classic Equine fleece cinch, John Deere halter, Assure Guard, Sore No More, Platinum Performance, Purina Feed and a variety of prizes from NRHA Futurity Event Sponsors.

Never before has a rider taken the championship and reserve championship (or co-championship) in the level 4 open futurity. Fappani will leave his name in the NRHA record books yet again.

Jason Vanlandingham and A Smokin Whiz tied withEduardo Salgado and Gunner Boy in the level 3 open division. Both entries scored a 223. Following a run-off in which Vanlandingham scored a 226 and Salgado earned a 225.5, Vanlandingham was declared the level 3 open champion.

A Smokin Whiz (Topsail Whiz x PF Nu Miss Royal Rsk) is owned by Sunrise Ranch LLC (Fayetteville, Ark.). Jefferson Abbud (Sao Paulo, Brazil) owns Gunner Boy (Gunner x Kat Jordan), a dual registered American Quarter Horse/Brazilian Quarter Horse stallion.

First place in the level 3 open division paid $31,184.41 with nominator Sunrise Ranch LLC earning $1,559.22. The level 3 open champion will take home a Bob’s Custom Saddle, Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, SmartPak gift card, Pard’s Western Shop gift card, Classic Equine Contour Pedic Reiner pad, John Deere halter, Assure Guard, Sore No More, Rios of Mercedes Boots, Platinum Performance, Purina Feed and a variety of prizes from NRHA Futurity Event Sponsors.

In the $75,000-added level 2 open and $35,000-added level 1 open divisions, Brazilian rider Salgado and Gunner Boy were victorious ($29,429.77 including Abbud’s nominator incentive). They will take home two of each of the following awards: Bob’s Custom Saddle, Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, SmartPak gift card, Pard’s Western Shop gift card, Classic Equine Contour Pedic Reiner pad, John Deere halter, Assure Guard, Sore No More, Rios of Mercedes Boots, Platinum Performance, Purina Feed and a variety of prizes from NRHA Futurity Event Sponsors.

Crawford and Cashn Rooster (Gallo Del Cielo x Booming Cash, owner Archie Mangus) tied with Michael Boyle and Easy Lil Lady (Easy Otie Whiz x Docs Lil Bullet, owner Darling 888 Ranch) for the Prime Time division championship. This division winner is determined by a handicapped composite score.

Prime time open champion awards include a Bob’s Custom Saddle, Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, Pard’s Western Shop gift card, Classic Equine Contour Pedic Reiner pad, John Deere halter, Assure Guard, Sore No More, Anderson Bean Boots, Purina Feed and a variety of prizes from NRHA Futurity Event Sponsors.

Nu Chex To Cash won the NRHA Sire & Dam award totaling more than $10,800 with second place going to Smart Spook ($6,500+) and third place going to Wimpys Little Step ($4,300+).

Willette Wins Remaining Adequan NAAC Title
In the Adequan Championship Arena, more than 60 youth reiners competed for the Adequan NAAC Youth 14-18 title. Blair Willette, 2011 National Reining Horse Youth Association Treasurer, beat the field by 3.5 points with a 218.5. The Prescott, Arizona resident rode Jordan Willette’s Whizin In The Dirt (Topsail Whiz x A Shining Starlett) to take the championship for the Southwest Region. Jordan captured the same title last year in the Adequan NAAC on the eight-year-old gelding.

Adequan NAAC Team Championship Presented By SmartPak
The South Central Region won the 2011 Adequan NAAC Team Championship award presented by SmartPak. Representatives were presented with a $2,500 check for their region. The Northwest Region placed second with the Mountain Region coming in third.

NRHA / Markel Insurance Futurity Prospect Sale Sees Big Increase
The Sale Arena also saw a lot of action during Saturday’s NRHA/Markel Insurance Futurity Prospect Sale. The sale saw a 20% increase with more than $1.7 million sold. The average for the sale exceeded $30,000. The high-seller, Commanders Lil Step, was sold to Xtra Quarter Horses to the tune of $200,000. The two-year-old colt is by Wimpys Little Step and out of Miss Bam Bam Command (by Docs Fritzie Command). He was consigned by Vaughn Zimmerman.

More about the NRHA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show
Relive the excitement at nrhafuturity.com where you can find the top three runs from each day, blogs, news, and results.

NRHA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show Supporters
The NRHA would like to thank the following corporate partners for their support of the NRHA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show: Adequan, Arenus, Bob’s Custom Saddles; Cinder Lakes Ranch and Reproduction Center; Classic Equine; Darling 888 Ranch; Horse&Rider; John Deere; Kiser Arena Specialists; Markel Insurance Company; Merial; Montana Silversmiths; Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau; Pard’s Western Shop; Platinum Performance; Purina Mills; Quarter Horse News; Rios of Mercedes / Anderson Bean Boot Company; Miller International – Cinch / Cruel Girl; Silver Spurs Equine; SmartPak, Twister Trailer and Xtra Quarter Horses, plus NRHA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show Sponsors: 4R Performance Horses, Avila’s Pro Shop, Cowdog Saddles, Equine Sports Medicine, eyeD, Heat-A-Zone, KO Trading, Kyle Tack, Performance Horse Supply, RAM, Sandbur Productions LLC, Scott Cleaners, Shorty’s Caboy Hattery and Soft Ride.

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

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