Tag Archives: NRHA

Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, USEF, Western/Reining

Finest Copyshot and Kronsteiner Lead NRHA European Futurity Go Round

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Rudi Kronsteiner and Finest Copyshot. Photo courtesy NRHA

Kreuth, Germany – The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity & NRHA Show started in Kreuth, Germany today with the first section of the $187,000 added Open Futurity go round. A total of 81 four-year-old reining horses from all over Europe were shown in Ostbayernhalle to kick off the first day of the weeklong show. Austrian Rudi Kronsteiner, 2010 NRHA European Futurity Level 4 Open Champion, had the best run today riding Finest Copyshot to a score of 222.5. The sorrel American Quarter Horse mare is by I Am Shotgunner out of Its Another Footwork by Footworks Finest. Finest Copyshot, bred and owned by Anja Deutzmann, was very successful last year with Bernard Fonck in the saddle. The Belgian who won the 2009 NRHA European Level 4 Open Futurity, was the Western Event Snaffle Bit Level 4 Open Futurity Champion, Oakland Reining Classic Level 4 Open Futurity Champion and Italian Level 4 Open Futurity finalist with this mare.

Bernard Fonck and Ruf Footwork are second at the moment after scoring a 220. Fonck rode the stallion by Footworks Finest out of Jasmines Ruf Blonde (owner and breeder Dr. Paul Van Hooft) to the Austrian Reining Horse Association Western Star Level 4 Open Futurity Championship (for three-year-olds) last year.

Fonck also managed to tie for Level 4 Open third place today riding Big Sky Whizard (Topsail Whiz x Isle Bea Dun It, owned by Color Invest A & S Deredowscy) with Broadmoor Cassie (Broadmoor x Classy Parette, owned by Impresa Agricola Cuoghi) ridden by Pietro Artinghelli (ITA) – both scoring a 219.5. The mare now leads the Level 3, Level 2 and Level 1 Open Futurity go round with Artinghelli.

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Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, JRPR, Media/Radio/TV Sources, Western/Reining

Arenus Sponsored Rider Shawn Flarida Appears on Horses in the Morning Radio Show

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Shawn Flarida, NRHA's Four Million Dollar Rider, recently took to the airwaves on the Horse Radio Network’s “Horses in the Morning” radio show. (Photo courtesy of Waltenberry)

St. Louis, MO (February 28, 2011) – Shawn Flarida, an Arenus Ambassador and the first rider in history to become the National Reining Horse Association’s (NRHA) Four Million Dollar Rider, recently took to the airwaves on the Horse Radio Network’s “Horses In The Morning” radio show. Flarida spoke with hosts Glenn the Geek and Jamie Jennings from his farm in Springfield, Ohio.

During the radio show, Glenn the Geek congratulated Flarida on the recent news that Flarida will be inducted into the NRHA Hall of Fame. “It’s such an honor,” Flarida said, “My peers are there, as well as my brother, and I have always wanted to be there with them.”

Flarida, who is an ambassador for the sport of reining, has a long list of accomplishments to his name including winning nine All American Quarter Horse Congress Futurity Open Championships, five NRHA Futurity Open Championships, multiple NRHA Derby Championships, as well as individual and team gold medals at the World Equestrian Games.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, JRPR, Western/Reining

Arenus Sponsored Rider Shawn Flarida Tops Four Million Dollar Mark

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WEG Gold Medalist Shawn Flarida is the first rider in history to become the NHRA’s Four Million Dollar Winner. Flarida is shown riding Wimpy’s Little Chic. (Photo courtesy of Waltenberry)

St. Louis, MO (February 8, 2011) – Arenus, a premier provider of innovative health and nutritional products for pets and horses, is pleased to announce that Shawn Flarida, an Arenus Ambassador, is the first rider in history to become the National Reining Horse Association’s (NRHA) Four Million Dollar Rider. The NRHA has reported that Flarida’s earnings are $4,023,885.

“We are so excited for Shawn and couldn’t be prouder,” said Arenus Business Manager Simone Pophal, DVM, Ph.D. “Shawn reached the four million dollar mark during the 2010 NRHA Futurity in Oklahoma.”

Flarida, who was already the NHRA’s first Three Million Dollar Rider, topped four million dollars with rides in the finals on Quistador, owned by Augustine and Gaynia Revenberg, and Shine Chic Shine, owned by Amabile & Strusiner. A tie for third in the $100,000 NRHA World Championship Shootout on Wimpys Little Chic, owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, helped Flarida earn more than $100,000 to become the NRHA’s first Four Million Dollar Rider.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Awards, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, JRPR, Western/Reining

Arenus and the National Reining Horse Association Congratulate Shawn Flarida on Winning Rider of the Year Title

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Arenus is pleased to announce that WEG Gold Medalist Shawn Flarida has won the Rider of the Year title. Sponsored by Arenus, in conjunction with the National Reining Horse Association, Flarida won the title aboard RC Fancy Step. (Photo courtesy of Waltenberry.com)

St. Louis, MO (February 2, 2011) – Reining champion Shawn Flarida has added another win to his long and impressive resume, riding away with the 2010 National Reining Horse Rider of the Year title. Sponsored by Arenus, a premier provider of innovative health and nutritional products for pets and horses, in conjunction with the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA), Flarida won the Rider of the Year title with RC Fancy Step, owned by the Plummer Family of SDP Buffalo Ranch in Fort Worth, Texas.

“We are really proud of Shawn for winning the title and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person or to a rider who is more committed to the sport of reining,” said Brady Karren, Arenus Equine Sales Specialist/Nutritionist. “Shawn has been supporting Arenus for a long time and serves as an Arenus Ambassador because he believes in our products. Arenus wants to congratulate all the Rider of the Year winners. Everyone put in a great amount of effort and dedication and Arenus is once again pleased to sponsor the Rider of the Year award.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, USEF, Western/Reining

Flarida Is NRHA’s First Four Million Dollar Rider

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Shawn Flarida riding Wimpys Little Chic in the $100,000 added NRHA World Championship Shootout. NRHA/Waltenberry

Oklahoma City, OK – December 16, 2010 – Just two short years ago, Shawn Flarida became the National Reining Horse Association’s first Three Million Dollar Rider with earnings accumulated at the 2008 NRHA Futurity. History repeated itself when the gates closed on the 2010 NRHA Futurity and the results were announced. With rides in the finals aboard Quistador (owned by Augustine and Gaynia Revenberg) and Shine Chic Shine (owned by Amabile & Strusiner), plus a tie for third in the $100,000 added NRHA World Championship Shootout on Wimpys Little Chic (owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA), Flarida scooped up more than $100,000 to become NRHA’s first Four Million Dollar Rider. Flarida’s official NRHA earnings are $4,023,885.

Flarida, of Springfield, OH, became the second rider in history to break the $2 million mark in 2006 at the FEI World Reining Masters in Denver, CO. Bill Horn was the first rider to earn in excess of $1 million. Tim McQuay, Craig Schmersal and Andrea Fappani are the only other riders to cross the $2 million earnings level. Only thirteen other riders have crossed the $1 million earnings plateau in addition to Flarida.

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Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, USEF, Western/Reining

More Than 30 Entries Received for the NRHA Open World Championship Shootout

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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – November 17, 2010 – More than 30 entries have been received for the inaugural $100,000 added National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) World Championship Shootout. The Shootout is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 2 at the NRHA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show. It is this year’s largest added money NRHA-approved class in the world.

The $100,000 added Shootout, sponsored by Equine Sports Medicine and Kyle Tack, is an “Open-to-the-World” class where the top Open reining horses on the planet may compete in a dramatic showdown for the winner’s estimated purse of $30,000. Entries can still be submitted with the appropriate late fee.

In addition, the 2010 NRHA Open World Champion will be recognized and honored at the show – even though the World Champion and the Shootout winner may not be the same. To be named the 2010 NRHA Open World Champion, the horse must have earned money in seven or more NRHA Category 1 Open classes. Below is a list of NRHA Open World Championship contenders that have earned money at 6 or more NRHA Category 1 Open classes. These horses are scheduled to compete on December 2.

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Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Products/Services, Western/Reining

Ariat Signs NRHA All-Time Leading Rider Shawn Flarida

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Flarida Is Newest Addition to Ariat Pro Team

Union City, Calif. May 5, 2010 – Ariat International, the leading manufacturer of innovative performance equestrian footwear, apparel and belts, is delighted to announce its sponsorship of Shawn Flarida, world-renowned reiner and Western horseman.

“We are thrilled to have Shawn join forces with Ariat,” said Susan Alcala, Ariat’s vice president of marketing. “He is the consummate athlete, known for his passion and commitment to his sport, which complements our brand values perfectly.”

Flarida is the National Reining Horse Association’s all-time leading money earner, and the first ever Three Million Dollar Rider. He has five NRHA Open Futurity championships to his name and has won the All-American Quarter Horse Congress eight times. Yet despite this impressive resume, Flarida is known throughout the industry for his humility and unmatched work ethic.

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Breeds, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, USEF, Western/Reining

Gunner Shoots Past Another National Reining Horse Association Milestone

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Colonels Smokingun (aka Gunner) is the first registered American Paint Horse to join the exclusive list of NRHA Two Million Dollar Sires. Photo Courtesy APHA/Abigail Wilder Boatwright (2007)
Colonels Smokingun (aka Gunner) is the first registered American Paint Horse to join the exclusive list of NRHA Two Million Dollar Sires. Photo Courtesy APHA/Abigail Wilder Boatwright (2007)

March 31, 2010 – Colonels Smokingun, better known as Gunner in the reining world, has recently been named the unofficial eighth National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Two Million Dollar Sire. He accomplished this only three years after being named a NRHA One Million Dollar Sire. This was, in part, due to the recent successes of his offspring at the 2009 NRHA Open Futurity, the 2010 NRHA European Futurity and the 2010 Cactus Reining Classic, which brought his unofficial total NRHA offspring earnings to $2,000,453. Gunner was the first American Paint Horse to achieve the NRHA million-dollar mark, and is now the first Paint to reach the two million dollar mark.

Sired by Colonelfourfreckle (AQHA son of Colonel Freckles) and out of Katie Gun (AQHA), the bald-faced stallion, which is registered with the American Paint Horse Association (APHA), has an impressive lifetime record with the association. He won back-to-back World Championship Paint Horse Show Open reining titles in both 1996 and 1997, in addition to the other reining honors he earned throughout his career with APHA.

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