Press Release | Reining – The 2016 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC) Show offered the section 3 of the Open Level semi-finals on Tuesday. Once the last horse-rider-combination left the Jim Norick arena, the Open finalists were determined.
Posting the top composite score in the Level (L)4 Lucas Oil semi-finals – a 445 – was NRHA Five Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida riding Luckie Moonstone (Spooks Gotta Gun x My Lucky Moonstone), a Sire & Dam offspring owned by Jason Dobrinski, nominated and bred by Loren Booth.
Winning the Level 3 division with a 433 was Gabriel Diano riding Oops Itsa Spooks (Spooks Gotta Gun x Tejons Finally Dunit), a bay American Quarter Horse stallion owned by AC Quarter Horses LLC, bred by Silver Spurs Equine, and nominated by Michelle Miola. Fernando Salgado and Loveya (Gunnatrashya x Love Em N Lena), a stallion owned and nominated by Camela Essick, won the L2 division with a 437.5.
Claiming the lead in the the L1 Open was NRHA Professional Josh Murphy riding CBK Hang A Wright (Hang Ten Surprise x HR Wright On Cash). The duo posted a 215.5 bringing their composite score to a 431. The talented sorrel mare is owned, bred and nominated by William and Corliss Kellogg.
The Platinum Performance Open Draw Party determined the draw of the NRHA Open Futurity Finals which will be held on Saturday, December 3.
Medows and Vasquez lead the Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity qualifier
In the first section of the Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity qualifier, Jack Medows rode Chicsdreamofdiamonds (Magnum Chic Dream x Princess In Diamonds) to the highest score in the Level 4 division, a 217.5. Meadows and the flashy palomino mare, owned by Amy Medows and nominated and bred by Clinton Anderson, held on to the lead following the completion of the go-round. In the third section, NRHA Million Dollar Rider Jose Vasquez equalled Medows’ score riding SLJ Smart Step, a palomino stallion by Wimpys Little Step and out of SLJ Smartlikewhinny, owned by Smart Like Juice Inc., owned and nominated by Xtra Quarter Horses LLC.
In the L3 division, David McBurney closed his performance with a 215 riding Faceit Sheza Digger (Pale Face Dunnit x TC West Coast Wendi), a mare he owns and nominated.
In the second section of the Cinch Non Pro Futurity, Italian Ewald Rifeser rode Petra Burger’s Colonel Chic Dream (Magnum Chic Dream x Princess Colonel), nominated and bred by Henry Knox, to a 214.5. In the third section, Sandra Bentien and Gotta Twist It Up (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Make It With A Twist) to tie with Rifeser. The buckskin stallion is owned, bred and was nominated by Bentien.
Tying to lead the L1 division with a 212.5 were Marilou Paradis and Taylor Zimmerman. Paradis rode Dreaming Major (Howdy Major x Sheza Bueno Chic), a Sire & Dam Offspring she owns and bred. Zimmerman rode Wimpys Little Jessie (Wimpys Little Step x Jessie Dot Tari), a mare owned, nominated and bred by Vaughn Zimmerman.
Riders who did not automatically qualify for the Non Pro Futurity finals that will be held on Friday, December 2, will have a chance to ride for a spot in the finals in the Cinch NRHA Non Pro Consolation Round on Thursday, December 1.
At 6 p.m., we will celebrate four decades of Non Pro Futurity Champions during the Non Pro Showcase in the NRHA 50th Anniversary Special Presentation, held in the Jim Norick Arena. Following the Non Pro Showcase, NRHA will present the $50,000-added Silver Spurs Equine Team Challenge.
In addition to the Futurity Championship Oklahoma City is currently also the venue of the North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC). Canadian Shawna Sapergia, who is strongly supported by her family, showed an impressive performance in the NAA Novice Horse Open Level 2. With Gunnin Fancy under the saddle she scored a 219,5 and came second in the strong starter field of 75. Joe Hayes, a well-known breeder and judge, commented on her ride: “This is what reining should look like.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qevxFnXiK0I
Shawna Sapergia is the daughter of world-famous trainer Vern Sapergia, who is based on The Flyin P Ranch in Mannersdorf (Austria). Shawna’s brother Cody Sapergia, who has joined the ranks of NRHA Million Dollar Riders in 2014, is also showing in Oklahoma City and her sister Terry-Lee Sapergia is in OKC as a physiotherapist for horses. Shawna’s nieces Sage and Casi Sapergia are aspiring horse trainers as well. Vern’s Austrian wife Sandra Stangel-Sapergia is keeping EQWO.net readers up to date with behind-the-scenes photo straight from the NRHA Futurity in Oklahoma City:
NRHA Markel Insurance Futurity Sales
From yearlings and broodmares, to Futurity prospects and proven performance horses, there’s no better venue to find your next reining horse than at the NRHA Markel Insurance Futurity Sales. Mark your calendar now with these important sale dates:
Thurs., Dec. 1
Marketplace Sale – 10 a.m.
Futurity Prospect Preview – 3 p.m.
Fri., Dec. 2
Futurity Prospect Sale – 6 p.m.
Dinner begins at 5 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 3
Quarter Horse News Pre-Sale Breakfast– 8 a.m.
Select Yearling Sale – 9:30 a.m.
Source: Press Release