The 26th Annual Southwest Reining Horse Association Futurity, held at the historic Hardy Murphy Coliseum in Ardmore, Oklahoma, began Tuesday, October 26, with the 101-entry Novice Horse Open Level 2 – a class that almost doubled in entries from 2009!

Winning first place in the Novice Horse Open Level 2 was Tracy McReynolds, of Waller, Texas, who piloted The Whiz Way to a 75.5. “He was very good today, and was with me all the way through – he couldn’t have done better,” McReynolds noted.

McReynolds has ridden The Whiz Way for over two years, but noted that the talented 7-year-old’s forte is as a Non Pro horse for his owner Jim McAlister of Houston, Texas. “He’s a very good Non Pro horse. He’s a real honest, nice horse and has a big heart,” McReynolds noted of the gelding. “Thank you to Jim and Reta McAlister for having such a nice horse.”

McReynolds will show The Whiz Way in the NRHA Ancillary Open class on Friday, October 29.

Thanks to the SWRHA’s generous sponsors, McReynolds collected an NRHA Morrison trophy and a Montana Silversmiths buckle, and also took home a check for $1,977.

Reserve honors and a check for $1,203 went to Starlights Winner and Nick Valentine, who marked a 73.5. Owned by Christy Gurney, Starlights Winner also received a saddle pad, courtesy of SWRHA Sponsor Kyle Tack.

The entire SWRHA Futurity and Horse Show can be seen via live webcast by visiting www.swrha.com and clicking the live webcast link.

The SWRHA Futurity and Horse Show continues Wednesday with the first section of the preliminary round of the Billingsley Ford Open Futurity. The top riders from the preliminary competition will earn a slot in the clean-slate finals on Saturday, October 30. The SWRHA Futurity and Horse Show concludes on Sunday, October 31.

Built in 1937, the historic Hardy Murphy Coliseum has been a mainstay as an Ardmore tourist attraction. Primarily designed to host horse and livestock shows, recent renovations to the facility have given it the flexibility to host even more events. Along with the space upgrades that allow the facility to stall 500 horses, the addition of air conditioning provides Hardy Murphy with the competitive ability to attract national and regional events. The renovations have resulted in a premier competitive equine facility.

For more information on the Southwest Reining Horse Association Futurity, or to inquire about the SWRHA, please call 580-759-2572, or visit www.swrha.com.