Competition Set for October 26 in Queen Creek, Arizona

The National Reined Cow Horse Association Board of Directors has announced that the NRCHA Derby, originally slated for June 14-19 in Paso Robles, California, will be held at the Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre October 26-30. The NRCHA Derby was postponed as a result of the EHV-1 outbreak.

“The decision to postpone the Derby was difficult. We first elected to offer full refunds to all entries that elected not to attend the event because of the outbreak. The resulting decrease in entries made it unfeasible to continue on with the show,” NRCHA President Kathy Gould explained.

During the June 14 Board Meeting, the NRCHA Board of Directors considered all options for available dates and locations to reschedule the event. It was decided that the best choice would be to move the event to the Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre, in Queen Creek, Arizona. The event will begin on Wednesday, October 26, and run through Sunday, October 30.

“The rescheduled Derby needed to be a stand-alone event, so that we could offer all the horse show classes along with the Limited Age Event,” noted Gould. “The NRCHA extends a huge thank you to Nancy Crawford-Hall for continuing her sponsorship of the $50,000 Added Holy Cow Performance Horses Open Bridle Spectacular, which is the showcase event of the NRCHA Derby Horse Show.”

Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre will become a familiar locale for NRCHA members, as the NRCHA Stakes will make the move to the first-class facility in 2012. “This is a great opportunity for people to get to know Queen Creek. We are excited to have it as the home for the Stakes. Now people can get to know the facility and be ready when they come back next March. We look forward to returning to the home of the NRCHA Derby – the Paso Robles Event Centre – in 2012,” Gould said.

Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre General Manager Tim Lynch noted, “We’re excited as can be. We’re a brand new facility and to be able to have a marquee event – the NRCHA Stakes – here is a fantastic opportunity. Hosting the Derby this year gives us an opportunity for people to experience all that we have to offer.”

The Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre is two years old, and boasts four large arenas, an RV park, and 300 stalls. The town of Queen Creek also has a lot to offer. “Arizona has a great atmosphere – it has a lot of western and Mexican influences. The other great thing is the predictable Arizona weather – clear, dry, and warm,” Lynch said.

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The National Reined Cow Horse Association, now in its 62nd year, is the governing body of cow horse competition, is responsible for promoting the sport, insuring high standards of competition and educating members and the public about the history and tradition of the cow horse. Through the support of a Corporate Partner family that includes Adequan, Bob’s Custom Saddles, Cinch, Classic Equine, Gist Silversmiths, John Deere, Markel Insurance Company, Nutrena, Pfizer Animal Health, Platinum Performance, Quarter Horse News, Rios of Mercedes, Running W Designs, Santa Cruz Biotechnology Inc, parent company of San Juan Ranch, the Silver Legacy Hotel and Casino, and Merial products UlcerGard and EQUIOXX, the association works to keep the vaquero tradition alive in today’s equine industry. For information on the National Reined Cow Horse Association, call 580-759-4949 or visit the NRCHA Official Web Site at www.nrcha.com.