By Katie Hendrickson – NRHA Reiner Assistant Editor

 The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby showcased the $155,000-added Open Derby finals on Saturday, July 1 at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, Okla. The NRHA Derby Show is the NRHA’s premiere event for the world’s best four-, five- and six-year-old reining horses and hosts to two slates of ancillary classes.

During the go-round, 428 entries competed for a spot in the finals with 69 of the top-scoring horse-and-rider teams invited back to Saturday night’s event.

Andrea Fappani rode Tinker With Guns to a 228 to win the Level 4 Derby Open division championship and $50,000. Tinker With Guns (Gunner x Tinker Nic) is a five-year-old stallion owned by Rancho Oso Rio, LLC of Woodside, Calif. Prior to the Derby, the flashy sorrel stallion had over $135,000 in NRHA earnings.

Fappani, a NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider from Scottsdale, Ariz., won the use of a four-horse Cimarron Trailer, NRHA Lawson trophy, Bob’s Custom Saddles trophy saddle, Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, gift certificates from Pard’s Western Shop, Purina, Shorty’s Caboy Hattery and SmartPak and products from Arenus, Classic Equine, Back on Track, Platinum Performance and Rios of Mercedes.

As the sire of the NRHA Derby Level 4 Open Champion, Gunner won the NRHA Sire & Dam award including $1,500 and a Sire & Dam Bronze trophy. Gunner is owned by McQuay Stables of Tioga, Tex.

The race for the Level 4 Open reserve championship ended in a three-way tie between two of Shawn Flarida’s mounts and Jay McLaughlin. As draw 7 in the second section, Flarida rode four-year-old stallion Shine Chic Shine (Smart Chic Olena x Ebony Shines) for Amabile & Strusiner to a 226.5. He later matched that score aboard Whizkey N Diamonds (Topsail Whiz x Princess In Diamonds), a five-year-old stallion owned by CDR Farms/Rhodes River Ranch. Each won $20,829 for the reserve co-championship.

McLaughlin guided A Shiner Named Sioux (Shining Spark x Docs Sulena) to a 226.5 and the Level 4 Open reserve co-championship. The duo also claimed the Level 3 Open division championship. The five-year-old stallion is owned by Carol Rose of Gainesville, Tex. McLaughlin won $30,653, the use of a three-horse Cimarron Trailer, NRHA Lawson trophy, Bob’s Custom Saddles trophy saddle, Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, gift certificates from Pard’s Western Shop, Purina, Shorty’s Caboy Hattery and SmartPak and products from Arenus, Classic Equine, Back on Track, Platinum Performance and Rios of Mercedes.

As the sire of the NRHA Derby Level 3 Open Champion, Shining Spark won the NRHA Sire & Dam award including $1,500 and a Sire & Dam Bronze trophy. Shining Spark was inducted into the NRHA Hall of Fame earlier this week and is owned by Rose.

Trevor Dare, Whitesboro, Tex. scored a 224.5 aboard Conquistador Star to win both the Level 2 and 1 Open division championships. Conquistador Star (Conquistador Whiz x Aleena Starlight) is a six-year-old gelding owned by Steve and Karen Brownlee of Mounds, Okla. The duo earned over $5,100 along with NRHA Lawson trophies, Bob’s Custom Saddles trophy saddles, Montana Silversmiths trophy buckles, gift certificates from Pard’s Western Shop, Purina, and SmartPak and products from Arenus, Back on Track, Classic Equine, Platinum Performance and Rios of Mercedes.

Dan Huss and Charisma N Chrome (Custom Crome x Miss Sissy Gun) won the Prime Time Open championship, as determined by their go-round score of 222. Marc Gordon of Elgin, Illinois, owns the six-year-old mare. Huss took home $2,336 an NRHA Lawson trophy, Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, gift certificates from Pard’s Western Shop, Purina, and SmartPak and products from Anderson Bean Boot Company, Arenus, Back on Track, and Classic Equine.

To relive the highlights of the NRHA Derby Show, check out nrhaderby.com and visit NRHA on Facebook and Twitter. NRHA posted the top three runs of each day from the NRHA Open Derby and NRHA Non Pro Derby go-rounds and finals. Complete results for the NRHA Derby and ancillary classes can also be found at nrhaderby.com.

The NRHA would like to thank the following corporate partners for their support: AdequanR; Arenus, Bob’s Custom Saddles, Cimarron Trailers; 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; Rocky Mountain Clothing Company – Cinch/Cruel Girl; Silver Spurs Equine; SmartPak and Xtra Quarter Horses, plus Event Sponsors Shorty’s Caboy Hattery, Back on Track, Cool-A-Zone, Scott Cleaners and Metro Golf Cars.

Incorporated in 1966, the National Reining Horse Association is the standard setting body of the sport of Reining. NRHA, with their International Headquarters in Oklahoma City, is responsible for promoting the sport of Reining and working to ensure the highest standards of competition. To learn more about the NRHA, its programs and family of corporate partners, visit www.nrha.com.