The National Reining Breeders Classic Open Finals were held Saturday, April 21, at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. The field of 33 finalists posted high score after high score – in fact, the average of all the scored runs in the finals was over 223!

National Reining Horse Association Leading Rider Shawn Flarida claimed his fourth NRBC Open title on Spooks Gotta Whiz, a 5-year-old stallion by Spooks Gotta Gun out of Prettywhizprettydoes. Flarida and Spooks Gotta Whiz laid down a 236 to win the Open title.

During the awards ceremony, Flarida was presented with an oversized check for $75,000, a year’s use of a four horse trailer from Twin Cities Featherlite, a saddle sponsored by Pard’s Western Shop, a Gist Silversmiths buckle, Rios of Mercedes boots, a Catena watch from Catena USA, a Whisper Bit, and product from Santa Cruz Biotechnologies Animal Health and SmartPak. Flarida and owner Michelle Anne Kimball also took home the signature blue NRBC crystal as well as other NRBC memorabilia.

While many other horse and rider teams have been together for years, the NRBC was actually Flarida’s and Spooks Gotta Whiz’s debut reining! “I got him in January, and this was my first time to show him. He’s a super-minded horse and his foundation was phenomenal. Tanya Jenkins started him and did really well, and then Jordan Larson did a great job on him and won the NRHA Futurity,” he said. “Michelle called me and asked if I’d be interested in riding him. I said I didn’t think I could do any better than the other people who had ridden him, but I’d love the opportunity. She said ‘I think he’d look really good with a green shirt,’ so I said I’d love to try him.”

The Reserve Championship and $56,000 went to Andrea Fappani and Tinker With Guns, who finished the finals with a 233.5. Tinker With Guns, a 6-year-old stallion by Gunner out of Tinker Nic, is owned by Rancho Oso Rio.

The National Reining Breeders Classic is the most successful stallion incentive program in reining history. In just fourteen years, the NRBC has grown to include nearly 200 subscribed stallions. Annually, the payout at the National Reining Breeders Classic exceeds $1.4 million. For information on the NRBC, visit the web site at www.nrbc.com or call 580-759-3939.