Adequan NAAC Champions: O Rourke and Smart Lookin Juice; Reminhick and Welman

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity & Adequan^® North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC) is edging closer to its closing weekend. Today’s show included section two of the $260,000-added NRHA / Cinch Non Pro Futurity, section three of the second go-round of the $540,000 added NRHA Open Futurity and several Adequan NAAC Championship classes. The show runs through December 1 at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, Okla.

With a few days still remaining, purse and entry estimates for this year’s event are looking strong with an increase of nearly 300 entries overall and an additional $110,000+ going to the NRHA Futurity purse in both open and non pro competition. The Level 4 Open Champion horse will earn $165,000, a $15,000 increase over the guaranteed amount. $156,750 will be paid to the owner and $8,250 will be paid to the nominator of the horse following Saturday night’s finals. This translates to nearly 30 times the initial $300 investment of an NRHA Nomination Program weanling fee.

McCutcheon and Customized Gunner Win NRHA / Cinch Non Pro Go-Round
NRHA Million Dollar Rider Mandy Mc Cutcheon (Aubrey, Tex.) and Customized Gunner (Gunner x Custom Made Dunit by Hollywood Dun It) held their lead with a score of 219.5 to win the non pro go-round. In October, McCutcheon and the mare won the Turnabout Farms Non Pro Futurity and Southwest Reining Horse Association (SWRHA) Futurity for owner McQuay Stables Inc. (Tioga, Tex.).

Samantha Griffin (Ardmore, Okla.) and Shesa Kachina Chic (Smart Chic Olena by Kachina Oak by Docs Oak) tied for second in the level 4 non pro go-round (217.5) with Kelle Smith (Marietta, Okla.) and Surprizentheprincess (Jerry Lees Surprise x Princess In Diamonds by Shining Spark). To date, Griffin has accumulated $575,400 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings. Samantha’s father, NRHA Million Dollar Owner Lance Griffin (DeWinton, Alberta, Canada), owns the mare. Smith ($466,751 NRHA LTE) and her Surprizentheprincess placed third at this year’s SWRHA Futurity.

Ruben Pacheco Cuevas (Wynnewood, Okla.) and his West Mistress Whiz (West Coast Whiz x Mistress Analena by A Master Plan) stole the lead in the level 3 non pro division and finished fourth in the level 4 non pro division with a score of 217. They earned the reserve championship at the Mexico Futurity in the level 4 open division in October. Cuevas has earned more than $120,700 in NRHA competition.

Two entries moved to second place in the level 3 non pro division and fifth in the level 4 non pro division (216.5): Tricia Hamilton (Phoenix, Ariz.) aboard Gun Gone Hollywood (Gunner x BH Hollywood Lady by Hollywood Dun It) and Kimberly Crupper (Paris, Ky.) riding Mr Briteside (Wimpys Little Step x Go Red Pine by Great Red Pine). Hamilton and Gun Gone Hollywood, owned by Linda Hamilton of Scottsdale, Ariz., won the Scottsdale Classic Futurity Level 3 Non Pro Championship earlier this year. Crupper and her Mr Briteside placed in the top ten at the 2012 All American Quarter Horse Congress Futurity in the level 4 non pro division.

Jeanna Schaffhauser (Tioga, Tex.) riding Dunitwithasmokingun (Gunner x Dun It Doll by Hollywood Dun It) held their lead from yesterday to win the level 2 non pro division go-round with a 215. Dunitwithasmokingun is owned by Sam Schaffhauser of Tioga, Tex.

Identical scores of 214 tied for second in the level 2 non pro division and first in the level 1 non pro division: Brianna Sloan (Whitesboro, Tex.) with her Jaysinic (Grays Jay x Chex Drive by Bueno Chexinic) and National Reining Horse Youth Association (NRHyA) member Cade McCutcheon (Aubrey, Tex.) on Dually With A Star (Mister Nicadual x Dun It On A Star by Hollywood Dun It).

Cade also took home championship honors in the youth non pro division on Dually With A Star (owned by Tom McCutcheon). Former Youth Non Pro Champion Jaci Marley (Plainview, Tex.) earned second place this year on Jennifer and Mark Marley’s Dodge This Gun (Dun Gotta Gun x Footworks Yellow Jac by Footworks Finest) with a score of 211. Youth Non Pro division placings are determined by go-round score.

Reminhick and Welman – NAAC Novice Horse Open Level 2
Reminhick (Reminic Ringo x Hometown Hickory) and NRHA Professional Brian Welman took home championship honors in the Adequan NAAC Open class on Saturday. In their next out, the 2005 gelding, owned by Travis Jon Lemke of New Prague, Minn., and Welman racked up another title: Adequan NAAC Novice Horse Open Level 2 Champions (221.5). Reminhick ($29,500 NRHA LTE) and Welman (River Falls, Wisc.) also won the 2011 Adequan NAAC Novice Horse Open Level 2 Championship for the North Central region.

Reserve honors went to Mambos Whiz (Topsail Whiz by Cindy Mambo) and Amanda Antifaev (Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada) for their score of 220.5. The duo won Novice Horse Open Level 2 championship at the NRHA Western Canada Regional Affiliate Finals for owners Ken and Margaret Johnson (Thorhild, Alberta, Canada).

O Rourke and Smart Lookin Juice – Adequan NAAC Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 Champions
The Northeast region beat out the competition in the Adequan NAAC Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 thanks to Kaci O Rourke and Smart Lookin Juice (Smart Like Juice x Peppys Dandy Doll) and their 220. The 2003 gelding has earned more than $31,600 in NRHA competition. O Rourke is an NRHyA member from Poultney, Vermont.

Shannon Rafacz (Citra, Fla., $401,000 NRHA LTE) and Colonels Rock (Like A Diamond x Colonels Desire, $22,700 NRHA LTE) represented NRHA’s Southeast region well winning reserve honors in the class with a 218. The 2005 gelding is owned by Shannon’s husband, Mark.

Adequan NAAC Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 Champions
Lindsey McCutcheon rode to a score of 216.5 on Kathleen and Scott McCutcheon’s Mega Beat (Marthas Mega Jac x Back Beat). They captured the Adequan NAAC Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 championship for the South Central Region. The 2006 mare has $10,800 NRHA LTE. Lindsey calls Whiteboro, Texas home and has earned $108,600 in the NRHA arena.

The reserve championship went to Susan Flynn (Ashland, Ky.) and her Colonel Tinseltown (Gunner x Dun It In Tinseltown). The team won the Prime Time Non Pro championship at the NRHA East Central Regional Affiliate Finals. Flynn has accumulated more than $105,500 in her NRHA showing career.

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW

It’s the most elite reining event in the world with 3,000 entries competing for more than $2 million in cash and prizes. More than 1,300 horses and 127,000 visitors come from nearly 20 countries to compete and watch the excitement unfold. During its 10-day run, the show contributes more than $67 million to the overall Oklahoma City economy.

The show features the $540,000-added NRHA Open Futurity Finals on Saturday, December 1 when the winning entry is guaranteed a check for $150,000, as well as incredible prizes from NRHA Corporate Partners and award sponsors. The NRHA / Cinch Non Pro Futurity offers an additional $260,000 in added money for non pro reiners, which will be awarded on Friday, November 30. Nearly $100,000 in nominator incentive money also will be distributed to those individuals who originally nominated horses to the NRHA Nomination Program, despite whether or not they still own the horse.

The NRHA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show offers a variety of spectator events and activities including a western gift market, NRHA / Markel Insurance Horse Futurity Sales, NRHA Open World Championship Shootout presented by Equine Sports Medicine, Silver Spurs Equine Rookie of the Year and 4R Performance Horses Hometown Heroes Slide & Freestyle Reining benefitting the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Go to nrhafuturity.com for more information or to purchase tickets.

NRHA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show Supporters

The NRHA would like to thank the following corporate partners for their support of the NRHA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show: Adequan, Arenus, Bob’s Custom Saddles, Cinder Lakes Ranch and Reproduction Center, Classic Equine, Darling 888 Ranch, Downunder Horsemanship, Horse&Rider, John Deere, Kiser Arena Specialists, Markel Insurance Company, Merial, Miller International – Cinch / Cruel Girl, Montana Silversmiths, Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau, Pard’s Western Shop, Platinum Performance, Purina, Quarter Horse News, Rios of Mercedes / Anderson Bean Boot Company, Silver Spurs Equine, SmartPak, Twister Trailer and World Development Group International.

In addition, NRHA thanks NRHA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show Event Sponsors:

• Platinum Futurity Sponsors: 4R Performance  Horses, Equine Sports Medicine, KO Trading, RAM, Roleski Ranch, Sandbur Productions LLC and Scott Cleaners
• Gold Futurity Sponsors: Cowdog  Saddles, Equine Oasis, Kyle Tack, Shorty’s Caboy Hattery, Soft Ride and The New West
• Silver Futurity Sponsors: Avila’s Pro Shop, E-Z Go, Forewheeler Golf Cars, Heat-A-Zone  and Millennium Luxury Coaches