The 2013 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby showcased the $435,000-added open finals on Saturday, June 29 at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, Okla. The NRHA Derby Show is NRHA’s premiere event for the world’s best 4-, 5- and 6-year-old reining horses and hosts to two slates of ancillary classes. This year’s Derby finals were the richest ever paying out approximately $948,000 to owners and nominators of open and non pro finalists.

During the open go-round, more than 500 entries competed for a spot in the finals with 72 of the top-scoring horse-and-rider teams invited back to Saturday night’s event.

After numerous leader changes, one entry cleared the rest of the field by one-half point: HF Mobster (Gunner x Dun Its Black Gold) and NRHA Million Dollar Rider Jordan Larson (Whitesboro, Texas) with a 228.5. Heritage Farms owns the 2008 stallion that has earned $45,400 so far in his career. Most recently, he and Larson finished in fourth place finish at the 2013 National Reining Breeders Classic.

The NRHA Derby Championship paid $60,000 ($57,000 to the owner and $3,000 to nominator Rhodes River Ranch). Level 4 open division awards included an NRHA Lawson trophy, a $5,000 gift certificate from Twister Trailer, a saddle from Bob’s Custom Saddles, a Montana Silversmiths buckle, a $300 SmartPak gift card, Purina feed, a pair of Rios of Mercedes boots, Assure Guard, Platinum Performance CJ, product from Classic Equine, $100 gift card from Pard’s Western Shop and a headstall from The New West.

Go-round leaders, A Smokin Whiz (Topsail Whiz x PF Nu Miss Royal Rsk, Sunrise Ranch LLC, owner) ridden by Jason Vanlandingham, earned more than $44,400 for their second place finish in the finals with a 228. Just behind with a 227.5 was 2012 NRHA Futurity Champion, Americasnextgunmodel (Gunner x Cee Dun It Do It, Arcese Quarter Horses USA, owner) and NRHA Professional Casey Deary (Weatherford, Texas), to end the finals in third place for owner Arcese Quarter Horses USA.

CFR Centenario Wimpy and Bertolani – Level 3 Champions
CFR Centenario Wimpy (Wimpys Little Step x Miss Hollywood Whiz) and Franco Bertolani (Aubrey, Texas) jumped to the top of the level 3 open division with a 226. They ended the finals with the championship and a fourth place finish in the level 4 open division. Domencio Lomuto’s 2008 stallion added more than $44,400 to his current $46,000 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings.

CFR Centenario Wimpy and Bertolani also won an NRHA Lawson trophy, a $2,500 gift certificate from Twister Trailer, a saddle from Bob’s Custom Saddles, a Montana Silversmiths buckle, $200 SmartPak gift card, Purina feed, a pair of Rios of Mercedes boots, Assure Guard, Platinum Performance CJ, product from Classic Equine, $100 gift cards from Pard’s Western Shop and a headstall from The New West.

Dunit A Lil Ruf and Salmon – Level 2 Champions
Late in the first section, Dunit A Lil Ruf (Lil Ruf Peppy x Bueno Poco Dunit) and NRHA Professional Ann Salmon (Tioga, Texas) earned a score of 223 to lead the level 2 open division. They held on to that lead and won the level 2 open championship for a paycheck of $10,996. In 2012, Dunit A Lil Ruf and Salmon were finalists in levels 1-3 at the NRHA Derby. To date, the 2007 mare has earned $19,199 in NRHA competition, and Salmon has won in excess of $100,170 in her NRHA career.

The level 2 champions also won an NRHA Lawson trophy, a $2,500 gift certificate from Twister Trailer, a saddle from Bob’s Custom Saddles, a Montana Silversmiths buckle, a $200 SmartPak gift card, Purina feed, a pair of Rios of Mercedes boots, Assure Guard, Platinum Performance CJ, product from Classic Equine, $100 gift card from Pard’s Western Shop, a headstall from The New West and a hat from Shorty’s Caboy Hattery.

Spin N Wimp and Giraudini-Stillo – Level 1 Champions
Spin N Wimp (Wimpys Little Step x Spinning Beauty) and Mirjam Giraudini-Stillo marked a 219.5 to match their go-round score and win the level 1 open division finals. The 2007 gelding is owned by Andrea Stillo and has over $40,500 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings. Spin N Wimp has been shown primarily in Europe racking up wins at the Italian Reining Horse Association Futurity (4-Year-Old) and German Breeder’s Futurity. The Stillo’s recently brought him from their native Italy to their ranch in Tioga, Texas.

For the level 1 division championship and top ten placings in the level 3 and level 2 open divisions, they won $13,338, an NRHA Lawson trophy, a $2,500 gift certificate from Twister Trailer, a saddle from Bob’s Custom Saddles, a Montana Silversmiths buckle, a $100 SmartPak gift card, Purina feed, a pair of Rios of Mercedes boots, Assure Guard, Platinum Performance CJ, product from Classic Equine, $100 gift card from Pard’s Western Shop, a headstall from The New West and a hat from Shorty’s Caboy Hattery.

Whattadualpep & Metcalf / Dunit A Lil Ruf & Salmon – Prime Time Co-Champs
The championship in the prime time division was determined in the go-round. Two matching scores of 220.5 ranked at the top of the pack: Whattadualpep (Mister Dual Pep x Whattaroyalprincess) with Carol Metcalf (Pilot Point, Texas) and Dunit A Lil Ruf with Ann Salmon. The co-champs earned $1,890 and split the champion awards: an NRHA Lawson trophy, a $2,500 gift certificate from Twister Trailer, a Montana Silversmiths buckle, a $100 SmartPak gift card, Purina feed, a pair of Anderson Bean boots, Assure Guard, Platinum Performance CJ, product from Classic Equine, $100 gift card from Pard’s Western Shop and a headstall from The New West.

NRHA Sire & Dam Program Awards
The following NRHA Sire & Dam Program stallion owner awards were presented during the awards ceremony:

• $1,500 to Gunner, owned by      McQuay Stables, for HF Mobster winning the level 4 open division
• $1,000 to Gunner, owned by      McQuay Stables, for Americasnextgunmodel placing third in the level 4 open division
• $500 to Wimpys Little Step,      owned by Xtra Quarter Horses, for CFR Centenario Wimpy for placing fourth in the level 4 open division

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.

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 nrha.com.

NRHA Derby 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, Boehringer Ingelheim, 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 Derby Event Sponsors

• Shorty’s Caboy Hattery, Scott Cleaners, KO Trading, Sandbur Productions, LLC., Cool-A-Zone, The New West, Business Link, Fowler Dodge and Santa Hill Ranch.

For more information on the NRHA, or the sport of Reining, please visit www.nrha.com or call (405) 946-7400.