NRHA Media: How was your journey to this year’s NRHA Futurity?

Anne Grether: It was really short actually because I didn’t know I was going to be showing! I was planning on coming to help [NRHA Million Dollar Rider] Cira Baeck, and about two weeks ago, she called me and asked if I could show one of her horses.

NRHA Media: What horse will you be showing at the Futurity?

Grether: I will be showing Sabine Schmid’s gelding Just Crush It (PS Mega Shine Chic x Sneak By Me), bred by Stuart Rybak and nominated by Lucas Sousa. He has been in Cira’s program since the beginning, so she knows him well, and I trust her process.

NRHA Media: Can you compare the European shows to the shows here in the U.S.?

Grether: The shows are ran very similarly, but in the U.S., they are much longer. I just returned from France, from the NRHA European Derby, and it was only a 5-day show. Here we are for two weeks, so it feels like forever. But the atmosphere here is incredible. There is so many good horses and riders, you can’t get enough of it.

NRHA Media: What is the best part about being here at the NRHA Futurity?

Grether: I love to watch everybody. The quality of the horses is high and you can always learn something from the riders. The best of the best come here to perform, so it is great to watch it.

NRHA Media: How long have you been riding with Cira?

Grether: I started working for Cira as an intern in 2009, and I left as a friend, which I really appreciate.