The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity kicked off the day with the showdown rounds courtesy of NRHA Corporate Partners Bob’s Custom Saddles and Toyon Ranch. The top Rookie Level 1, Rookie Level 2, Intermediate Non Pro and Intermediate Open riders who placed in the top 10 of their Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC) class rode into the Jim Norick Coliseum in hopes of taking home a championship in the Bob’s Custom Saddles and/or Toyon Ranch Showdowns.
Bob’s Custom Saddles Intermediate Non Pro Showdown
Wyatt Deary and Chicsdundreamin (Magnum Chic Dream x Goody Goody Dun Drop), owned by Nancy Stillwell and bred by Lisa Maberry, repeated their success from earlier in the week when they won the Adequan® NAAC Intermediate Non Pro. This time, the duo scored a 217 in the Coliseum to win the Bob’s Custom Saddles Intermediate Non Pro Showdown and add $5,000 to his NRHA Lifetime Earnings (LTE).
“He was great for me today,” he said. “Last night, we practiced running in the pen, and he did well today. [NRHA] Pattern #7 is tough for him because he gets all fired up in the first three maneuvers, but he was so good for me. I couldn’t ask him for much more.”
The young rider admitted that his horse stopped better in the Coliseum than in the Adequan® Arena in their previous run. “We had some pretty rough stops in the last run, and I actually lost my stirrup, so today was really smooth, and I enjoyed it.”
Deary mentioned the gelding can be a little tough to prepare. “You want to get him in the right state of mind but don’t want him to be out of energy. As long as you get him in the right place, he will give you 100% every time,” he said.
The 17-year-old gelding has had a successful career with the Dearys, making him a special member of the reining dynasty and Deary is determined to continue the success next year.
“My sister [Joy] showed him last year at The Run For A Million (TRFAM) Rookie Challenge, and then we retired him. I pulled him out of the pasture in January and started showing him this year. I am hoping to qualify for the TRFAM Non Pro Challenge with him next year if I don’t find anything better, but that is hard when you have a horse who can score 223 and similar every time he enters the pen,” smiled Deary, who is looking forward to the next season with the gelding between the reins.
Bob’s Custom Saddles Intermediate Open Showdown
NRHA Professional Eric Laporte and Catherine Olson’s 5-year-old stallion Millionaire scored 218 to top the Bob’s Custom Saddles Intermediate Open Showdown, earning $5,000 for their win. The stallion, bred by Michell Anne Kimball, is by her stallion NRHA Hall of Famer Spooks Gotta Whiz and out of Mifs Doll.
“He has been good for me all week here,” said Laporte. “We have been getting some penalties in the previous runs, but it was all because of me. Today, I decided just to let him do his job and not be in his way. I didn’t try to be perfect but just to let him do his job and he expressed himself pretty well.”
Laporte got the stallion in the summer of 2023 and decided to school him for the rest of the season and prepare him for the next. “I started showing him this year and tried to figure out how he feels.”
As the stallion is only 5 years old, Laporte plans to enter derbies on him next year. “We are going to show in some derbies, and because of his bloodline, we are also going to breed a few mares to him to see how his offspring turn out,” he said.
Toyon Ranch Rookie Level 1 Showdown
Kristen Syburg, who won the Adequan® Toyon Ranch Rookie of the Year Championship earlier this week, took home the Toyon Ranch Rookie Level 1 Showdown Championship to add another $5,000 to her list of accolades at her first NRHA Futurity.
“I was nervous, and I was probably a little reserved, but he showed well for me,” she said. “I just started reining on him at the beginning of the year and started to get a little better and we kind of just decided right before the Best of the West [Southwest Affiliate Regional Championship] that we wanted to qualify to come here. He is pretty honest. I always know when we go in there that he is going to do what I tell him to.”
She showed her own Magnums Peppy (Magnum Chic Dream x Mattie Pep) to both titles. Before coming to Oklahoma City, the 9-year-old gelding, bred by Jeanne Jackson, only had $4,800 LTE.
“Next year I am probably going to start in the non pro,” she said. “I didn’t plan on not being a rookie next season, but yay! My other horse is still derby-aged so hopefully, I will hit some derbies on him.”
The Rookie of the Year thanked her husband, Charlie, NRHA Professional Linde von Koeding, and all of NRHA’s Corporate Partners who helped support the event.
Bob’s Custom Saddles Rookie 2 Showdown
Trinity Bell and Lena Who Whizit added $5,000 to their NRHA LTE after scoring a 216 and winning the Bob’s Custom Saddles Rookie 2 Showdown in their final show together.
The 12-year-old gelding (Lena Spark x Wa Hoo Whizit), owned by Bell’s mother, Joetta, was bred by Robbie Schroeder and performed well for his final time in the show pen.
“[Our run] was good. We didn’t have everything together, but it’s ‘Queso’s’ last show,” remarked Trinity. “We’ve had him for three years now. He was originally my sister’s horse, but he got passed on to me.”
Trinity was thankful to her sister Jayden for the opportunity to show Queso through the end of his career. “He went to Vegas [The Run For A Million Bloomer Trailers Rookie Championship] with me last year, and we finished in the top ten. And at Waco [the 2023 100X Brazos Slide], we won $15,000,” Trinity recalled.
“Next year, my plan is to try and find another horse. I would like to thank my sister for letting me have this horse and [NRHA Million Dollar Rider] Kole Price and his team and the support he gave me.”
For the full event schedule, results, and more, visit nrhafuturity.com.
