Not a single horse physically walked through the ring during the 2025 NRHA Markel Futurity Sale, but buyers and sellers prevailed nonetheless. Less than three weeks ahead of the Oklahoma City event, several positive cases of EHV-1 flipped the script and the sale adjusted accordingly. Sale horses remained at home, but bidders showed up and showed out both online and in person, setting the tone for an unprecedented event in the sale ring.

Moving the horse sale to an innovative new setup certainly changed the look, but the feel and enthusiasm were well in hand. Even with extra seating, the tables and stadium were packed. And what began with a quiet, steady pace was punctuated by the escalated cries as prices climbed for the highest sellers from each session.

The highlight of the day came during the Premier Sale when the gavel fell at $375,000—shattering the previous sale record of $300,000, which was set in 2013 with the purchase of Mr. Magnum Dun It (Magnum Chic Dream x Brennas Red Dunit). Once again, the day’s high seller was consigned by Cooper Smith of Smith Ranch in Whitesboro, Texas. Despite a packed sale ring, a significant portion of buyers participated online, further proving that the hybrid sale format is not only successful but also sustainable.

NRHyA

One of the largest fundraising events of the year, the annual NRHyA Stallion Auction launched the day’s excitement and generated $29,900 in support of reining youth. These funds directly benefit year-round youth programming and contribute to the NRHyA scholarship fund. Coordinated through the Reining Horse Foundation (RHF), nearly $90,000 in scholarships were awarded in 2025—a record-setting total made possible in large part by the continued success of the Stallion Auction over the years.

Once again, some of the industry’s most influential stallions were generously donated by their owners. The top-selling breeding of the night went to NRHA Thirteen Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz, owned by Michell Kimball of Collinsville, Texas. NRHA Million Dollar Owner Tim Anderson—widely recognized for his unwavering support of reining youth—secured the breeding for $10,000, along with several others. As President of the Reining Horse Foundation, Anderson is poised to create exceptional crosses by pairing these elite stallions with his top-tier mares, further strengthening his lasting impact on the industry.

Speaking of mares, the remainder of the day surged forward with a growing appreciation for the power of the bottom side. While the first session was dominated by the boys, the girls quickly took over, underscoring the importance of strong maternal lines in today’s market.

Performance Horse Sale

National Reined Cow Horse Association Two Million Dollar Rider Boyd Rice got the day started when he bought hip number 101 – Dun Gotta Shine – in the Performance Horse Sale. The $42,000 price tag topped session one. Consigned by Chappell Horse Sales, the 2023 gelding is headed to his new home in Weatherford, Texas. By Shine N Spook, who was an Open Level 4 Futurity Co-Champion with NRHA Seven Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida in 2014, the palomino is out of Dun Got It Made. With only three foal crops on the ground so far, his dam is in the proving grounds as a producer in the iconic Toyon Ranch lineup.

Hip number 105, Pretty Guns R Reddy, buttoned up the Performance Horse Sale when the bay filly sold for $37,000 to Michael Diaz from Carencro, Louisiana. Consigned by Bozidar Ranch with Justin “Gunny” Mathison as the agent on the sale. At the time of sale, the 2023 filly had been in training with Mathison Reining Horses for almost a year which was evident in the video footage. The filly is by Spooks Gotta Whiz and out of Guns R Reddy. Quickly becoming a proven producer, Guns R Reddy has produced 11 money earners with over $300,000 in progeny NRHA Lifetime Earnings. Out of the four consignments in the Performance Horse Sale, three sold for a ring total of $114,000 which made for an average of $38,000.

Elite Yearling Sale

A unique yet classic cross produced the high seller of the Elite Yearling Sale, as Hip No. 285 commanded $150,000 for consignor Cam Essick of Clements, California. The striking 2024 bay filly, aptly named A Love Affair, was one of five horses to eclipse the six-figure mark during Session Two. Notably, several of the sale’s top sellers were fillies—an indicator of the growing emphasis breeders are placing on future broodmare power.

By NRHA Thirteen Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz, A Love Affair is out of Love Em N Lena, an own daughter of NRCHA Million Dollar Sire Smart Little Lena. The legendary sire also produced Smart Chic Olena, responsible for countless million-dollar sires and dams on the NRHA list. Shawn Parry secured the fancy filly and will take her home to Bozeman, Montana.

Close behind was Hip No. 252, a 2024 sorrel colt consigned by Jose Zarate of Alma, Arkansas. JZ Gun Spark is by NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Jacs Electric Spark and out of Gun Affair. Cooper Smith made the $130,000 purchase to add the promising prospect to his program. The Elite Yearling Sale delivered impressive results across the board, with 77 consignments grossing $2,860,700 through the ring. Seventy percent of the horses found new homes, resulting in a sale-ring total of $2,096,200 and an average price per head of $38,819—marking a significant increase over 2024 figures.

Preferred Breeders Sale

The top seller emerged early in the Preferred Breeders Sale and was a two-for-one special. Hip number 304 was a 2014 chestnut mare consigned by Chappell Horse Sales and sold for $75,000. Hermosa Star Dream boasts just over $6,000 in NRHA LTE but is also a proven producer and a full sister to NRHA Million Dollar Dam This Chisdundreamin. Tami Nelson from Whitesboro, Texas, bought the mare by NRHA Fourteen Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream and out of Hermosa Dun It. Along with the mare came an embryo by Gunnabebigtime (Gunnatrashya x Big Time Jazzy).

Hip number 320 – Gimme You Guns – was one of the last horses on the block for session three and brought $39,000 for consignor Slavin Equine from Whitesboro, Texas. The 2012 sorrel mare is double registered and by NRHA Fifteen Million Dollar Sire Gunner (Colonels Smoking Gun) and out of Nu Silk Stockings. Purchased by Guy Motaey from Carlsbad, California, the mare is a money earner in her own right but has produced horses that excel not only in reining but also in various aspects of roping. She sold confirmed in foal to PS Mega Shine Chic (Shine Chic Shine x Megas Sugar Baby).

Twenty-two horses were offered and grossed $469,000. Fifteen of those horses sold which made for a ring total of $291,500 and their average was $19,433.

Premier Sale

Other than a few exciting moments for the high sellers in the first three sessions, the sale day moved at a good pace but ultimately remained even keeled. It was clear that everyone was waiting for the top seller of the day to emerge, but it was hard to guess when it would happen. It was hip number 426 that had people in the stands, and likely at home, jumping out of their seats. It was none other than Cooper Smith who brought the most sought-after offering of the day. It’s his third year in a row to accomplish this feat and must be some sort of record even if unofficially so. Whizicle 66 sold for a whopping $375,000 to an online bidder in Belgium.

Speaking to the mare power in the room, it’s fitting that the high seller was an impressive 2024 palomino filly. By NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Inferno Sixty Six, the young mare is out of Whizicle who boasts a long list of money-earning offspring.

It’s a tough act to follow but the second highest seller in the Premier Sale was by one of the newest NRHA Million Dollar Sires Gunner Dun It Again. Hip number 418 – Breaking Badd – is a 2024 smoky black colt out of Papi Sugar Girl. Consigned by Lapke and Sachau Partnership, Stone Mountain Stables from Southlake, Texas, paid $165,000 for the bald-face, blue-eyed yearling with a bright future ahead of him.

A solid 100 horses were up for grabs in the Premier Sale to gross $2,528,000. Seventy-three of those horses sold for a ring total of $2,030,000 which made for an average of $27,808. By the numbers, 71 percent of the 203 horses consigned and sold between the four sessions. The horses who sold accumulated a ring total of $4,531,700 which made for an average of $31,253 per head overall. It was a successful day for buyers and sellers alike. Even though the atmosphere was a little different without the horses physically present, the enthusiasm of the staff, onlookers, buyers and sellers made for a strong sale day. In what became an unprecedented day for the sale, unique circumstances helped produce several unofficial milestones. For sale manager Angie Honeywell, it marked the first time she had watched a horse exceed $300,000—and once again, Cooper Smith added another high seller to his growing list.

“I can’t thank the consignors and buyers enough for their continued and enthusiastic support of the NRHA Markel Futurity Sale year after year,” Honeywell said. “It goes without saying that without them, none of this would be possible. And this year it was abundantly clear how great this industry is when we made the decision to keep horses at home from the sale. That created a lot of extra work for the consignors last minute and they rose to the challenge without complaint. And I appreciate every one of them for that.”

All prices and totals reflected are unofficial. Final prices will be posted on nrha.com at a later date.