OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA –While Reining hasn’t yet made it to the mainstream consciousness of most sports enthusiasts, it could very well be the next equestrian discipline in the Olympic Games, and on Saturday, July 16, horse and sports fans alike can witness the excitement of the competition in its purest form.
Rookie Day Presented by Classic Equine will return to Hardy Murphy Coliseum in Ardmore and benefits the Reining Horse Sports Foundation (RHSF) Crisis Fund. The Crisis Fund assists NRHA members and their families when they are faced with economic adversity because of hardship, disaster, or illness. Nearly $18,000 has been distributed to reiners in need. The Rookie Day competition is open to all riders meeting National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Rookie requirements. Spectators are welcome. Participating Rookie riders will make a $175 donation to RHSF, a not-for-profit organization, whose mission is to develop and enhance the sport of Reining worldwide. There will also be a Rookie Day event on August 2nd in East Sussex, England. 2005 is the first year Rookie Day will take place outside of the United States. There was also a Rookie Day held in Woodside, California, in conjunction with the Reining By The Bay.
Beginning at 9 a.m., NRHA professional trainers will present a Rookie clinic, then serve as coaches for an Individual and Team Reining competition to be held later in the day. NRHA Futurity Champion Doug Milholland leads the list of professionals. Also coaching is NRHA Hall of Famer and NRHA Board Member Clint Haverty, Shelli Ries, Kim Ferguson, Terry Fox, Casey Deary, Andy Johnson, Ann Salmon, Tim Lynch, and Ruben Van Dorp.
Since its inception in 2002, Rookie Day has been organized by RHSF Crisis Fund Committee Chair Tracy Lynch who sees this project as one where everybody wins. She said, “Rookie Day will not only benefit the Crisis Fund, but it will also help entry-level NRHA members to become more comfortable with and enthusiastic about NRHA competition. The more we grow our sport the closer we become to the dream of realizing Olympic inclusion.”
The RHSF has partnered with the National Reining Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Association, and the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) to make the dream of Olympic inclusion a reality for Reining. As the only Western discipline approved for FEI competition, Reining received a substantial and very encouraging boost when the organization, during its 2005 FEI General Assembly, in London, England, proposed recommending to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) the addition of a fourth equestrian discipline for future Olympic competitions. Which disciplines are in the running? “It is notorious that both Endurance and Reining have Olympic aspirations… both would help eliminate the universality concerns,” stated the Secretary General when asked about the front runners.
For questions about entering Rookie Day or being a spectator, contact Tracy Lynch at 580.277.9006 or 580.276.1400.
