The top Non Pro riders at the 2007 NRHA Derby are now on their way to the finals! The second section of the go round ended on Tuesday with the leader board unchanged. The tie, a 219, in the $30,000 added Non Pro Derby between Mandy McCutcheon, from Aubrey, TX, and Kelle Smith from Belle Center, OH, remains the top score.
There are two new leaders in the $15,000 added Intermediate Non Pro division and, like the Non Pro, there is also a tie for first place. Carlie McKinzie and Michael Garnett tied with scores of 216.5. McKinzie rode RU Missin Diamonds (Like A Diamond x Missy Olena), owned by George & Cindy McKinzie, from East Wanatchee, WA. Garnett, rode his No Ordinary Kid (The Great Kid x Solanos Skip Brick). McKinzie is from East Wanatchee, WA, and Garnett is from Lincoln, NE.
The $7,500 added Limited Non Pro division also has a new go round leader. Carlie Thompson took over first place on her Maggie Chex (Buenonic Chex x Ms Maggie Enterprise). Thompson, from Dublin, OH, scored a 216 in the second section of the first go round.
Michael Garnett and his No Ordinary Kid will also advance to the $5,000 added Prime Time Non Pro Derby finals as the go round leader.
The top 20, plus ties, Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro division Derby riders will come back to compete in the clean slate finals. The top 15, plus ties, Limited Non Pro and Prime Time Non Pro riders will also return for the clean slate finals. The Non Pro Derby draw party was held Wednesday, May 16 at 11:00 am and the Non Pro Derby Finals are set for the afternoon and evening on Friday, May 18.
Tuesday’s competition also saw a full slate of ancillary events with the Intermediate Open, Limited Open and Rookie Professional classes.
First place in the Intermediate Open went to Debbie Arballo, from Blanchard, OK. Arballo scored a 218 on Top Tidy and Fine (Topgun Whiz x Windy Red Pine), owned by Carter Lee Crawford, also from Blanchard, OK. Arballo won $1,242.70 for her top placing.
The first place rider in the Limited Open was Chris Woolsey, from Yukon, OK. Woolsey won $300.01 with a score of 216.5 on Rawhides Tari Dude (Dunit Rawhide x Tarilla), owned by Express Ranches, from Piedmont, OK. Woolsey also took home first place and $290.19 in the Rookie Professional class.
Wednesday at the Derby brings the first section of the $80,000 added Open Derby go round and several ancillary classes; the $4,000 added Non Pro, $2,000 added Intermediate Non Pro and the $500 added Prime Time Non Pro (all running concurrently).
If you can’t attend the Derby, you don’t have to miss a single run! You can watch all the competition on your computer! The NRHA is offering FREE live streaming video! Just go to www.nrha.com for a link to all the action at the 2007 NRHA Derby.
Besides the fantastic reining competition, there’s something for everyone at the 2007 NRHA Derby including a family fun Youth Day & Derby Block Party presented by the National Reining Horse Youth Association on Saturday, May 19. The Block Party is free, but participants are asked to bring non-perishable food items or a monetary donation to benefit the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. The block party begins at 1:00 with a petting zoo, moonwalk, rock climbing wall, a demonstration by the Oklahoma City Mounted Police as well as a Reining demonstration with NRHA Professional John Horn.
Make plans to join in on the fun at the 2007 NRHA Derby.
