Oklahoma City, OK – November 22, 2007 – While many people traditionally spend Thanksgiving Day eating turkey and watching football, the NRHA Thanksgiving Day tradition brings the start of the NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC) Show. The 2007 NRHA Futurity Show kicked off Thursday, November 22 at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, OK.
The First Go, 1st Section of the Open Futurity began early Thursday morning with the first of 386 horses in the draw. Eight hours later, NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider Tim McQuay emerged the front runner. McQuay, of Tioga, TX, rode Hollywoodtinseltown to a score of 224 in the Open Division. Hollywoodtinseltown is owned by David J. Silva, Sr. of Tolland, CT. 2004 Intermediate Open Futurity Reserve Champion Shadd Parkinson, of Scottsdale, AZ, is second in the Open Division standings with a score of 222. Parkinson rode Smart Little Stepper, owned by Katherine K. Tobin, of Scottsdale, AZ.
Parkinson’s score of 222 on Smart Little Stepper landed him the top spot in the Intermediate Open Division. Second in the standings of the First Go, 1st Section of the Intermediate Open Division is Jason Vanlandingham, of Whitesboro, TX, riding Whizaspook, owned by Rosanne Sternberg, with ranches in England and Texas. Vanlandingham scored a 220.5.
Following the First Go, 1st Section of the Limited Open Division, the leading scorer was Robin Schoeller riding Wimpys Pinesail, owned by Charles R Vaughan, of Lafayette, IN. Schoeller, of Springfield, OH, scored a 219. One point separates first and second in the Limited Open standings. Mathieu Buton, of Overbrook, OK, scored a 218 riding She Is Inwhizable, owned by Holy Cow Performance Horses LLC, of Santa Ynez, CA.
The competition continued in Arena 6 well into the night with the $500 added Rookie Professional presented by Remington Park, $500 added NAAC Rookie Professional and the $500 added Limited Open presented by Remington Park as well as the $500 added NAAC Limited Open.
Even though many reiners spend Thanksgiving Day away from home to travel to the Futurity, this year, the Reining Horse Sports Foundation (RHSF) brought all the comforts of Thanksgiving Day to the Futurity. The RHSF hosted the Americana Day Thanksgiving Dinner in the new sale arena in Barn 3. Several hundred people enjoyed fabulous traditional Thanksgiving Day dishes like Turkey, Ham, Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Cranberry Sauce and as many different kinds of delicious pies as one can imagine. Fabulous food, fun and friends in an intimate candlelit setting with plenty of festive fall decorations - it looks like the RHSF may have created a brand new Thanksgiving Day tradition at the NRHA Futurity!
As well as a spectacular Thanksgiving Day feast, the exhibitors who traveled to the Futurity this year were greeted by a newly remodeled Super Barn at the Oklahoma State Fair Park. During the Derby, everyone dodged bulldozers and construction vehicles, but now many agree that slight inconvenience was well worth it. The brand new Super Barn combines the old Barn 1 and Barn 2. The facility features a warm up pen, a tall, tall ceiling with three Big Ass Fans regulating the temperature and brand new stalls. Even though the temperature is expected to dip well below freezing Thursday evening, the spirits are warm inside the new Super Barn.
Friday morning brings the First Go, 2nd Section of the Open Futurity followed by the $1,000 added Novice Horse Open and $1,000 added NAAC Novice Horse Open. Then, freestyle riders will entertain the Futurity crowd Friday evening with the $7,500 added Open and $2,500 added Non Pro North American Freestyle Championship presented by Century Investment Group.
As well as the world’s best reining, other Futurity highlights include the 4R Performance Horses “8” Second Celebrity Slide – a special Reining event involving several top names in bull riding to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma®, the $100,000 added FEI World Reining Masters 2007, an Invitational Freestyle competition, the Performance Horse Rookie of the Year, the $10,000 added Open class presented by Rhodes River Ranch, a special clinic with Stacy Westfall presented by Horse & Rider magazine, the Champagne Brunch with Legends, and three exceptional horse sales featuring futurity prospects, yearlings and other prospects and producers including the NRHA/Markel Insurance Breeders Select Showcase, NRHA/Markel Insurance Marketplace, NRHA/Markel Insurance Futurity Prospect sales and the Elite Trailer Sweepstakes.
