Oklahoma City, OK – November 23, 2007 – The competition is heating up inside the Oklahoma State Fair Park at the 2007 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC) Show. There’s a new high score in the first go-round standings of the NRHA Open Futurity.
Chris Dawson, of Gainesville, TX, took over the lead with a score of 225.5. Dawson, the 2004 NRHA Futurity Limited Open Division Futurity Reserve Champion, rode Smart Shiner Lena, owned by Carol Rose, also of Gainesville, TX. Dawson is also leading in the standings in the Intermediate Open division.
Robin Schoeller, of Springfield, OH, remains the leader in the Limited Open division with Thursday’s score of 219 on Wimpys Pinesail, owned by Charles Vaughan, of Lafayette, IN.
The $1,000 added NAAC Novice Horse Open class was won by Patti Brownshadel, of Hempstead, TX. Brownshadel scored a 216 riding her Im The Chic Magnet.
Brownshadel also won a chance to participate in the Elite Trailer Sweepstakes on Saturday, December 1. Before the Open Futurity Finals on Saturday evening, all 13 of the Adequan ® North American Affiliate Champions will receive the chance to draw for one of the six Elite trailers. The first six affiliate division champions to draw the winning envelope will drive away with one year’s use of a new trailer from Elite!
In the $1,000 added Novice Horse Open Ancillary Class, Brownshadel tied for first with Garth Brown of Valley View, TX. Brown also scored a 216 on Playboy Master owned by Vittorio Rabboni, of Gainesville, TX.
On Friday evening, fans were treated to lots of laughs and touching moments during the Adequan® North American Affiliate Freestyle Open and Non Pro Championships presented by Century Investment Group. In the end, Jessicah Keller, of Fayetteville, TN, won both the Open and Non Pro divisions with a score of 219.5. Keller rode Night Deposit Chex, owned by Hilldale Farm, of Fayetteville, TN. Keller won just over $6,300 in prize money.
Saturday will be a big day at the 2007 NRHA Futurity Show. The First Go, Section 3 of the Open Futurity begins bright and early in the Coliseum. Competition in the Adequan North American Affiliate Championships continues with the $1,000 added NAAC Intermediate Open and the $3,000 added Intermediate Open Ancillary class.
Then, fans will be treated to quite a show Saturday evening at the 4R Performance Horses “8” Second Celebrity Slide – a Reining event involving several top names in bull riding to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma®. Bull riding celebrities J.W. Hart, Justin McBride, Cord McCoy, Ross Coleman, Matt Bohon, Rob Smets, Paulo Crimber, Cody Lambert and Ednei Caminhas will trade their flak jackets to test their skills on champion reining horses all to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Oklahoma. Bull riding fans will also recognize Randy Schmutz’ familiar voice from the announcer’s booth as he provides color commentary for the celebrity event.
The celebrity competitors have spent the past few weeks learning the basics of reining from some of the best reiners in the world - NRHA Two Million Dollar Riders Tim McQuay and Shawn Flarida; Million Dollar Riders Dell Hendricks, Craig Schmersal, and Tom and Mandy McCutcheon; NRHA Professional Casey Hinton and trainers Tim Lynch and Tom St. Hilaire. Assisting will be their young friends from the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Oklahoma, serving as honorary coaches.
Tickets for the 4R Performance Horses “8” Second Celebrity Slide are $8 and can be purchased through tickets.com or at the door. Children 12 & under are free with a canned food donation to benefit the Oklahoma City Food Bank.
As well as the world’s best reining, other Futurity highlights include 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.
