Oklahoma City, OK – July 7, 2008 – The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) recently hired two new staff members to concentrate on the marketing and communications of the Association. Todd Barden now serves as the director of marketing and communications, while Christa Morris serves as the manager of marketing and communications.

Todd Barden, who has 25 years of sales and marketing experience in the western horse industry, has been hired as the NRHA’s director of marketing and communications. He was on the Western & English Sales Association board of directors for six years, promoting the industry from within. He has been director of sales and marketing for various companies including Cowboy Décor, Clearview Publishing (Chuck DeHaan), and Triple Creek Products, and was involved with sales and/or advertising with the Quarter Horse News, Panhandle Slim, M&F Western Products, and Montana Silversmiths. Barden is a native of Fort Worth, Texas, with a degree in animal science from Texas A & M University, and he’s been married to his wife Jill for the last 14 years.

Christa Morris, who has worked within equine association management for the past nine years, has started working for NRHA as the Manager of Marketing & Communications. She was a director for the American Youth Horse Council for three years encouraging youth involvement with all breeds of horses, as well as serving as the Senior Manager of Youth Activities/AQHYA for the American Quarter Horse Association. In addition, she worked as the Director of Racing Programs for AQHA helping to promote racing industry ownership and opportunities. Most recently, she was the Director of Communications for the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association. Morris is an Oklahoma native with a degree in animal science - business and agricultural economics from Oklahoma State University.