From the Executive Director

IT’S ONLY LOOKING UP

As I write this letter, I can confidently report that summer has finally arrived in Texas. It’s hot, y’all; the kind of hot that requires a cool lemonade or a refreshing dip in the pool, or stock tank pool, as it were. Do you know what else has been hot? Our entries! It’s hard to believe that since our last issue we’ve had two record-breaking Derbies and a record-breaking National High School Finals Rodeo,

Dr. Anna Morrison where 111 youth competed in the cow horse arena!

For those of you who weren’t able to join us in Scottsdale, Arizona, let me share a bit of what you missed at the DT Horses Western Derby in June. Our entries were up 20 percent over the course of this 12-day show, which featured outstanding children’s activities like lead line and herd help horse painting, as well as the CD Survivor Memorial Bridle Spectacular and first-ever CD Survivor Super Spectacular, both supported by Holy Cow Performance Horses.

We also held our first-ever $10,000 added Non Pro Limited class, which helped Cheryl Chown to become the winningest Non Pro Limited rider ever at a single National Reined Cow Horse Association premier event. After all was said and done, it was Corey Cushing and Hesa Dual Bet, owned by Teton Ridge Ranch, that bested the field of 143 Open Derby horses in spectacular fashion.

After Scottsdale, it was on to Cordova, Tennessee, for the Dom Conicelli Memorial Eastern Derby, presented by MARS EquestrianTM. The 33 percent (yes, you read that correctly) increase in entries there ensured that our barns were full and our warm-up pens were always busy, and we were grateful for rain that kept the temperatures down! After the fence work it was Clay Volmer atop Ricato Suave, owned by Shaleah Hester and Madeline Fountain, that beat out 68 horses for the title of Open Derby Champion. That same day, Todd Crawford and Jerry Smoke earned the Open Bridle Spectacular title, and later that week Crawford rode Bet Lucky 13 to the Open Two Rein Spectacular title. The Pre-Futurity classes marked the first time we’ve seen NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® prospects in the pen at a major this year, and it was Ashley Deacon aboard The Royalty, owned by Lucinda Rose David, that came out victorious in the Open division.

Speaking of the 2021 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, this will be one for the record books! As of now, we have more than 300 open horses, with Level 1-only entries still to come, and many people still hunting slots. As we finish out the heat of the summer, we’ll be looking forward to the reprieve the fall weather will bring, along with the excitement of seeing which horses will rise to the top during the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Finals on October 23. I have a feeling you’re not going to want to miss this one!

Stay cool, and we’ll see you in Fort Worth!.

Volume 26, Number 4 Official Publication of the National Reined Cow Horse Association Published by Morris Equine Group a division of MCC Magazines, LLC NRCHA

256 North Hwy 377 | Pilot Point, TX 76258 Phone: 940-488-1500 | Fax: 940-488-1499 info@nrcha.com | www.NRCHA.com

NRCHA OFFICERS & DIRECTORS:

President: Corey Cushing Vice President: Paul Bailey Secretary: Frank Prisco Treasurer: Trey Neal NRCHA Foundation: MJ Isakson

NRCHA STAFF

Executive Director: Dr. Anna Morrison Premier Event Manager: Emily Konkel Communications Manager: Kate Bradley Byars Program Manager: Elizabeth Ellis Membership & Affiliate Show Manager: Taylor Todd Director of Judges: Bill Enk Official NRCHA Photographer: Primo Morales Official NRCHA Videographer: Equine Promotion REINED COW HORSE NEWS

Vice President: John Lunn Editor: Kate Bradley Byars Managing Editor: Jennifer Denison Production Manager: Sherry Brown Art Director: Susan Sampson Advertising Sales Shawn McCoy, 817-929-859/ shawn.mccoy@morris.com Sales Customer Service Manager: Diana Buettner, 817-569-7114/ diana.buettner@morris.com Advertising, Fax 817-737-9633

Reined Cow Horse News (ISSN 23803975) is published six times a year by Cowboy Publishing Group. Known office of publication: 2112 Montgomery Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107. All contents are copyright of the National Reined Cow Horse Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior written permission from the NRCHA. Opinions expressed in articles and advertising in Reined Cow Horse News do not necessarily reflect the positions or opinions of the NRCHA or its officers and members. Accuracy of material is the sole responsibility of the authors. Unsolicited materials are submitted at the sender’s risk and the NRCHA accepts no responsibility for them. Please address all submissions to: Reined Cow Horse News, 256 North Hwy 377, Pilot Point, Texas, 76258. Subscription rate is $25 a year. Periodical postage paid at Pilot Point, Texas, 76258 and additional mailing offices. USPS number, 024-906. Postmaster: Send address changes to Reined Cow Horse News, 256 North Hwy 377, Pilot Point, Texas, 76258.