The State Fair Park in Oklahoma City is bustling with activity in preparation for the reining industry’s largest and most prestigious event. Not only will the 2019 National Reining Horse Association Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships once again top $2 million in total payout, it promises to be a show full of extraordinary excitement.
Jason Vanlandingham and A Vintage Smoke won the 2018 NRHA Futurity. Photo by Waltenberry.
Competition begins Thanksgiving Day with the first section of the first go-round of the Open Futurity preliminaries in the Jim Norick Coliseum. A major change for this year’s competition is the number of entries that will qualify for the finals. Increases in several divisions will allow the top 30 in Levels 1 – 4 of the Open and Non Pro to earn a spot in the clean-slate finals.
Thanks to MS Diamonds TX, Level 4 Open finalist owners will receive special recognition during the CINCH® Level 4 Non Pro finals on Friday afternoon. “Each owner of a Level 4 Open finalist will receive a custom MS Diamonds TX lapel pen created exclusively for this event,” noted Sr. Director of Corporate Relations & Communication Sammi Miller. “The owners are the backbone of our sport, and we can’t wait to honor them in this special presentation.”
The Futurity won’t be the only opportunity to win titles, money, and prizes at this year’s event; reiners from across North America have traveled to the Sooner State to compete for an NAAC title in 17 different divisions. Those include the Toyon Ranch Rookie of the Year (formerly Rookie Level 1), and the first-ever NAAC Prime Time Rookie. Lauren Rufo, Affiliate Program Representative, shared her excitement about changes to the event. “I am thrilled for our NAAC competitors this year. Thanks to the generosity of our Corporate Partners, the top 10 of each class will receive prizes in the Adequan® Arena, including the Platinum Performance top 10 jackets, which they’ll take home from the event this year,” she noted.
Rufo added that there will be additional recognition for each NAAC Champion. “The Champion of each NAAC class will be presented an Adequan® Championship vest the following day in the Jim Norick Coliseum. We look forward to spotlighting our hardworking and successful affiliate riders in this way,” she said.
Special events at the NRHA Futurity include the Thanksgiving Buffet hosted by the Reining Horse Foundation, the Platinum Performance Celebration, Cowboy Church, Sliders’ Night Out Presented by Toyon Ranch, the Markel Insurance NRHA Futurity Sales, the Quarter Horse News pre-sale breakfast, and the Bluebonnet Feeds open Finals Reception. In addition, the $20,000 NRHA Invitational Freestyle Reining presented by Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau will be held on Thursday evening, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m.
There are several ways to follow along with the excitement of this year’s Futurity. The live webcast, as well as live scoring, can be accessed on the website at NRHAFuturity.com. NRHA Official social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram will be regularly updated not only with up-to-date news but also with additional photos and fun facts.
Important messages will also be sent out using the event’s text alert system. Make sure you’ll receive RAM Text Alerts by signing up at NRHAFuturity.com.
Founded in 1966, the National Reining Horse Association is a nonprofit association dedicated to promoting and encouraging the development of and public interest in the sport of reining. The focus is on developing and maintaining suitable standards of performance and judging and in providing a fun filled, family-oriented atmosphere.
