Following a highly successful year where membership and participation in reined cow horse increased exponentially, the National Reined Cow Horse Association Board of Directors voted to increase 2022 premier event payouts and offer more finals event berths for competitors.
“The NRCHA Board of Directors continues to be so forward thinking and engaged,” said Anna Morrison, NRCHA executive director. “Their commitment to raising our premier event purses recognizes the dedication of our exhibitors, owners and breeders in their pursuit of success across all of our premier events.”
The 2022 premier event shows start off with the Kalpowar Quarter Horses Celebration of Champions, where the Western Bloodstock / Hashtags’ World’s Greatest Horseman event shines a light on the versatility of NRCHA riders and all-around bridle horses. The champion’s purse doubles to $100,000 in 2022, with the addition of support from Western Bloodstock. On top of this, a more-than matching commitment of an additional $62,000 added from the NRCHA Board of Directors ensures a bigger payout for finalists from reserve on. Additionally, instead of the Top 10 being brought back for the ticketed World’s Greatest Horseman Finals, the Top 15 will ride for the prize. With the added purse, the NRCHA Board commits that those finishing 11th through 15th will earn at least $7,500. On top of this, the Tres Osos Cow Horse Derby will pay $30,000 to the Open champion.
At the Teton Ridge Stallion Stakes, held March 25-April 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Derby event will pay $50,000 to the Open champion in 2022, and the finalists riding for that prize increase from Top 20 to Top 25, plus ties, with places 21-25 earning at least $2,500. Also at the Teton Ridge Stallion Stakes, the Non Pro Derby purse will pay $10,000 to the winner, an increase over the 2021 purse of approximately $8,000, with a $3,000 prize for the Level 1 Non Pro Derby winner (formerly the Amateur division).
When the action begins at the DT Horses Western Derby June 1-12 in Scottsdale, Arizona, competitors in the Open Derby will ride for $50,000, a $10,000 increase over the 2021 purse. Instead of 20 riders, now there will be 25 finalists for that limited age event. Like the Stakes, the finalists placing 21st-25th will earn at least $2,500. The Non Pro Derby purse will pay $10,000 to the winner, with a $3,000 prize for the Level 1 Non Pro Derby winner.
The ever-growing and youngest premier event, the Dom Conicelli Memorial Eastern Derby, presented by MARS Equestrian™, will also see an increase in the limited age event purses that reflects the growth in entries at the show. The Open Derby will now pay $20,000 for the champion and the last four horse and rider teams placing in the Open Derby will earn at least $1,750. The Non Pro Derby will pay $5,000 to the champion, an increase over the 2021 purse, which paid approximately $3,300.
The near-record high entries in the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity®, presented by Metallic Cat, proved that the reined cow horse industry is still on a positive upward swing. In 2022 the NRCHA Board has committed that the purse for the Open champion will increase from $125,000 to $200,000, with the increase to 30 finalists plus ties implemented at the 2021 event still in place. In 2022 the bottom placing horse and rider Open finalist teams are now guaranteed $10,000 in the limited age event. The Board has also emphasized the importance of NRCHA’s Non Pro riders, and in 2022 the Non Pro Futurity champion will earn $40,000 with the bottom placing finalists earning at least $2,000; the Level 1 Non Pro Futurity will pay at least $7,500 and the Non Pro Boxing Futurity (formerly Non Pro Limited) will pay at least $7,500 to the winner.
“In no other Western discipline futurity does a horse have to prepare to compete in three different events. The Board felt the Snaffle Bit Futurity prize should grow to honor the challenge,” said Corey Cushing, NRCHA president. “But the Futurity is only the start for our horses. Western Bloodstock and Hashtags’ support has grown the World’s Greatest Horseman winner’s purse, and Nancy Crawford and Holy Cow Performance Horses have provided ongoing support for the Bridle Spectaculars. By increasing our commitment to the World’s Greatest Horseman purse the Board wanted to make it clear that NRCHA’s support of the bridle horse is unwavering.”
The NRCHA serves a national and international membership base through five premier events annually as well as sanctioned events produced by NRCHA affiliates around the world. Through strategic alliances with breed and performance associations like the American Paint Horse Association’s Chrome Cash and the concurrent classes offered through the Stock Horse of Texas, the NRCHA is able to provide more opportunity to show cow horses than ever before. The increased association membership and, based on the volume of entries at 2021 premier events, sets up 2022 to be another record-breaking year for NRCHA. Follow the action at nrcha.com.
About the National Reined Cow Horse Association
Based in Pilot Point, Texas, the National Reined Cow Horse Association was formed in 1949 in California, with the goal of preserving and educating the public about the rich history of this traditional horsemanship. The NRCHA is responsible for promoting the sport and ensuring high standards of competition and continuing to work to keep the Vaquero tradition alive in today’s equine industry. The NRCHA also supports numerous affiliate clubs across the United States, Europe and abroad. These groups serve as the association’s backbone, holding many NRCHA-sanctioned competitions and events each year. For more information on these events and reined cow horse, visit www.nrcha.com.
CONTACT:
National Reined Cow Horse Association
Kate Byars — kate@nrcha.com