The annual ApRHA Board of Directors and Membership meeting was held on Tuesday, October 25th during the 2011 World Championship Appaloosa Show.  More than 50% of the general membership attended and many new, exciting issues were discussed and approved for FY 2012 that will help the association grow in members, sponsors and overall added money events!  Retiring ApRHA President, Sue Zimmerman, led the meeting and was enthusiastic about the ideas presented for the upcoming year.

Replacing Zimmerman in the President role is reining enthusiast, Gillian Galligan, Sliding Spot Ranch, Petaluma, CA.  Galligan has many years with the NRHA, the ApRHA and is a successful breeder of Appaloosa reiners.

Additionally, Leslie Temple, Plus One Performance Horses, Granbury, TX will continue in her role as Vice-President of the ApRHA, rounding out her second year, newcomer Non-Pro Robin Broughton, Wadsworth, IL has accepted the position of Secretary and Non-Pro Jane Cairo, Miami, Florida will fill the newly created role of Treasurer for the Association.

Existing board members continuing their second term are:  Jane Cairo, Tinker Turner, Art Juhrend and they are joined by newly-voted-in, 2-year term board members; Kelly Hedges, Amber Morgan, Robin Broughton, and Harvey Stevens.

Stay tuned for updates from our new President and your Board of Directors as we head in to the new 2012 year!

Heading to Fort Worth?

A few updates for all you ApRHA participants at the World Show this year…Don’t miss out on the Annual ApRHA Members meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 25 at 11:00am.  Location will be the FRENCH ROOM at the Appaloosa World Show.  Don’t miss coming and hearing all of the exciting changes happening in the ApRHA for 2012.

In addition, there is still time to get your entries in for the Futurity (Patterns #8 and #10) and the Slide (Pattern #6) – don’t forget there is $5,000.00 added money in the Slide, the Open and Star H Futurity and $3,500.00 added money in the Non-Pro Futurity.  Come on and get your slide on!

Big shout out to Liz Kincaid and TOP Appaloosas for signing on as the BRAND-NEW 2011 ApRHA Futurity Title Sponsor!  Kincade has always been a generous supporter of the ApRHA and the Appaloosa breed.  Gay Bars Silver is the standing stud at TOP Appaloosas and Liz has contributed to the Stallion Auction each year with this remarkable stallion.  Remember to say THANKS to Liz when you see her in Ft. Worth for her generous donation and continued support!

Saturday, July 16 in the Mustang Arena at the Built Ford Tough Livestock Expo Square, Tulsa, OK 11 competitors braved the 7th straight day of 100+ degrees to compete in the ApRHA Derby – 6 Non-Pros and 5 in the Open Division.  Added money in the Open topped out at $1,500.00 and the Non-Pro came in at an impressive $2,000.00!  Judge Don Flohr’s choice of pattern was #5.  And just like Wednesday night in the Juniors, Terry Thompson (Aubrey, Texas) showed why he has over 250 National and World Titles – laying down an impressive score of 70 1/2 aboard Steven Minvielle’s horse, Whiz N Onasign, to earn him the top spot in the ApRHA Open Derby division.  Earning the Reserve Championship in the Open was an equally impressive score of 70, awarded to the team of Tinker Turner (Booneville, Arkansas) and Playboy Haidaway, owned by Candice Holland Turner.

In the ApRHA Derby Non-Pro Division, Jane Cairo (Miami, Florida) aboard Duntattooedavaquero and Paul Stewart, (Cooper City, Florida) on Justins Lena Doc shared the spotlight of the Championship with a tie at 69 1/2!  Splitting the money and flipping for the buckle, both competitors couldn’t have asked for a better way to close the exciting week out at the 64th Annual National ApHC Show!

Young Matthew Menoff, (Gowanda, New York) proved on Friday night that he was a serious competitor in the Non-Pro Reining Division and he and his mount, This Juice is Smokin, had come to Tulsa with their sights set on the Championship.  First in the draw, Menoff calmly walked Juice to the center of the Built Ford Tough Livestock Arena and laid down an awesome run on Pattern #4 – earning the team an impressive high score of 215!  After that initial run, the next 6 contestants tried to imitate Menoff, but no one came even close.  Menoff and This Juice is Smokin left with the Championship and Shawn Reynolds (Columbus, New Jersey) aboard Miss Tari Olena captured the Reserve Championship with a high score of 207.  Congratulations to all of the Non-Pro’s and their horses who competed, suffering through the outside blazing heat of 100+ and the extreme cold of the inside arenas!

Great Appy Reining continues in Tulsa, OK at the 64th Annual National ApHC  Show!  Wednesday evening brought the Junior Reiners into the Ford Truck Arena with a total of 7 entries.  Pattern 8 was the judges choice and 4 of the 8 competitors scored in the 200’s – a very impressive showing.  Non-Pro Jane Cairo (Miami, FL) had the 4th draw and after an almost flawless, well-executed go, she and Duntattooedavaquero were sitting in 1st place with a 208.  But, it just wasn’t good enough, as the last contestant was Terry Thompson (Aubrey, TX) aboard Whiz N Onasign and Thompson showed why he is the master – a perfectly executed round with precision for each maneuver displayed by both horse and rider – earning Thompson a very impressive score of 210 1/2 and the championship!  Great job by all and congratulations to Jane and Terry!

What a dramatic finish to the ApHC Nationals Senior Reining Event last night in Tulsa, Oklahoma! Braving the 100 degree+ heat outside and the 65 degree temperature inside, 14 entrants took to the arena, running Pattern 10 and looking to bring home the blue.  At the end though, it looked like Kelly Hedges, (Perrysburg, NY) aboard This Juice is Smokin, had edged out Eric LaPorte, (France) riding Mr Awesome Affaire, by a mere 1/2 point – Hedges posting a blowout 214 1/2 and LaPorte with an exciting 214.

But drama begins with a review of the scores by the ApHC and along with two other contestants whose scores were reduced, Hedges score was reduced by 1/2 point, now making it a tie with LaPorte!

Both riders came back in for the work off, LaPorte first and Hedges second, and once again laid down incredible rides on their Appy’s – Hedges made a slight error by picking up a wrong lead for two steps, but it was enough to give LaPorte the edge and the championship.  LaPorte wins with a second score of 214 and Hedges ends the work off with a still very impressive 213!  Both men and both Appy horses performed beautifully – great job guys!

2011 Futurity & Superstakes Entry Forms Available Now!!!

Added money is as follows for Futurity Classes:

• $5,000.00 Open Futurity

• $5,000.00  Star H/Chartis Open Intermediate Futurity

• $3,500.00  Non-Pro Futurity

• Added money for Super Stakes is $500.00 to each ApHC Reining Class – Senior Reining, Junior Reining, Non-Pro Reining, Hackamore/Snaffle Bit Reining, Masters Non-Pro Reining.
  

Download your entry forms today from the ApRHA website under SHOW INFO.  For additional information, contact Julie Bibeau.

NEW FOR 2011!!!!!   $5,000.oo ADDED MONEY!!!!!

Horses aged 5-7 can compete in this 1-Run event on October 29, 2011 in Ft. Worth, Texas.  Horses must be shown 1-handed and in a shank bit.  In addition to the added money, beautiful Lawson and Morrison Bronze Trophies will be awarded.  Entry fee is only $300.00 and you can find the Entry Form on the ApRHA website under SHOW INFO.  For additional information, contact Julie Bibeau.

Congratulations goes out to Matt Mills riding Frank E. Marley III’s ApHC Stallion, Some Kinda Shine, to the #12 spot in the Level 4 NRBC Open Classic on April 23, 2011. 

Some Kinda Shine made reining history becoming the FIRST AND ONLY APPALOOSA to be an NRBC Open Finalist and finish in the Top 15.  “Frankie” rolled into the Great Southwest Equestrian Arena with a roar from the crowd and laid down an epic stop with Matt Mills on board.The “Jackie Robinson” of Appaloosas accomplished more in that run than any other Appaloosa in reining history:

• 225.5 Highest mark by an Appaloosa in NRHA History
• $19,000.00 winnings – most won by an Applaloosa in one run
• First Appaloosa to make (and compete) in NRBC Open Finals

 Next stop, NRHA Derby in June.  The quarter horse world fears the spots…. 

The National Reining Breeders Classic  is, above all, an arena of dreams… where only the sky’s the limit on achievement and tremendous equine athletes reach for the promise of their parentage and soar to the stars. Exceptional performance gains them admittance into the next level – where they, by realizing their birthrights, will earn the honor of becoming the sires and dams of the next generation.

Where the process begins again. The circle of life – reining style.