An intense week of competition at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas, culminated Saturday, April 25. That’s when the top horses and riders from across the country competed in the Open Finals of the 2021 National Reining Breeders Classic, which kicked off April 18.

Dany Tremblay and Jason Vanlandingham both piloted their horses to scores of 228.5, tying for the win of the Open Level 4. With several more major events on the books for 2021, the two professionals elected to stay as Co-Champions.

When the curtain closed on the Level 4 Non Pro Classic Finals, it was NRHA $2 Million Rider Mandy McCutcheon and JLosa scoring a 224.5 to cinch the championship and $30,000. JLosa, by Arlosa Whiz and out Spook N Jessie, is owned by Mandy and her husband Tom McCutcheon. Unofficially, McCutcheon is nearing NRBC earnings of $700,000. This year marks her eighth NRBC Non Pro Classic championship, but Mandy said it’s especially meaningful considering her daughter Carlee’s success in the Finals. “That part was amazing. That put it right over the top for me,” she said of Carlee earning dual Non Pro championships.

The field is set for the 2021 National Reining Breeders Classic Open Finals, which will be held Saturday, April 24 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas.It was two intense days of competition, and in the end, it was four-time NRBC Open Champion and NRHA $6 Million Rider Andrea Fappani who topped the round. Fappani piloted Gun Dun It, owned by Tim Anderson, for a score of 226 to win $14,011. Gun Dun It, bred by NRHA Million Dollar Owner Dave Silva, is by NRHA $12 Million Sire Gunner and out of Dun It In Tinseltown.

Great Southwest Equestrian Center, Katy, 20 March—When the second section of the Non Pro Classic preliminary round wrapped up Tuesday evening from the elegant Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas, a competitive field of entries was whittled down to the top-scoring finals qualifiers. Levels 4, 3, 2, 1 and Prime Time Non Pro finalists will return to vie for championships on Friday, April 23 in the Coliseum Arena.

Friday night's Open Classic Challenge and $25k Open featured 17 exemplary horses and riders that had the crowd at the edge of its seat from the beginning. Whoops and hollers emanated from the Ford Truck Arena, with some of the loudest being for Andrea Fappani.
Fappani made the most of it, winning the $25k Open on Modern Gun, and taking second in the Open and winning the Open Classic Challenge with Platinum Vintage.
Modern Gun, a former NRBC Open Champion who had lifetime earnings exceeding $213,000 prior to the event, earned $7,166, while Platinum Vintage, with more than $308,000 in lifetime earnings, took home $15,438.

Casey Deary's career sky-rocketed when he won the National Reining Horse Association Futurity on Americasnextgunmodel. Deary and the incredible mare accumulated nearly $300,000 in earnings, so it was a poignant moment for the Weatherford, Texas, trainer when he rode one of her colts, Americasnexttopgun, owned by Jody Puno of Puno Performance Horses, to win the National Reining Breeders Classic Open Championship on Saturday evening.

Indy Roper is still glowing from her big win just months ago in Oklahoma City when she won the National Reining Horse Association Derby Non Pro Level 4 Championship on her horse Spooks Show Time. The pair are on a role, because on Friday afternoon, they added another line to their resume with the NRBC Non Pro Level 4 title.

The field is set, the players are named. The 2020 National Reining Breeders Classic Open preliminaries wrapped up Thursday evening after two tough days of competition. More than 180 horses entered the Ford Arena of the Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and that was whittled down to the best of the best who will compete in Saturday's clean-slate finals.

The National Reining Breeders Classic Open Preliminaries began Wednesday, September 2, at the Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The field of 194 will be narrowed to the top 30 in each division at the conclusion of Thursday's competition.
A quick perusal of the draw sheets quickly tells of the tough competition in the Ford Truck Arena. Holding the top spot at the end of the first day is Casey Deary on Gunnabeabrightstar with a 225. Gunnabeabrightstar, by ARC Gunnabeabigstar out of Abbie Be Tuff, is owned by Neiberger Performance Horses LLC.

Ancillary Competition Heats Up at NRBC
The competition in the Affiliate Regional Championship and ancillary classes continued at the National Reining Breeders Classic, with several more winners being crowned on Friday. The crown jewel of the day was the NRBC Open Classic Challenge, which ran concurrently with the $25k Open.