The National Reining Horse Youth Association is proud to offer its final mindset coaching sessions of 2022 to international NRHyA members through a partnership with NRHA Professional Gil Friedman of Mental Athletics. Mental Athletics became an NRHA event sponsor in 2021 to impact the lives of NRHyA members, in and out of the show pen.
Mental Athletics is a mindset coaching program practiced around the globe, and Friedman will be a three-part online workshop. These sessions will be the fourth round provided to NRHyA members free of charge.
“My experience joining the mental athletics workshops has been amazing! I have enjoyed learning something new every year as Gil does a great job catering to all aspects of mindset,” said NRHyA President Haley Turner. “I continue to use strategies and concepts taken from Gil’s sessions in and out of the show pen. I recommend taking advantage of this opportunity to grow your frame and mind!”
After the success of the first sessions, feedback was given regarding the time zones in which they were featured. After taking this into consideration, this final round will be offered to cater to international members. The workshops will be on November 6, 13, and 20 at 12 p.m. IST (UTC +2).
The three-session workshops will provide knowledge, techniques, and training tools for the personal development of every competitive rider leading up to the NRHA Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships.
The scheduled dates for the Mental Athletics Online Workshop are:
Avaré, August 27—Brazil is not what you see, it’s what you feel they say. True to the saying, the sound and feel of Brazil made the NRHA/RHF/ANCR World Youth Reining Cup in Avaré, a competition that will remain in the hearts and memories of many. With riders representing 11 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, Uruguay, USA), all cheered on by the enthused public, the top score was for Gabriel Cordeiro Martins of Brazil riding Evandro de Oliveira’s Doc San Whiz.
With a 212.5 to beat, scored by Italy’s Rebecca Folcia early in the draw and with one horse left to go, Cordeiro Martins was determined to claim the title on home turf. “As everyone else, my horse and I only had a couple of days to get to know each other. Though he’s not a very easy horse, in the short time had together we managed to build trust and confidence in each other,” he said. “In any case I really wanted to win for my country and am super happy.” The young rider, who took $3,000.00 USD for the win, has been showing and training his own reining horses for the past eight years; “All the trainers here in Brazil are always willing to help and give me advice, since I do everything myself. My dream? To one day meet Shawn Flarida and ride with him!”
Rebecca Folcia of Italy made her way to South America with her trainer Angelo Benedusi and both were thrilled with the experience. “Everyone was so kind and always available with both me and my trainer making this an amazing experience,” said Folcia who rode Francisco Moura’s Summertine Tag and took home $2,000.00 USD for Reserve honors. “My horse was really good and performed to the best for us. Being able to share these moments with riders from all over the world is memorable, we all got to know each other and share our passion and how we live it. I would like to thank everyone that made this happen, in particular Joao Marcos and Chico Moura, and look forward to hopefully repeating this experience again.”
Third place honors, along with a $1,000.00 USD paycheck, were for Switzerland’s Nanina Staub who made her way over with Italian Professional Andrea Costa. “This was a very intense adventure and I got a really cool horse to show,” shared Staub who rode Flashy Rooster owned by Ana Cristina Chiattone Pinfildi. “He was so much fun to ride, even though we had a little bubble in the lead change. I am very thankful to Joao Marcos to have given us this opportunity and I enjoyed every moment here. It’s far away from home, everything is different, but everyone is so kind and helpful. I would repeat all this in a heartbeat!”
All the riders who took part in the inaugural World Cup confirmed the saying; “In Brazil it’s what you feel” and the feeling was fantastic they added.
“There was a lot of work behind this event and I have to thank the super team that put it together,” said NRHA, RHF and ANCR Board member Joao Marcos. “Once again it was wonderful. My goal, since I first came into this world over ten years ago, was to promote the youth worldwide and my motto has always been globalization. We should all carry on in this direction and this first World Cup has been another step forward in that direction. Italy will be host to the 2023 World Youth Reining Cup and we look forward to having close to 20 countries represented. A huge thank you to NRHA, ANCR, the riders, the owners that loaned their horses and to all that made it happen.”
Media Contact: Simona Diale/International Horse Press internationalhorsepress@gmail.com
The National Reining Horse Association is not responsible for the information contained in this press release. Please contact the author or submitting organization for further information, requests, or questions.
Avaré, August 24—The beautiful Parque de Exposições Dr. Fernando Cruz Pimentel horse show facility set in Avaré, Brazil, is host to the ANCR POTRO DO FUTURO DE RÉDEAS 2022 which includes the Futurity, the National Championship Finals, the Copa Internucleos, the Brazilian International Reining Cup, and the inaugural NRHA/RHF/ANCR World Youth Reining Cup.
Thanks to the vision of Cardinal Reining Horses’ Joao Marcos, to the passion of ANCR President Chico Moura, and to the generosity of the owners loaning their horses, riders representing 11 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, Uruguay, USA) will ride for the title—and write history in the main arena ground—on Friday, August 26, at 2 p.m.
“We are so thrilled that Joao Marcos has created this event for our youth to showcase their talent on a global scale. Not only are these the top youth riders, multiple are involved on NRHyA Youth Councils helping to grow the sport in their regions. It will be an exciting week for our youth making lasting connections worldwide,” said NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter.
Leslie Baker, RHF Executive Director, added: “The Reining Horse Foundation proudly supports youth leadership development through the National Reining Horse Youth Association. The World Youth Reining Cup is a unique event that promotes global connection and awareness for our reining community. We are excited for everyone who is involved.”
Adding to the excitement for the NRHA approved event is the prize money offered:
o 1st Place: $3,000USD
o 2nd Place: $2,000USD
o 3rd Place: $1,000USD
The young riders vying for the podium— Guillermo Gellmini (URY), ALIERA CHERNOFF (CAN), REBECCA FOLCIA (ITA), Guillermo Armendariz Jr. (MEX), Vladimir Cejka (CZE), Giovanna Rocha Pucchi (ARG), Jhi Whatts (AUS), Luna Faverais (CHL), Nanina Staub (SUI), Gabriel Cordeiro Martins (BRA), Anna Harris (USA)—were treated to a great Brazilian Churrasco BBQ generously offered by Jefferson Abbud and family’s Harras Sacramento, the beautiful breeding and training facility located in the rolling hills of Avaré.
For further information regarding the event: www.ancr.org.br
Media Contact: Simona Diale/International Horse Press internationalhorsepress@gmail.com
The 2022 NRHyA Art & Photo Contest featured tough competition and a new age bracket, making the judges’ work harder than ever! A continued, special partnership with the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum allows the winning art to be displayed at the museum during the 6666 Ranch NRHA Derby presented by Markel. Thank you to our judges, NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter, Michael R. Grauer, McCasland Chair of Cowboy Culture/Curator of Cowboy Collections and Western Art at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum; and Steve Miller, vice president, event marketing at NRHA Corporate Partner Montana Silversmiths. We encourage all NRHA members to take a trip to the beautiful museum during the Derby
Mixed Media 14–18 Sofía Carreño Becerra Graci Reeder Isabelle Hildebrandt
Mixed Media 13 & Under Pip Brown Tanner McInteer Elizabeth Letherer
Mixed Media 10 & Under Lynleigh Jo Durbin
We had a total of nearly 50 entries, almost double from 2020. Congratulations to all who entered and we encourage each of you to enter again next year!
Josselyn Mumm Michelle Fumagalli Lillian Bains JP McClure Julie Warnick Isabelle Hildebrandt Ava Bush Hayden Jones Hailey Jones Logan Putvinski Cambrey Hedges Dakota Woodring
There is never a dull moment for youth at the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel. In addition to showing their horses, NRHyA members can look forward to fun times with friends at the CINCH Youth Speaking Contest, the CINCH Youth Gathering, and recently, a Regional Food Bank volunteer opportunity and NRHyA Dance has been added to the lineup.
Any NRHyA or NRHA members are welcome to join the NRHyA Officer team at the Oklahoma City Regional Food Bank on June 21 at 9 a.m. Please send an email to youth@nrha.com by June 14 if interested in assisting with the Food For Kids Backpack Program or assembling boxes full of food for seniors living on fixed incomes.
“The NRHyA Dance was a huge hit at the 2021 Futurity, so having one at the Derby was an easy decision,” Director of Youth Programs Sara Honegger said.
There are tons of fun activities scheduled in the Platinum Zone on Wednesday, June 22 during the Derby. First thing in the morning, it will be the venue for the Youth Speaking Contest, which contestants must enter by June 1. Then, at 5:30 p.m., the Platinum Performance Welcome Party featuring the Non Pro Finals Draw will commence. At its close, Reiners Rope will begin its Reining Horse Foundation benefit dummy roping. After the champions have been crowned, the NRHyA Dance will begin at approximately 8 p.m.
Just like at the Futurity, the dance will again be presented by “DJ Sammy Olds,” also known as NRHA Sr. Director of International Affairs & Development Samantha Oldfield, and attendees can expect to jive to their favorite hits and learn some new jams.
“Our youth officer team and NRHyA delegates have worked hard to come up with new, fun ideas for youth activities for this event, along with keeping their favorites,” Honegger shared, “I encourage parents and youth members to follow NRHyA on Instagram and Facebook to stay up-to-date with the latest activities, times, and locations.”
Since 2001, young reiners in the National Reining Horse Youth Association have benefited from their memberships through college scholarships, learning experiences from some of the top Reining trainers, life-long friendships, and a whole lot of fun along the way. NRHyA fosters leadership qualities and provides young members with a roadmap for success to guide them along their future career paths. For information, visit NRHyA.com.
The National Reining Horse Youth Association is proud to continue the second year of partnership with NRHA Professional Gil Friedman of Mental Athletics. Mental Athletics became an NRHA event sponsor in 2021 to impact the lives of NRHyA members, in and out of the show pen, and continues with big plans in 2022.
“I am excited for the opportunity to sponsor the NRHyA,” Friedman shared. “This is a lifetime journey. I believe that every opportunity that we have to educate and put the attention into the well-being of our youth, the future NRHA professionals and non pros, and leaders of our industry, is the most unique and fulfilling opportunity. This builds the future foundation of NRHA, which will be fruitful due to efforts like these.”
Mental Athletics is a mindset coaching program practiced around the globe, and Friedman will be offering two separate three-part online workshops free of charge exclusively to NRHyA members. The first workshops will be May 8, 15 and 22 at 9 a.m. CT.
The three-session workshops will provide knowledge, techniques and training tools for the personal development of every competitive rider leading up to the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel.
The scheduled dates for the Mental Athletics Online Workshop are:
Sunday, May 8 at 9:00 a.m. CT
Sunday, May 15 at 9:00 a.m. CT
Sunday, May 22 at 9:00 a.m. CT
There will also be a second workshop will be held in the fall leading up to the NRHA Futurity and Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships.
At the 2022 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel, reining will not be the only competition occurring at the prestigious event. The CINCH National Reining Horse Youth Association Speaking Contest returns this year, cultivating and encouraging leadership and life skills amongst reining’s talented youth.
In the CINCH NRHyA Speaking Contest, participants will be divided into two age groups, 13 & Under and 14-18. Members compete for not only bragging rights, but also impressive $500 scholarships in three different categories: Delivering A: General, Prepared Public Speaking and Community Service Presentation. In the Delivering A: General, contestants recite A: General, which is a guide to judging reining horses and a hallmark of the NRHA Handbook. Prepared Public Speaking involves contestants delivering a five-to-eight-minute speech on either a leadership or equestrian topic. Lastly, the Community Service Presentation allows participants to create an eight-to-10-minute presentation that showcases a community service project they have completed.
The competition will be held on Wednesday, June 22, at 9 a.m. The location for the contest will be announced closer to the event.
“The CINCH NRHyA speaking contest is a wonderful opportunity for our youth kids to pick a topic and speak publicly about it,” said NRHA President Rick Clark. “Many times, it is the first time they have attempted public speaking. This experience educates our youth for the career choices they make in the future!”
2021 NRHyA CINCH Speaking Contest Winners:
Becca Schaffhauser: 13 & Under Delivering A: General
McKylie Ivie: 13 & Under Prepared Public Speaking
Justin Eddy: 14-18 Prepared Public Speaking
Youth members interested in competing in this year’s CINCH NRHyA Speaking Contest can find more information, including the entry form at NRHyA.com. The entry deadline is June 1. Please email entries to youth@nrha.com.
Young riders in the National Reining Horse Youth Association enjoy being part of the reining world. It’s all about competition, camaraderie, and the fun of reining. They develop a love for reining and create friendships and long-lasting ties. Most plan to continue competing as they attend college and embark on their careers. Others dream of reining fulltime as an NRHA professional.
The NRHA Non Pro Committee has worked to provide opportunities for youth riders on a variety of levels. One that began in 2022 was a rule change to allow youth to work for professional reining trainers.
Relaxing the restriction to allow youth riders to work for NRHA Professionals provides multiple benefits. It creates a pathway for young riders who want to hone their horsemanship skills, plus they can offset the financial obstacles of showing or pursuing a career in training while learning more about the industry without sacrificing their Non Pro status. When youths reach the age of 19, they can make the decision to retain their Non Pro status and abide by the Non Pro conditions or become an NRHA Professional.
NRHA Non Pro Committee Chair Ginger Schmersal shared, “Horses and horse shows are expensive, which means that reining might not be an option for some youth. By relaxing these restrictions, we can welcome even more youth into the industry who want to ride or learn to ride without having to worry about losing their Non Pro status.”
The lack of available assistant trainers and barn help is another aspect the Non Pro Committee hopes to address with the change. Many professionals experience difficulty finding training assistants, especially those with show experience. It is hoped that this program will create more riders with the skills necessary to go on to that next level and eventually have careers of their own.
Although this rule is new to the reining industry, it is common practice in other disciplines. For example, in the English industry, many people would not be where they are today if they had not had the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge as working students.
Any rider who is a current youth member of NRHA is eligible to reside with and/or work for any NRHA Professional in good standing. Remuneration can include housing and food. Youth riders are allowed to have their personal horse or horses with the trainer, and details of board and training shall be decided between those parties.
Youth riders are allowed to ride any horses both at home and at horse shows while working for the trainer. Youth riders are allowed to compete in the youth and non pro based on current NRHA ownership rules. In classes that do not have ownership restrictions (Rookie 1 & 2, Green Reiner 1 & 2, Youth Rookie, Unrestricted Youth, and all open classes, except Rookie Professional), youth riders may compete on any horse regardless of ownership.
For more information, please contact the NRHA Member & Show Services Department at (405) 946-7400 or cmorris@nrha.com. Complete rules can be found in the NRHA Handbook under the “Non Pro Membership Conditions” in the Allowances section.
National Reining Horse Youth Association members most often show their skills horseback, but many have other special talents. A showcase for some of those is the annual NRHyA Art & Photo contest.
The contest will be sponsored by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum for the third year in a row. This partnership allows the first-place piece in each category to be displayed at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum during the 2022 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel Insurance.
“This contest has grown so much in the last three years due to this incredible partnership,” said Sara Honegger, NRHA Director of Marketing who oversees the Youth and Affiliate programs. “It is so fun for the artists to get to take their families to see their work on a museum wall next to some of the most renowned Western artists.”
Last year there were nearly 50 entries in the contest and organizers expect more growth in 2022.
Already on board as judges for this year’s contest are NRHA Commissioner Gary Carpenter, Michael R. Grauer, McCasland Chair of Cowboy Culture/Curator of Cowboy Collections and Western Art at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Other judges will be announced.
“I encourage all youth members, especially those who submit pieces for Varsity Reining Club, to participate,” said Honegger. “We encourage our youth to ask their friends to participate with them and give it a go!”
The categories for the competition will be Photography and Mixed Media. Due to low numbers of entries, the Graphic Design category was removed, but a new age division, 10 & Under, has been added due to rising interest.
2021 NRHyA Art & Photo Contest Winners:
Photography 14-18 – Faith Horner Photography 13 & Under – Kynlee Cohlmia Mixed Medium 14-18 – Alexandra Nicole Mueller Mixed Medium 13 & Under – Cassandra Hacking Graphic Design 14-18 – Raeanna Thayn Graphic Design 13 & Under – Cassandra Hacking
Faith Horner
Cassandra Hacking
Alexandra Nicole Mueller
Kynlee Cohlmia
Raeanna Thayn
Victoria McClure
The entry forms for the 2022 NRHyA Art & Photo Contest can be found here. Entries will be accepted until May 1.
For information on the NRHyA, visit the website at NRHyA.com or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/nrhya or Instagram @NRHyA
At last year’s May meeting of the National Reining Horse Association Board of Directors, a proposal from the Youth Committee was approved that created a new, optional position for youth who want to pursue a leadership role in the National Reining Horse Youth Association. Called the Youth Affiliate Liaison, this new position was created for affiliates.
Beginning in 2022, an additional delegate position may be filled by each NRHA Affiliate. This allows a delegate for each specific affiliate instead of just two delegates per region.
The decision was made because the committee felt that the delegate voting during the NRHA Futurity and Adequan NAAC is essentially a popular vote for candidates attending the show. There are many youth members at local levels who are deserving of a leadership role who are unable to attend those meetings.
NRHA Director of Marketing and Youth and Affiliate Programs Sara Honegger explained, “We also see that there is sometimes a communication breakdown between delegates and local affiliates if the elected delegates live in different states or end up not showing throughout a season. The Youth Affiliate Liaison position has been created to bridge any potential voids that might occur.”
This role was also suggested for youth members who ran for an NRHyA Officer position the previous year and were not elected. Allowing them this opportunity is a great way to keep them engaged and reward them for their hard work.
Although not mandatory, affiliates that have a youth member who fits the description and would be extremely involved in delegate meetings/conversations are encouraged to have their Youth Coordinator name someone for this position.
Honegger announced the new Youth Affiliate Liaisons in early March. Serving for the 2022 show season will be:
Kayden Kellmer Washington Reining Horse Association
Aubree Leyva Arizona Reining Horse Association
Talia Bertrand Meadow Central Canada Reining Horse Association
Isabella Hildebrandt South Texas Reining Horse Association
Emma Zgrebnak Central Ohio Reining Horse Association
Chase McInteer Kansas Reining Horse Association
Emma Klug Central Plains Reining Horse Association
Ava Welman North Central Reining Horse Association
Raeanna Thayn Southwest Reining Horse Association
Kynley Bell Oklahoma Reining Horse Association
Becca Schaffhauser Tennessee Reining Horse Association
Youth Affiliate Liaisons will also be eligible to run for NRHyA Officer positions once they have served for a year. This again will create more leadership opportunities for youth members who want to be involved.
Since 2001, young Reiners in the National Reining Horse Youth Association have benefited from their memberships through college scholarships, learning experiences from some of the top Reining trainers, life-long friendships and a whole lot of fun along the way. NRHyA fosters leadership qualities and provides young members with a roadmap for success to guide them along their future career paths. For information, visit NRHyA.com.
