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Our Condolences – Chocolate Chic Olena 1993-2022

Posted on February 1, 2022 - 8:20 am by

National Reining Horse Association Million Dollar Sire Chocolate Chic Olena was laid to rest on January 22.

NRHA Million Dollar Sire Chocolate Chic Olena. Photo by Cam Essick.

The 29-year-old stallion, by Smart Chic Olena out of Jae Bar Felcia, left his mark on the industry. With his owner Carter M Smith, he finished third at the 1996 NRHA Futurity, then the pair came back the following year to win the NRHA Derby and Super Stakes. NRHA Professional Darren Stancik and NRHA Seven Million Dollar Rider Andrea Fappani also piloted the stallion to numerous titles. Those included an American Quarter Horse Association World Championship in Senior Reining, and four AQHA Reserve World Championships in Amateur and Junior Reining.

Chocolate Chic Olena’s offspring passed the million-dollar mark in earnings in 2017, with his highest money-earner, Chic Magnet, accounting for more than $139,000.

Chocolate Chic Olena’s highest money earners include:

  • Chic Magnetic (out of Shiners Crystal) $139,507.25
  • Ghirardelli Chic (out of Full Sail Sue) $75,313.57
  • Mr Chocoholic (out of Lady Bee Great) $65,889.98
  • Mistresses Milky Way (out of Shiners Mistress) $62,615.91
  • Smart Coco Chic (out of Star Dust Dun It ) $45,785.77

On January 29, Smith posted on social media, saying,

One week ago, Chocolate Chic Olena was laid to rest at the age of 29. I’ve been trying to find the words all week to express what this horse means to me. He was my heart horse…. My once in a lifetime horse. He was my first real reining horse and he set the bar very high. He had a huge heart and the athletic ability and mind to match. Max, I hope you are up in heaven with Darren. He will be happy to see you.

Thank you, Tish, Jeremy, Luca, and Andrea Fappani, for taking care of Max for almost two decades. He was able to live out retirement being treated like the King he was.

Chocolate Chic Olena meant a lot to so many people. I want to thank everyone that helped us along the way. XOXO

The NRHA family sends our sincerest condolences to Carter and all of Chocolate Chic Olena’s connections.

Our Condolences – Clark Bradley

Posted on February 1, 2022 - 7:40 am by

The reining and equine industry lost an incredible horseman on January 18. Clark Bradley, Ohio, was a two-time NRHA Open Futurity Champion, winning those coveted titles in 1968 and 1974. He was inducted to NRHA’s Hall of Fame in 1994.

Two Time NRHA Open Futurity Champion Clark Bradley

Clark also served as President of NRHA, as President of the Ohio Quarter Horse Association and as a National Director for the American Quarter Horse Association.

The accomplished horseman collected numerous All-American Quarter Horse Congress wins in western pleasure, reining, roping and cutting, and was an AQHA, NRHA and NSBA judge.

Bradley was an instructor at the University of Findlay for 26 years, and became an active coach with the University’s western equestrian team in 1996. He has helped coached several national championship teams and two reserve national championship squads.

The NRHA family sends our sincerest condolences to Clark’s loved ones and friends.

Full Obituary:

Clark Rickard Bradley

July 30, 1945 – January 18, 2022

Clark passed away at his home in Newark, Ohio, where he and his wife of 25 years, Bonnie Bradley, had recently moved.

Clark was born in Hilliard, Ohio to Bailey “Stretch” Bradley and Betty Rickard Bradley. He graduated from Hilliard High School and from the Texas Christian University Ranch Management Program. He served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, completing boot camp training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, SC.

He spent his life dedicated to the training of horses, showing horses, teaching, judging and mentoring future horse trainers.

For over 30 years Clark was an instructor in the University of Findlay Western Equestrian Studies Program and was Assistant IHSA Coach, winning multiple IHSA National Championships. He represented AQHA, NRHA and NSBA as he judged horse shows all over the world. He judged the AQHA World Championship Show 4 times and the NRHA Derby 3 times. He conducted horse training clinics throughout the US and Canada as well as youth and adult horsemanship and reining schools for over 40 years.

Clark was honored by the horse industry as the 2001 AQHA Professional Horseman of the Year, NRHA Hall of Fame in 1994, All American Quarter Horse Congress Hall of Fame in 2008, the recipient of the Southern Belle Living the Mission Award in 2013 and in 2015 was presented the AQHA Most Valuable Professional by the Ohio Quarter Horse Association.

Clark served the NRHA as President, member of multiple committees, was on the board of Directors for over 25 years and a NRHA Futurity Live Webcast commentator. He won the NRHA Reining Futurity 2 times. He served the OQHA with 2 terms as President, Director for over 40 years and became an Honorary Director in 1988. AQHA was a large part of Clark’s professional life. He served on the Show and Contest Committees for 31 years and was past Chairman for the Show Committee and the Show Council. He was a member of the Professional Horsemen Council and Chairman for the Animal Welfare Committee.

Over the course of Clark’s career, he and his clients showed horses to wins in NRHA, the All American Quarter Horse Congress and AQHA from reining to cutting to ranch riding and many other disciplines. Clark was highlighted in several publications through the years such as the AQHA Journal, NRHA Reiner, Western Horsemen, OQHA News, Quarter Horse News, Performance Horse and University of Findlay Publications.

Clark is survived by his wife, Bonnie, son CR Bradley of Collinsville, Texas (wife Rose), stepdaughter Brianna Stone of Newark, Ohio (husband David), grandsons Cooper, Tanner and Austin. Sisters, Coralie Davis of Tyler, Texas, Mary Bradley of Granbury, Texas, Marilyn Kay Crowson of Louisville, Mississippi, and brother Bill Bradley of Mt Vernon, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, the family is honoring Clark’s request that donations be made to the AQHA Professional Horsemen Endowment. Gifts can be made securely online or be mailed to:

American Quarter Horse Foundation

Professional Horsemen Endowment

Memory of Clark Bradley

PO Box 32111

Amarillo, TX 79120

Celebration of Life for Clark Bradley

Tuesday, April 5, 2022 2:00pm – 5:00pm

Ohio Quarter Horse Association

6325 Quarter Horse Drive

Columbus, Ohio 43229

NRHyA Members Must Apply for Reining Horse Foundation Scholarships by March 1

Posted on January 31, 2022 - 7:05 pm by

Early in 2022, the National Reining Horse Association’s Reining Horse Foundation announced the expansion of its scholarship program, and the deadline to apply for one of the scholarships is quickly approaching.

The RHF Board of Directors approved increasing the number of RHF scholarships from eight to 10, while at the same time growing the annual funding support for these awards from $13,000 to $28,000. In addition, several scholarship amounts are rising, including the three top awards, which will increase from $2,500 to $5,000 each effective this year.

The scholarships will be structured as three at $5,000; three at $2,500; three at $1,500 and one at $1,000. Selection is based on financial need, academic record, involvement in the school and community, a special essay, and references.

The scholarships can be used for college, trade, or technical schools, but to be considered, all applications must be postmarked by March 1.

To apply for a scholarship, an applicant must be a current NRHA member and must have been a member for at least 24 months prior to applying. The applicant must also be a senior in high school. A student selected for an RHF Scholarship as a senior may then reapply for a second scholarship if she or he meets all other criteria.

“One of the benefits of maintaining NRHyA membership is eligibility for these scholarships. RHF donors are pleased to support youth reiners, whether you are attending a trade or technical school, junior college or a university program,” noted Leslie Baker, RHF Executive Director.

The NRHyA now offers more than $60,000 in scholarships annually. In addition to the RHF Scholarships, members can earn NRHyA Affiliate Regional Scholarships and scholarships through the Varsity Reining Club and activities such as the annual CINCH NRHyA Speaking Contest. “Continuing education is incredibly valuable, but at the same time can be costly. I encourage all NRHyA members to pursue any scholarship opportunities available, especially these that are dedicated to youth in the reining industry,” noted Sara Honegger, NRHA Manager of Youth, Professional, and Affiliate Programs. 

The RHF Scholarship application can be found here.

More details about the numerous opportunities for NRHyA scholarships can be found here.

For details on contributing toward youth programs, contact Baker at (405) 946-7400, ext. 106 or email rhf@nrha.com.

Cinder Lakes Ranch Expands Support of Reining with NRHA Corporate Partnership

Posted on January 27, 2022 - 5:18 pm by

Cinder Lakes Ranch has long been a supporter of not only reining, but the western performance horse industry as a whole. The facility, which focuses on reproduction and horse sale services, has been a National Reining Horse Association Corporate Partner in the past. In late 2021, Cinder Lakes Ranch once again joined NRHA’s Corporate Partner family.

“It is an honor for NRHA to join with Cinder Lakes Ranch on a corporate partnership level, once again! Thank you to Rick and Jade for continuing to support NRHA in service and sponsorship,” noted Sammi Miller, NRHA Senior Director of Corporate Relations and Communications.

Cinder Lakes Ranch, located in Whitesboro, Texas, is owned by Rick Ford and ran by Rick and his wife, Jade. “Our primary focus is stallions, and we are a full-service management company. We export all over the world, and cover every continent. I think the only major country we haven’t shipped to is China,” Ford explained. “We also do mare management, sale fitting, and just try to be full service for our clients.”

In fact, Cinder Lakes Ranch shipped more than 750 shipments of frozen and just under 3,000 shipments of cooled semen in 2021. “It’s kind of funny, we had a meeting with FedEx recently and have an in-person account manager that came to visit.” He laughed, and added, “Apparently we bumped up to a higher shipping bracket.”

Rick has been involved with horses his whole life, beginning with 4H. “I guess I’m kind of old school with how I got into it. My first trainer was Darren Stancik when I was a youth. I kind of wanted to do something a little more, and then my parents actually got the breeding part of it going. When we moved to Texas, I took that over,” he recalled.

The Cinder Lakes Ranch business model has evolved over the years. “In the beginning, when we were first a Corporate Partner, we were more of a private operation. Now that we’ve come back, we’re more of a commercial operation. That has allowed us to better service our customers,” Ford explained.

Cinder Lakes Ranch stands several heavy-hitting stallions from the reining, cow horse, and barrel racing industry, headlined by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Spooks Gotta Whiz, whose NRHA lifetime earnings exceed $346,000. Joining Spooks Gotta Whiz in the lineup are ARC Gunna Sparkya, PS Mega Shine Chic, Snip O Lution, Wimpys Littlecolonel, Hey Joe, Jacs Electric Spark, Reysin On The Rocks, Spatatino, What A Wave, and Shiners Voodoo. Other stallions in the lineup are A Dash Ta Streak, A Streak Of Fling, Al Cappone, Barue, Bullseye Bullion, Heavenly Firewater, Jets Smashin Cash, JKL Raynin Firewater, JL Dash Ta Heaven, and Tres Fortunes.

Learn more about Cinder Lakes Ranch, its services, and stallion line up at CinderLakesRanch.com.

White River Ag Products becomes New NRHA Corporate Partner

Posted on January 25, 2022 - 7:59 pm by

At the urging of industry peers, White River Ag Products has joined the lineup of National Reining Horse Association Corporate Partners. White River Ag Products is owned by a trio of Vernon brothers: Richard, Todd, and Craig. Richard Vernon met Kevin Colston of NRHA Corporate Partner Colston Paving, and the two hit it off.

“Kevin asked me why we weren’t a Corporate Partner, and I said that I didn’t know enough about it and that I didn’t see anywhere it could benefit our businesses,” Richard explained. White River Ag is a grain and feed producer serving mostly Northern Wisconsin. He continued “After Kevin mentioned it to me, I discussed it with Frank Costantini [of Markel Insurance] who explained to me that there is much more to NRHA Corporate Partnership. Frank introduced me to Sammi [Miller], and that’s how it all went. My brothers and I had a sit-down and said, ‘let’s do it!’”

Miller, NRHA Sr. Director of Corporate Relations and Communications, said, “It is with joy that NRHA welcomes White River Ag as a new Corporate Partner. Richard Vernon’s solid attachment to our sport will make for a strong partnership. We look forward to growing with White River Ag!”

Led by their mother, Louise, a Western Saddle Clubs Association and 4-H judge, the Vernon brothers grew up showing pleasure horses and gaming, but once they discovered reining, they were hooked. Richard shared, “Larry Kasten introduced my brother, Todd, to reining when my kids were little. We followed his lead and fell in love with it. We like the competitiveness, and the way it is judged by points, but, mostly, we like the people. When you have a good ride, people cheer you on. They’re happy for you.”

Richard’s daughter, Allana Vernon-Michol, and daughter-in-law, Jenna Vernon, show reiners, as does Craig’s daughter and daughter-in-law, Paige Vernon-Zebzyck and Molly Vernon.

Through White River Ag Products, the Vernons now own more than 60 reining horses. “We have some with our resident trainers, Tanner and Christina Boyes. We also have some with Tom McCutcheon, Brian Welman, Dallas Cunningham, and Jeff Kasten,” Richard explained. “We put seven in the Futurity this year, and three made it back to the finals: one each with Tom, Tanner, and Christina. It was super exciting. We had a great year!”

The Vernons know that sponsorships are important. White River Ag Products has been a longtime supporter of their local North Central Affiliate shows including the derbies, futurities, and rookie shootouts. “We also sponsor some youth stuff, for the affiliate and for the club,” Richard added.

“I am looking forward to meeting more people and growing our network through this NRHA Corporate Partnership,” he said. “We are pretty excited about this sponsorship. I think it’s going to be fun, and I look forward to learning more about the industry.”

Located near the shores of Lake Superior, White River Ag Products is situated on 2500 acres of prime farmland where a wide variety of grains are harvested for energy and animal feeds. The business began in 2011 on 800 acres in Mason, Wisconsin, and was grown by the Vernon family to include a seed cleaning and packaging facility, complete equipment servicing shop, a machine storage building, straw storage facilities, and pellet mill factory, and a retail store. For more information about White River Ag Products, visit whiteriverag.com.

Using the Eligibility Tool on NRHA ReinerSuite™

Posted on January 20, 2022 - 6:38 pm by

Gone are the days of long, extenuating lists of member ineligibility lists thanks to an online, member portal: National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) ReinerSuite™. All it takes is an email address, NRHA member number, and PIN for reiners to gain access to their eligibility and that of their equine partners.

To check eligibility, members need to have an account with ReinerSuite. Click here for the three easy steps to registering with the online portal.

How to check eligibility on ReinerSuite:

  1. Log into your account
  2. On the main, Dashboard, page, the “Eligibility Tool” will be at the very top (pictured above). If you’re on a mobile device, scroll down until you see the tool.
    1. CLASS: Choose what class you would like to check your eligibility for
    2. RIDER: Input your name in the “Rider” search bar
    3. HORSE: You can also search for the eligibility of a horse, but a rider will need to be listed
      1. Pro tip: You don’t have to input a horse name to search for rider eligibility, but you do have to input a rider name to search for horse eligibility
    4. EVENT DATE: Since your eligibility remains the same from Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2021, you don’t need to include the exact event date. BUT you do need to make sure the event date is some time in 2021
    5. ELIGIBILITY AREA: Click the dropdown menu to choose your eligibility area or keep it listed as “WorldWide”
    6. After you’ve checked your information, click “Submit” or hit “Clear” if you need to start over

After hitting “Submit,” you’ll see a screen similar to this with either green or red to indicate the status of your eligibility. One unique feature of this tool is its ability to give you reasons why you might not be eligible for a certain class. If your membership is not active, you may see this listed as a reason, and if that is the only reason, check back after your membership is renewed and you will see that you are eligible for the class.

You might find you are not eligible for the class selected, and if so, hit “Clear” and search your eligibility for a different level. In this case, NRHA Professional “John Doe” is not eligible for Category 2 – Level 3 Intermediate Open Aged Event (2200) because he’s in the Top 35 Pro Riders for the 2020 show season.

“John Doe” is, however, eligible for Category 2 – Level 4 Open Aged Event (2100). After hitting “Clear,” the Eligibility Tool will take you back to the previous screen and will not clear your information so all you have to do is change the class and submit again.

The Eligibility Tool also takes membership status and declarations into consideration when calculating your eligibility. Remember, all memberships (both horse owner and rider) need to be up-to-date before entering the show pen to avoid disqualification and penalty fees when the results are submitted to NRHA.

Our Condolences – Shining Spark 1989-2021

Posted on January 18, 2022 - 7:32 pm by

On New Years Eve 2021, Carol Rose announced that National Reining Horse Association Four Million Dollar Sire Shining Spark had been laid to rest on December 27.

NRHA Hall of Famers Carol Rose and Shining Spark. Photo by Cam Essick.

Immediately, condolences and memories began to flood the pages of social media, telling how the palomino stallion, by Genuine Doc out of Diamonds Sparkle, had affected their life.

Shining Spark became the cornerstone of Rose’s breeding program for decades, but before he left his indelible mark in his progeny, he proved his prowess in the reining arena.

He began his career with NRHA Hall of Famer Bob Loomis, who piloted the colt to a sixth-place finish at the 1992 NRHA Futurity, and followed that with a reserve title at the Lazy E Classic in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

Then, NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider Tim McQuay took the reins, and the duo won the 1993 American Quarter Horse Association Junior Reining Horse World Championship. The next year, they followed that up with the NRHA Derby championship. All totaled, Shining Spark won $62,674 in NRHA and AQHA competition.

McQuay and Shining Spark had incredible chemistry, so when Rose was deciding who to send Shining N Sassy (out of Sassy O Lena), there was no question who would be first choice. The mare, who would become Shining Spark’s highest money earning, and McQuay won the 2008 NRHA Open Futurity Championship.

Shining Spark was not only a Four Million Dollar sire for NRHA, he held the same title for the National Reined Cow Horse Association. His offspring excelled in a variety of disciplines, including reining, reined cow horse, cutting, barrel racing, halter, pole bending, breakaway roping, heading, heeling, ranch sorting, team penning, steer stopping, and more.

Shining Spark will be inducted to NRCHA’s Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2022.

The passing of Shining Spark December 27 at the age of 32 did signal the end of a charmed life but thanks to modern science a whole new generation of Shining Spark foals have been born or will be born in future years. (Having been born before an AQHA Rule modification which limited the length of time foals of deceased stallions could be registered following the stallion’s death, he is still a viable option for breeding.)

Certainly, his legacy lives and as Carol Rose has often said, “You just never know where the next champion will come from.”  

Shining Spark’s Top Five Money Earners:

  • Shining N Sassy (out of Sassy O Lena) $232,672.33
  • Miss Rey O Shine (out of Miss Rey O Lena) $159,714.73
  • Shine On Line (out of Oaks Little Diamond) $110,660.29
  • Just Gotta Shine (out of Zans Pretty Penny) $104,078.90
  • Sailing Spark (Topsail Maid) $94,282.23

Enjoy LLC Joins NRHA Corporate Partner Family

Posted on January 11, 2022 - 4:17 pm by

The National Reining Horse Association welcomed a bevy of new partners in the 11th hour of 2021, including Enjoy LLC, based out of Whitesboro, Texas. Owners Stefano and Elena Ronco of Italy partnered with longtime friend and NRHA Professional Francesco Martinotti to create the business.

“Enjoy LLC was created by Stefano and Elena, who have been clients and friends of mine for a long time,” Martinotti explained. “It is their dream to own and care for exceptional horses in the reining industry. They are passionate about every part of the industry, from breeding to the show pen and everything in between. It’s all about the horse for them!”

Martinotti and the Roncos’ relationship began many years ago in Italy. “They were my clients there, and were actually the first people to buy a horse from me when I was only 17 years old,” Martinotti recalled. “When I moved to the United States in 2016, they came to visit and said they wanted to start something here.”

Smoking Trash

One of the first horses purchased by Enjoy LLC was Smoking Trash, by NRHA Four Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya out of NRHA Million Dollar Dam Snip O Gun.

With Martinotti at the reins, Smoking Trash was a 2019 NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open Finalist and has made the finals at every major event since his career began. At the 2021 The Run For A Million presented by Teton Ridge, Martinotti guided the stallion through an impressive and flawless pattern in the $100,000 Shootout. That score qualified the pair for the 2022 The Run For A Million Invitational.

“We knew from day one that he was going to be special, and he has proven us right time after time. Each year he shows tremendous growth and strength in the show pen,” Martinotti said. Smoking Trash will stand for the 2022 breeding season at Foals-R-Us, also an NRHA Corporate Partner, in Whitesboro, Texas.

According to Martinotti, joining the NRHA Corporate Partner family served dual purposes. “We decided to become an NRHA Corporate Partner for a couple of reasons. The first was to introduce Smoking Trash as a stallion and promote him. The second is because NRHA has been very good to us, even as foreigners. To come here and grow this business is very hard, but NRHA has been great for me and the owners, so we wanted to be a bigger part of the association and help it grow,” Martinotti, Enjoy LLC’s head trainer, explained. 

Sammi Miller, NRHA Senior Director of Corporate Relations & Communications, said the Board of Directors and Staff of the Association were thrilled for this new partnership. “We at NRHA are excited to welcome Enjoy, LLC as a new corporate partner. We look forward to working with Francesco Martinotti, Stefano and Elena Ronco, and the rest of the team at Enjoy, LLC to heighten exposure of their program,” she said.

Follow Enjoy LLC, Smoking Trash, and Foals R Us on Facebook, or connect with Enjoy LLC at enjoyreining@gmail.com. Find information about breeding opportunities at Foals-R-Us.com or by emailing breeding@foals-r-us.com

It’s That Time! NRHA Nominations Must Be Received by January 10

Posted on January 5, 2022 - 3:00 pm by

When Ten Thirty and Casey Deary claimed the 2021 National Reining Horse Association Open Futurity Championship, it was a dream come true for Brooke Wharton, who bred the colt by Gunnatrashya out of Dainty Little Step.

That win – and accompanying check for $350,000 – no doubt sparked dreams and aspirations for countless breeders around the world, and one of the first steps to that dream’s fruition is the NRHA Nomination program.

The opportunity to nominate weanling foals into the NRHA Nomination program at the lowest rate ends on January 10. These nominations must be received in the office by Monday, January 10, so the best way to ensure nominations are received by the deadline is to complete the process online through ReinerSuite.

The NRHA’s Nomination Program was created to grow its North American and European Futurities and Derbies to new heights through enhanced payouts. It has done that by allocating 60 percent of all the fees to the Futurities and 40 percent to the Derbies after a 10 percent retainage. Simply put, the enrollment of foals creates additional added money to the purses at the Futurities and Derbies which saw a 42% increase in the North American Open Futurity in the very first year.

Horses can be nominated to both the European and North American program or nominators may select one or the other. If only one is selected initially, the other can be added at a later date.

When a horse competes and wins money at one of the Futurities or Derbies, the nominator receives 5% of the earnings! It does not matter if the nominator still owns the horse or not. For example, at the 2021 NRHA Futurity, although Wharton had sold Ten Thirty during the 2019 NRHA Markel Futurity Sales, she still received $17,500 of the winner’s $350,000 purse.

Any horse can be nominated, and the original nominator can never be changed. NRHA Member and Show Services/Nomination Representative Emily Rush said, “We are so fortunate to have ReinerSuite available to us now because it really is the fastest and most economical way to nominate a horse. The $10 handling fee is waived when you do it online, and you receive an instant digital confirmation.”

When members log in to ReinerSuite, they can get guidance on how to complete nominations in the Resources Library.

Although NRHA staff is always available to help you with the online nomination process, they compiled a trouble-shooting page that can be found here.

The deadline for 2021 foals is approaching quickly! After January 10, the fees double until January 31, after which date the foal is considered a yearling and the fees adjust appropriately. Horses foaled in the Southern Hemisphere July 1st through December 31st will still be considered weanlings during the next calendar year. They will be considered yearlings during the subsequent year.

More information, including nomination forms, can be found at nrha.com/nomination.

Vaughn Zimmerman Becomes NRHA’s Newest Two Million Dollar Owner

Posted on January 4, 2022 - 7:05 pm by

When Not Ruf At All won the 2013 National Reining Horse Association Futurity Open Championship, owner Vaughn Zimmerman, of Missouri, was propelled into the elite ranks of NRHA Million Dollar Owners

The success of Not Ruf At All and Zimmerman has gone hand-in-hand, and in 2021, when Not Ruf At All became an NRHA Million Dollar Sire, Zimmerman surpassed two million dollars as an owner.

Zimmerman first became interested in horses decades ago. Although the venture began as a hobby, he soon began to focus on halter and pleasure horses. In the 1990s, he met reiner Kenny Eppers, and Zimmerman focused his sights on reining.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to breed and raise winning horses in so many different areas. I’ve had racehorses, halter horses, pleasure horses, but the reiners have held my interest for the longest time,” Zimmerman recalled.

A discerning eye quickly led to success, and by 1996, Smart Little Jewel (Smart Chic Olena x Gay Freckles Rio), ridden by Eppers, had given Zimmerman his first NRHA Open Futurity Finalist. In 1999, NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider Todd Bergen showed Zimmerman’s Roosters Wrangler (Gallo Del Cielo x Hustlers Sugar) to a reserve championship at the NRHA Futurity.

In the late 1990s, Zimmerman turned his focus to breeding, with headline stallion Skeets Peppy. The son of legendary sire Peppy San Badger was an NRHA Open Futurity Finalist and claimed the NRHA 1999 Open Reserve World Championship. He went on to win more than $77,000 in competition, and his foals have won money in multiple associations, including more than $885,000 in NRHA.

In 2012, Zimmerman and NRHA Professional Jason Vanlandingham teamed up, when Vanlandingham piloted Zimmerman’s Wimpys High Bid (Wimpys Little Step x Lucky Little Jewel) to the Level 3 Open Futurity reserve championship and fifth place in the Level 4.

That same year, a young prospect named Not Ruf At All, by A Sparkling Vintage out of All Ruffed Up, was catching eyes in Zimmerman’s barn.

Bobby Avila had taken the stallion through his early training, then the Zimmermans decided to offer Not Ruf At All in the 2012 NRHA Futurity Prospect Sale. When the reserve wasn’t met, they decided Vanlandingham would be the right fit for the big-stopping colt.

From that point, the Zimmerman program began to domino. Vanlandingham and Not Ruf At All first won the Tulsa Reining Classic Open Futurity Championship, then went on to win the High Roller Classic. The pair were the odds-on favorite at the 2013 NRHA Futurity, and they didn’t disappoint. Vanlandingham and Not Ruf At All had marked a 225 to take the Open title, winning more than $200,000 for the year and pushing Zimmerman more than $20,000 past the million dollar threshold as an owner.

Not Ruf At All and Vanlandingham continued to win, and the pair went on to earn more than $456,501, but ultimately, it was time for the next stage of Ruf’s career. “We hated to see him quit showing. He’s the best show horse we’ve ever owned,” Zimmerman admitted.

Not Ruf At All was more than ready to excel in his new role as a breeding stallion. “The first crops were small because we weren’t standing him to an open book. But soon we were seeing strong support from people around the globe – even Europe. People have a lot of choices because they can breed to established studs – so when you’re in the proving stages and they support you, it means a lot,” Zimmerman explained.

In the beginning, Zimmerman bred his own set of broodmares to the young stallion, and the first foals came of age in 2018.

Not Ruf At All’s highest money earner is Excessive Rufness (Smokin Lady Gunner), a 3-year-old owned by Zimmerman. Winning the inaugural Invitational Futurity with Vanlandingham boosted his earnings over the $100,000 mark. Another Zimmerman-owned standout by the stallion is Its All About Ruff (out of Dun Pretty Nifty), with $73,715 in lifetime earnings.

Zimmerman was inducted to NRHA’s Hall of Fame in 2018. Throughout the years he has been a staunch supporter of the reining industry, serving on the Board of Directors for NRHA, for the Reining Horse Foundation, and by being a longtime NRHA Corporate Partner.

Although he never showed himself, Zimmerman’s family has seen much success in the show pen. Both his sons, Matt and Justin, have NRHA earnings. Justin has been the most active in the show pen with earnings nearing $77,000, including a Level 3 Non Pro NRHA Futurity reserve championship.

Justin’s son, Jacob, and daughter, Taylor, are both active in reining. Jacob, whose lifetime earnings exceed $81,000, won the 2020 NRHA Futurity Level 2 Non Pro Championship and Level 3 Non Pro Reserve Championship on Rufin Up The Chics (Not Ruf At All x Ms Playalotta Chic). Taylor, whose biggest victories in NRHA competition include multiple Level 4 Non Pro finals qualifications at all the major NRHA events, has lifetime earnings of $255,642.

Zimmerman Performance Horses is located on 150 acres just outside Springfield, Missouri. With a 40,000 square foot, the state-of-the-art facility can easily accommodate not only the breeding and foaling of broodmares but also the training of their two-year-olds and personal show horses. With the assistance of Zimmerman Performance Horses’ resident trainer, Bobby Avila, Jr., the young prospects are started, evaluated, and sent on to the open trainer who can best develop the abilities of each individual.

For more information about Zimmerman, visit NotRufAtAll.com.

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