Oklahoma City, OK – June 25, 2009 – The go round, first section of the 2009 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Open Derby witnessed frequent leader changes throughout the day after the first horse in the draw, Top Gun Tonite and Matt Mills, set the pace with a 221. But by the end of the section, and only four horses from the bottom of the section’s draw, RC Fancy Step and Shawn Flarida marked a 227 to earn the high score of the day. In addition to the NRHA Open Derby section, the show also hosted nearly a dozen ancillary classes at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, Okla.

RC Fancy Step (Wimpys Little Step x Sonita Wilson) and Shawn Flarida rode out of the Coliseum Arena atop the Level 4 Open division leader board with a 227. Fort Worth, Texas’ Buffalo Ranch owns the five-year-old stallion that has lifetime earnings in excess of $208,000. 2008 NRHA Derby Intermediate Open Champion Rootin Tootin Dunit (Gallo Del Cielo x This Is How Its Dun) and Jared Leclair scored a 224.5 for the Wolf Stern Partnership of Horse Cove, Kentucky. The score earned them the second place position in today’s section.

Marco Ricotta piloted Jerry Kimmel’s A Ruf Master (Lil Ruf Peppy x Shiners Mistress) to a 221.5 to lead the Level 3 Intermediate Open division. A Ruf Master was ridden by Tim McQuay to the NRHA Prime Time Open Reserve Futurity Championship just last year. Top Gun Tonite (Topgun Whiz x Hollywood Tonite) and Matt Mills led the division from the top of the draw with a 221. However, they ended the day second in the standings for the Level 3 Intermediate Open division in their NRHA competition debut. Top Gun Tonite is owned by Nancy Pohlman of Camp Verde, Arizona.

In the Level 2 Limited Open and Level 1 Open, the lead went to SSR Girls Best Friend (Like A Diamond x Significant Shine) and Nicholas Baar with a score of 219. SSR Girls Best Friend is owned by Lorri Petersen of Chardon, Ohio. The high score in the Prime Time Open division and second high score in the Level 2 Limited Open division was earned by Hesa Smokin Shiner (Shining Spark x Smoking Sana) and Rick Weaver. The 2007 SWRHA Intermediate Open Futurity Champion is owned by Gus and Gaynia Revenberg of Oldcastle, Ontario.

Complete results of the NRHA Derby and ancillary classes can be found at NRHAderby.com.

Get frequent updates on the 2009 NRHA Derby at twitter.com/nrha, or visit the ‘Blog’ area on NRHAderby.com for fun news from the show.

The NRHA would like to thank the following corporate partners for their support: Adequan®; Arenus, Century Investment Group; Cimarron Trailers; Classic Equine; John Deere; Kiser Arena Specialists; Land O’ Lakes / Purina Mills LLC.; Markel Insurance Company; MD Barns; Montana Silversmiths; Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau; Pard’s Western Shop; Platinum Performance; Quarter Horse News; Rios of Mercedes / Anderson Bean Boot Company; Rocky Mountain Clothing Company and SmartPak.

Level 4 Open Derby – 1st Go 1st Section
Place / Score / Rider / Horse / Owner / Location
1 / 227.0 / Flarida, S / RC Fancy Step / Buffalo Ranch / Ft. Worth TX
2 / 224.5 / Leclair, J / Rootin Tootin Dunit / Wolf Stern Partnership / Horse Cove KY
3 / 224.0 / Paul, R / Taris Designer Genes / Rancho Oso Rio LLC / Scottsdale AZ

Level 3 Intermediate Open Derby – 1st Go 1st Section
Place / Score / Rider / Horse / Owner / Location
1 / 221.5 / Ricotta, M / A Ruf Master / Kimmel, J / Granbury TX
2 / 221.0 / Mills, M / Top Gun Tonite / Pohlman, N / Camp Verde AZ
3 / 220.5 / Berg, M / Outta Dough / Queen, D / Whitesboro TX

Level 2 Limted Open Derby – 1st Go 1st Section
Place / Score / Rider / Horse / Owner / Location
1 / 219.0 / Baar, N / SSR Girls Best Friend     Petersen, L / Chardon OH
2 / 217.5 / Weaver, R / Hesa Smokin Shiner / Revenberg, A and G / Oldcastle ON Canada
3 / 217.0 / Kyle, P / Whizs Bronze Star / Townsend, K / Argyle TX

Level 1 Open Derby – 1st Go 1st Section
Place / Score / Rider / Horse / Owner / Location
1 / 219.0 / Baar, N / SSR Girls Best Friend / Petersen, L / Chardon OH
2 / 216.5 / Diano, G / Whiz Shady MA / Ribas, R / Brazil
2 / 216.5 / Sheffler, M / TH Great Big Chex / Sutherland, R     / Lima OH

Prime Time Open Derby – 1st Go 1st Section
Place / Score / Horse / Rider / Owner / Location
1 / 220.5 / Weaver, R / Hesa Smokin Shiner / Revenberg, A and G / Oldcastle ON Canada
2 / 217.0 / Johnson, C / Done Being Smart / Santagata, R / Campbell Hall NY
3 / 214.0 / Crawford, T / Hollywood Hibeam / Sarquis, A / Jalis  Mexico

Non Pro – Slate #1 – Added Money: $4000.00
Place / Score / Horse / Rider / Owner / Location / Money
1 / Custom Twister / Kathleen Armenta / 220.50 / Armenta; Kathleen / Whitesboro, TX
$1481.53
2 / Darlins Not Painted / Andi Paul / 219.50 / Paul; Randy / Scottsdale, AZ / $977.81
2 / Mega Jac Jess / Mandy Mc Cutcheon / 219.50 / Mc Cutcheon; Scott E / Whitesboro, TX / $977.81

Intermediate Non Pro – Slate #1 – Added Money: $2000.00
Place / Score / Horse / Rider / Owner / Location / Money
1 / West Coast Smarty / Alison C Sollid / 217.00 / Sollid; Alison C / Stanwood, WA / $965.50
2 / Chics Sidewinder / Marilyn Scheffers / 215.50 / Scheffers; Marilyn / Riverside, CA / $695.16
3 / Malt Whizkey / Suzanne De Champlain / 211.00 / De Champlain; Suzanne / Trenton, FL / $502.06

Prime Time Non Pro – Slate #1 – (Added Money: $500.00)
Place / Score / Horse / Rider / Owner / Location / Money
1 / Lenas Taxman / Bonnie L Hippensteel / 218.00 / Bonnie L Hippensteel / Ocala, FL
$295.00
2 / RS La Rooso / Dwaine Rivers / 215.00 / 4 R Performance Horses / Boerne, TX
$221.25
3 / Malt Whizkey / Suzanne De Champlain / 211.00 / De Champlain; Suzanne / Trenton, FL / $147.50

Youth 13 & Under – Slate #1
Place / Horse / Rider / Score / Owner / Location
1 / Quixote Joe / Claudia S Spreng / 214.00 / Spreng; Claudia S / Port Orange, FL
2 / Magnum Done It / Genevieve L Shifrin / 211.50 / Shifrin; George / Aspen, CO
3 / Okie Dun Did It / Cade Mc Cutcheon / 209.00 / Mc Quay Stables Inc / Tioga, TX

Youth 14-18 – Slate #1
Place / Horse / Rider / Score / Owner / Location
1 / Whizin In The Dirt / Jordan Willette / 214.50 / Willette; Jordan / Prescott, AZ
2 / Lenas Frosty Chic / Jenna L Blumer / 212.50 / Blumer Jr; James J / Spring Brook Twp., PA
3 / Einsteins Fancy Pine / Laura Sumrall / 212.00 / Sumrall; Laura / Summit, MS

Unrestricted Youth – Slate #1
Place / Horse / Rider / Score / Owner / Location
1 / Quixote Joe / Claudia S Spreng / 214.00 / Spreng; Claudia S / Port Orange, FL
2 / Smart Little Dudley / Claudia S Spreng / 208.50 / Spreng; August F / Port Orange, FL
3 / Custom Foxy Lady / Katherine B Berg / 208.00 / Berg; Daniel / Florence, TX

AQHA Youth 13 & Under – Slate #1
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / Location
1 / Backcinch Banjoe / Bridget H Hyland / Hyland; Bridget H / Pittsford, NY
2 / Gold Speckulator / James Michael Phillips / Phillips; Michael J / Hartshorne, OK
3 / Reeboks Diablo / Asa Peeples / Peeples; Asa / Ringgold, GA

AQHA Youth 14-18 – Slate #1
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / Location
1 / Three Socks Ana Spot / Crystal Bailey / Bailey; Crystal / Alvin, TX
2 / Einsteins Fancy Pine / Laura Sumrall / Sumrall; Laura / Summit, MS
3 / Ruf Maid Chic / Jonathan Timberlake / Timberlake; Jonathan / Millington, TN

APHA Regular Youth 14-18 – Slate #1
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / Location
1 / A Genuine Diamond / Will R Letner / Letner; Dr Larry J / Harris, MO
2 / Three Socks Ana Spot / Crystal Bailey / Bailey; Crystal / Alvin, TX