Oklahoma City, OK – November 9, 2009 – (From American Quarter Horse Journal story by Tonya Garrison) At the NRHA Mexico Regional Affiliate Championship, October 31-November 1, more than 100 entries from across Mexico competed for NRHA regional awards, Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship qualifying positions, futurity trophies, year-end honors and a trailer awarded by AQHA to the owner of the high-point Reining horse in Mexico.
The concept for the show and high-point award trailer started earlier this year when NRHA and AQHA officials met with the NRHA Mexico and Mexico Quarter Horse Association representatives. AQHA and NRHA teamed up to develop initiatives for grassroots riders in Mexico as well as those competing in premiere events.
“We met in February to try to promote Reining in Mexico,” said organizer Raul Leal. “It has been very successful and has helped us a lot. We are very thankful to AQHA and NRHA for all the support they have given us and all the hard work helping us.”
Mexico’s hosted an NRHA North American Regional Affiliate Championship for the past three years. However, with the alliance partnership, AQHA-, NRHA- and Federation Equestre Internationale-combined events were set up for the first time in Mexico.
“It has been a really good show,” Raul said. “The competition was tough, and we had more entries. The competitors contending for the trailer were on the edge until the last run. We were wondering up to the end who would win it. But that’s Reining – you never know until the finish.”
Winning the first Campeon en Reining Cuarto de Milla 2009 trailer was Whizmo, a nine-year-old palomino stallion owned by Gilberto Leal of San Pedro, Nuevo Leon.
“I’ve had Whizmo for three years, and I’ve been riding him for about a year,” Gilberto said. “He’s a nice horse, very quiet and very honest.”
Gilberto was thrilled to win the trailer from AQHA and shortly after it was awarded, his old trailer pulled up so tack could be loaded into the new one.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Gilberto said with a laugh. “Thank you, Whizmo, and thank you, AQHA.”
The NRHA Mexico Futurity was also held during the event. Winning the open was Jaime Fuentes on Gerardo Leal’s Sailin With Juice with a 217.5. Sixteen-year-old Gerardo Leal Jr. took the non pro title on his dad’s mare, Hermosa Hollywood.
During the two FEI-CRI 2* events, Canadian open rider Lisa Coulter won the first class against nine riders on Western Whiz. Taking the second class with 10 riders was Mexican non pro rider Ruben Pacheco on Topsail Command.
