The 2016 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC) Show offered section 3 of the Open semifinals on Nov. 29. Once the last horse-and-rider combination left the Jim Norick Arena, all of the Open finalists were determined.
Posting the top composite score – a 445 – in the Lucas Oil Level 4 Open semifinals was NRHA Five Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida riding Luckie Moonstone (Spooks Gotta Gun x My Lucky Moonstone x Topsail Whiz), a Sire and Dam offspring owned by Jason Dobrinski and nominated by breeder Loren Booth.
Winning the Level 3 division with a 433 was Gabriel Diano riding Oops Itsa Spooks (Spooks Gotta Gun x Tejons Finally Dunit x Hollywood Dun It), a bay stallion owned by AC Quarter Horses LLC, bred by Silver Spurs Equine and nominated by Michelle Miola. Fernando Salgado and Loveya (Gunnatrashya x Love Em N Lena x Smart Little Lena), a stallion owned and nominated by Cam Essick, won Level 2 with a 437.5.
Claiming the lead in the Level 1 Open was NRHA Professional Josh Murphy riding CBK Hang A Wright (Hang Ten Surprise x HR Wright On Cash x Lenas Wright On). The duo posted a 215.5 in the semifinals, bringing their composite score to a 431. The talented sorrel mare is owned, bred and nominated by William and Corliss Kellogg.
The Platinum Performance Open Draw Party, held Nov. 30, determined the draw of the NRHA Futurity Open finals, which will be held Dec. 3.
The Level 4 Futurity Open finalists are (in draw order):
- Dun It For Whizkey & Franco Bertolani
- Sugarwhizngun & Casey Deary
- Modern Gun & Duane Latimer
- No Smoking Required & Jason Vanlandingham
- PS Mega Shine Chic & Dany Tremblay
- Whizkey Rock N Roll & Martin Muehlstaetter
- Oops Itsa Spooks & Gabriel Diano
- Pale Conquistador & Craig Schmersal
- Spitfire Spook & Robin Schoeller
- Wimpys Slidewinder & Franco Bertolani
- Miss Whizzletown & Marco Ricotta
- Smart Ebony Spook & Nathan Piper
- Gunshot N Tinseltown & Jordan Larson
- Ifwhizswereguns & Andrea Fappani
- Xtra New Pal Voodoo & Trevor Dare
- Whiz Gata Prize & Shawn Flarida
- Shes Got Good Guns & Duane Latimer
- Loveya & Fernando Salgado
- Spinderellstory & Adam Hendrickson
- Gunna Be Special & Mike McEntire
- Hey Joe & Jason Vanlandingham
- Phantom Face & Craig Schmersal
- Rio Killer Gun & Franco Bertolani
- Tunes In Hollywood & Gabriel Diano
- Dontrashmystage & Jordan Larson
- Luckie Moonstone & Shawn Flarida
- High Rolling Spook & Nathan Piper
- Mr Whizicol & Duane Latimer
- Spooky Whiz & Andrea Fappani
- Pale Black Gun & Craig Schmersal