National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Premier Event exhibitors will see substantial increases in added money in 2018 – $65,500 in all – with a particular boost to the Open Bridle classes at three of the NRCHA’s major shows, thanks to additional support from longtime NRCHA sponsor Holy Cow Performance Horses.
Nancy Crawford-Hall’s Holy Cow Performance Horses, with locations in Weatherford, Texas, and Santa Ynez, California, has an enduring commitment to the finished bridle horse in NRCHA competition, as the longtime sponsor of the CD Survivor Memorial Bridle Spectacular each year at the NRCHA Derby. That class is named in honor of the late Holy Cow Performance Horses stallion, CD Survivor. Holy Cow’s renewed NRCHA sponsorship in 2018 shines an even brighter spotlight on one of the most thrilling and demanding divisions in the world of reined cow horse: the Open Bridle.
The Holy Cow sponsorship will dedicate $25,000 in added money to the Open Bridle Spectacular at the NRCHA Stallion Stakes (March 18 – 24/Las Vegas, Nevada); $25,000 in added money to the CD Survivor Memorial Open Bridle Spectacular at the NRCHA Derby (June 10 – 17/Paso Robles, California); and $25,000 to the Open Bridle class at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity (Oct. 7 – 20/Fort Worth, Texas). The $25,000 added money at the Stakes will be an increase from last year’s $10,000 added money in the Open Bridle Spectacular, and the $25,000 added money at the Snaffle Bit Futurity will be an increase from last year’s $7,000 in the Open Bridle class.
The added money continues to flow in other divisions and other events in the year ahead.
The first wave of bigger checks will come at the NRCHA Celebration of Champions, Feb. 9 – 17, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. Added money has increased $18,000 across the board over last year for the World Championship classes, and competitors who earn checks in the Celebration of Champions Derby will enjoy $11,250 more in added money across all divisions.
At the NRCHA Stallion Stakes, in addition to the boost in the Open Bridle Spectacular added money, eligible riders may also enter the new Intermediate Open Bridle Spectacular, which offers $5,000 in added money (riders must also enter the Open Bridle Spectacular). The Intermediate Open Bridle division also applies to the horse show classes, where riders can compete in that newly-established class as long as they also enter the Open Bridle.
The new Intermediate Open horse show division also applies to the Hackamore class, where eligible riders can run at an Intermediate championship as long as they also enter the Open Hackamore.
Youth riders at the Stallion Stakes will enjoy reduced entry fees, with the Youth Bridle entry fee dropped by 36 percent to just $45. The Youth Limited entry fee is 45 percent lower than last year, also at $45. And the $1,000 Non Pro Limited division entry fee has been slashed by 20 percent.
