Trainer Craig Schmersal Hits $4 Million Mark

Craig Schmersal recently reached new heights in his reining career when the trainer from Scottsdale, Arizona, became the sport’s newest National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Four Million Dollar Rider.

He passed the earnings mark this week at the NRHA Futurity.

Schmersal was fourth in the Futurity Level 4 Open with Ladysdreamofblueeyes (Magnum Chic Dream x Check Your Gun Lady x Dun It Gotta Gun), and also qualified in the Open finals with The Star Jersey (Yellow Jersey x Nicastar Lite x Mister Nicadual) and Pale Quistador (Pale Face Dunnit x Luz Del Conquistar x Conquistador Whiz). In all, he won nearly $80,000 at the recently completed show in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

His added winnings have secured him a spot on the short list of riders who have earned in excess of $4 million in official NRHA earnings. The only other two riders to hit that mark with the association are Shawn Flarida and Andrea Fappani.

Also an NRHA Professional and judge, Schmersal has competed in NRHA events since 1988. He moved through the NRHA ranks over the years, starting with his first show as a youth in Pennsylvania. He quickly became a name in the industry and a perennial major event finalist, along with the help of his wife Ginger.

Some of Schmersal’s major NRHA achievements include:

* 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games Team Gold medalist and 2005 FEI World Reining Masters CRI-A Open Champion Tidal Wave Jack (Hollywood Macho Jac x Idal Mist Cody x Lance Cody). Owned by B S Syndicate.

* 2004 NRHA Derby Open Champion on Commanders Nic (Boomernic x Miss Bam Bam Command x Docs Fritzie Command). Owned by Craig and Ginger Schmersal.

* 2008 CRI-A Open USEF National Champion riding Mr Dual Rey (Mister Dual Pep x Robin Red Rae x Dry Doc Rey). Owned by Holly Casey.

* 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Team Gold and Individual Silver medalist, as well as 2010 National Reining Breeders Classic Open Champion on Mister Montana Nic (Reminic x Mollie Montana x Montana Doc). Owned by Boom Shernic Syndicate.

* 2011 FEI World Reining Finals and Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic CRIO-A Champion on Miss Lil Addy Tude (Whizard Jac x Miss Col Otoe x Colonel Four Runner) Owned by KC Performance Horses, LLC.

* 2014 All American Quarter Horse Congress Futurity Champion on Xtra Electric Meter (Jacs Electric Spark x Metermaid to Order x Doc O’Lena). Owned by Eric Unger.

* 2017 NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open Champion on Face The Attitude (Pale Face Dunnit x Miss Lil Addy Tude x Whizard Jac). Owned by Hickory Creek Ranch, LLC.

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