The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) has created a new category for the Run For A Million reining. The new designation, Category 13, will mean that the earnings from the Run for a Million $1 million invitational will not count towards NRHA lifetime earnings or NRHA Million Dollar status.
The NRHA announced today that its Board of Directors unanimously voted in favor of creating a new category for the event Aug. 15-17 in Las Vegas. On Tuesday, the NRHA Executive Committee had voted unanimously to rescind its previous motion and to recommend the creation of Category 13. This opened the way for the board of directors to meet today to assess the previous decision and, in this case, create the new category.
“The NRHA Board of Directors heard, listened, and took action to move in the direction that stakeholders felt was important,” NRHA President Mike Hancock said in a statement announcing the decision. “Members from around the world chimed in and spurred the decision to revisit the topic and take additional action.”
The million-dollar event had generated a lot of buzz around the industry, as some questioned whether money won at a lucrative event only open to select riders should count towards the NRHA’s all-time leaders or competitors’ lifetime earnings. The NRHA had previously voted last week to approve the show as a Category 11, which meant the earnings would count for records.
The buzz continued, however, and show co-producer Amanda Brumley sent the NRHA a letter asking it to create a new category so the event planned for August in Las Vegas would not cause a significant impact on the NRHA’s all-time records.
In order to recognize the class at the Run for a Million Invitational without counting the winnings toward the Million Dollar lifetime earnings’ acknowledgment, the NRHA Board today created the following new category:
Category 13
NRHA approved classes not corresponding to other NRHA Categories. Not for lifetime earnings, Million Dollar (sire/dam/owner/rider/breeder) status, rider/horse eligibility, Top 20 Program or World Champion and Top Ten Awards. Requires an NRHA Professionals, Non Pro, Youth, or Youth Non Pro membership in order to show.
“Given all additional information from the event’s promotor, Amanda Brumley, and the great amount of input that the board of directors received from stakeholders by emails, texts, calls, and social media outlets, the board has chosen to introduce Category 13 to recognize the earnings for the Run for a Million (Invitational),” said Hancock.
Related Board Action
Also in a letter to the board from Brumley, she shared her preference for the $100,000 Open Shootout to be deemed a Category 1 class. To do so, Brumley confirmed she would remove the stipulation excluding Run for a Million Invitational riders from entering the Shootout. The board approved. Therefore, the board approved the Shootout as a Category 1.
The Freestyle Invitational was approved as Category 9, and the Non Pro and Rookie Championships were approved as Category 11.
