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Tinker With Dreams and Dany Tremblay were co-champions in the Level 4 Open at the 2021 NRBC. • Photo by Waltenberry.

On The Rise: NRBC Foal Enrollments Rebound

Foal enrollments for the National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC) recently reached the highest mark in more than a decade.

Officials with the major reining event, which is scheduled for April 11-24, say they have received 2,633 foals enrollments for the 2021 enrollment year. That’s 180 more than for 2020, and officials say it is approaching the program’s high-water mark in 2007 and 2008.

The National Reining Breeders Classic has been enrolling foals in its program since 1997. Officials say enrollments for the program, which has been enrollment foals since 1997, climbed steadily through 2008 then, like much of the equine industry, experienced a large drop in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

“We are excited to see this recovery and upward trend for our industry,” NRBC President Tom McCutcheon said in a statement announcing 2021’s numbers. “All the exposure that reining is getting nationally is reflected in enrollments and the reining horse business in general.”

Horses enrolled in the program also have the opportunity to compete for longer. The NRBC Classic is now open to 4, 5, 6 and also 7-year-old horses, and enrolled horses 8 years old and older are eligible for advancement to the Classic Challenge program.

Officials say they also are seeing an increase in stallion enrollments.

 “Although stallion enrollments are not due until February 1, our best preliminary projections show an increase from previous years,” said NRBC Secretary-Treasurer Cheryl Cody.  

The NRBC was created in the fall of 1997, and officials say through the support of the breeder and exhibitors of the reining industry, has grown to become one of the top reining aged events in the world. The NRBC has paid out more than $24 Million in the past 24 years.

This year’s NRBC is slated for April 17-24 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas and the Silver Anniversary event marks the 25th year for the NRBC.