The National Arabian Reining Association will make its first official appearance at the 2016 High Roller Reining Classic, September 9th through 17th, at the South Point Equestrian Center, Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas’ premiere horse event center. The incentive program that has recently taken the reins from the Arabian Reining Breeders Classic, NARHA made the decision to keep the prized, important Arabian Reining event on track. It could not have selected a better venue for its debut appearance. The fourth largest NRHA competition in the world, the HRRC show annually uses nearly all of the giant facility’s 1,200 stalls and keeps its rings busy with a wide variety of classes and activities for nine solid days. This will mark the eighth year that top horses and riders from all over the world have gathered in Las Vegas to be part of the toughest, most entertaining reining show of the year.
There were almost 2,500 recorded draws at last year’s High Roller, nearly all divisions at the show were up in entries, especially the Youth group. Just about 60 young people signed up for the 2015 Youth Team Tournament, including almost 20 in the 10 & Under Short Stirrup. The youth classes, which included 17 Tournament teams, ran Saturday and Sunday on the first weekend, culminating in an awards ceremony, featuring Olympic style medals and impressive College Scholarship prizes, as well as a great pizza party. Naturally, when the NARHA took over from the ARBC, the Youth Tournament was at the top of its list of events to strongly promote and continue. The 2016 competition will be very similar to last year’s, with the first Saturday and Sunday mornings of the High Roller featuring Youth Tournament runs in the main Lucas Oil Arena. NARHA Youth Tournament Teams are set up similarly to those found in formal Olympic competition. The four-man teams consist of one 10 & Under Short Stirrup rider, one 13 & Under Youth rider, one Arabian or Half-Arabian Youth rider any age 18 or under, and one 14-18 Youth rider. The winning Gold Team Champions will receive $500 each and the top three individual riders in the overall competition will receive: $1,000 Gold, $750 Silver and $500 Bronze.
In addition to the Youth Tournament, the NARHA will be offering $9,500 in prize money to Arabians and Half-Arabians competing in open and Non-Pro reining at the High Roller Reining Classic. Sponsor Smartpak is also offering $1,000 for Arabian and Half-Arabian horses in their 6-Year and Up Maturity on Wednesday in the Lucas Oil Arena. And there’s other good news … Markel Insurance has recently signed on as the Official Insurance Company of the National Arabian Reining Horse Association.
“We’ve been involved with Arabian reining horses in conjunction with the High Roller Reining Classic since 2014,” says Frank Constantini, a Markel Horse Specialist since 1995. “It’s only natural for us to continue with this program now that it has taken the form of the NARHA. It’s easy for us to envision the Arabian horse coming more to the forefront in the next few years as a very competitive Western-type performance horse in both Reining and Ranch Riding. They are a beautiful, tough and versatile horse. We at Markel Insurance appreciate Amanda Brumley’s passion for the entire horse industry. She has always made the effort to include all types of horses and all levels of riders at Brumley managed shows.”
The ARBC, now called the NARHA, has paid out over $250,000 in prize money at premier NRHA events since its inception in 2014. Owners of NARHA Enrolled Incentive Program horses must be members of the NARHA as of 2017, see membership information at www.NationalArabianReiningHorseAssociation.com. For additional information on the NARHA or the upcoming High Roller Reining Classic, contact Amanda Brumley, [email protected] or call (602) 677-3774.
