 | |
| Sport | Working cow horse |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1949 |
| Countries |  United States |
| Most recent champion(s) |  2024 Snaffle Bit Futurity ChampionsLife By The Drop and Chris Dawson |
| Official website | NRCHA |
The National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) is an equestrian organization in Pilot Point, Texas, United States, that began by promoting and staging Working cow horse events.
The National Reined Cow Horse Association (formerly known as the California Reined Cow Horse Association) was founded in 1949. Its purpose is to continue the centuries long tradition process of training used by the vaqueros of California. The reined cow horse was a necessity in the 18th to 19th century on ranches. However, by the beginning of the 20th century, the need for this type of horse dissipated, especially during the Great Depression. Later, it was revived as a luxury sport, and the NRCHA now is the association that promotes and educates competitors about the sport. [1] [2]
The National Reined Cow Horse Association Hall of Fame includes a hall of fame for horses and people, as well as a hall of merit for people who have contributed outside the show pen. These inductees are tracked in a separate article.
The National Reined Cow Horse Association awards their members yearly and those awards are tracked in a separate article.
Reining is a western riding competition for horses where the riders guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops. All work is done at the lope, or the gallop. Originating from working cattle, reining requires the horse to be responsive and in tune with its rider, whose aids should not be easily seen, and judges the horse on its ability to perform a set pattern of movements. The horse should be willingly guided or controlled with little or no apparent resistance and dictated to completely. A horse that pins his ears, conveys a threat to his rider, refuses to go forward, runs sideways, bounces his rear, wrings his tail in irritation, or displays an overall poor attitude is not being guided willingly, and is judged accordingly. If a horse jogs or breaks gait it is a 0.
Cutting is a western-style equestrian competition in which a horse and rider work together before a judge or panel of judges to demonstrate the horse's athleticism and ability to handle cattle. Modern competition utilizes a 2+1⁄2 minute performance, called a "run." Each contestant is assisted by four helpers: two are designated as turnback riders, who help to keep cattle from running off to the back of the arena, the other two are designated as herd holders to keep the cattle bunched together and prevent potential strays from escaping into the work area. Cutting cattle are typically young steers and heifers that customarily range in size from 400 to 650 lb. They usually are of Angus or Hereford lineage though may be a mix of crossbred beef cattle, including Charolais Braford or Brahman lineage.
The Invester (1969–2002) was a Quarter Horse stallion who excelled at halter and at western pleasure, as well as being a famous sire of western pleasure horses.
Cutter Bill (1955–1982) was a Quarter Horse stallion and the 1962 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Open World Champion cutting horse with record earnings for the year. He also won the 1962 American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Honor Roll cutting horse award which made him the first horse to have won both the NCHA and AQHA awards in the same year. Cutter Bill was owned by the flamboyant Texas millionaire Rex Cauble who in 1962 decided to campaign Cutter Bill with Sonny Perry in the saddle showing him. In order for Cutter Bill to compete in as many shows as possible that year, Cauble flew Cutter Bill and three other horses on his private jet to various shows.
The National Cutting Horse Association is a non-profit equestrian organization headquartered in the US. Their primary purpose is to promote and sponsor cutting events. The association was founded in 1946 at the Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show. The first NCHA sponsored cutting horse competition was held that same year in Dublin, Texas.
The National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) is an equestrian organization in the United States that began by promoting and staging Western Pleasure events in 1983. Since then, focus has expanded to promoting the show horse at every level across multiple disciplines. The association is currently headquartered in Weatherford, Texas, United States.
The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) is an American nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote the reining horse.
Peppy San Badger (1974–2005) was an American Quarter Horse stallion who won the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity in 1977 and the NCHA Derby in 1978. He was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Association's Hall of Fame in 2008.
Sheila Varian was an American breeder of Arabian horses who lived and worked at the Varian Arabians Ranch near Arroyo Grande, California. She grew up with a strong interest in horses, and was mentored in horsemanship by Mary "Sid" Spencer, a local rancher and Morgan horse breeder who also introduced Varian to the vaquero or "Californio" tradition of western riding. She started her horse ranch, Varian Arabians, in 1954 with the assistance of her parents. Raising and training horses was her full-time occupation beginning in 1963. She used vaquero-influenced methods of training horses, although she adapted her technique over the years to fit the character of the Arabian horse, which she viewed as a horse breed requiring a smart yet gentle approach.
Dual Peppy was a 1992 sorrel stallion registered with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). He is sired by Peppy San Badger, and out of the mare Miss Dual Doc by Doc's Remedy. Dual Peppy qualified for the AQHA World Show during the 1997-1998 show season, and earned the title "1998 AQHA Reserve World Champion Senior Cutting Horse". In 1998-1999, he competed as a novice horse in National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) events and earned the title "NCHA World Champion $10,000 Novice Cutting Horse." Dual Peppy, bred by the late Greg Ward, is the second of four full brothers in the Dual Pep line, which also includes Dual Pep, Mister Dual Pep and Dually Pep, all of whom have been successful horses in their own right. Ward broke, trained and showed Dual Peppy until he was sold in January 1998 to Rick and Sherry Brunzell of the Dual Peppy Partnership located in Colorado.
Smart Little Lena was an AQHA registered Quarter Horse, an NCHA Triple Crown Champion cutting horse, and sire of champion cutting horses. He was inducted into both the AQHA Hall of Fame and NCHA Horse Hall of Fame. He was sired by NCHA Futurity Champion Doc O'Lena and out of the mare Smart Peppy by Peppy San, who was the first NCHA World Champion to sire an NCHA World Champion.
A futurity for horses is a competition, usually limited to younger horses, which offers significant prize money to winners, generated in part from fees paid to nominate, maintain eligibility, and enter the final competition. In most cases, a horse will only compete against other horses of the same age.
Zippos Mr Good Bar (1984–2016) was a registered American Quarter Horse with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). He is an American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame inductee for 2019. He was known for his show career and as a top sire. He was 32 years of age in 2016 when he died.
This List of National Snaffle Bit Association Hall of Fame Inductees was created by the National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) for the NSBA Hall of Fame to recognize extraordinary athletes, individuals, riders, and horses, in the equestrian sport of Pleasure riding. The NSBA Hall of Fame started inducting members into the hall of fame 1988. The hall of fame was created to recognize these individuals who have contributed significantly to the association. The hall of fame features those who have exerted themselves in maintaining a high level of integrity while advocating for the industry. NSBA members who have impacted the association in a profound manner are considered. Roles such as promoter, breeder, competitor, trainer, and other contributors who donated their time and expertise to assist the association. It is located with the NSBA in Weatherford, Texas. The NSBA Announces 2018 Hall Of Fame Honorees.
Shining Spark was an award-winning and hall of fame reining Quarter horse. Shining Spark is in the National Reining Horse Association Hall of Fame (NHRA) Hall of Fame. He is a 2013 NHRA Four Million Dollar Sire. He is also a National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRHCA) Four Million Dollar Sire. He sired 1,316 foals after his quarter horse career.
National Reined Cow Horse Association Hall of Fame was created by the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) for the NRCHA Hall of Fame to recognize extraordinary athletes, individuals, riders, and horses in the equestrian sport of Working cow horse. The organization is headquartered in Pilot Point, Texas.
The National Reined Cow Horse Association Champions and Awards are presented by the National Reined Cow Horse Association to outstanding individuals in the sport of Working cow horse, both people and equine. The NRCHA awards world champions on a yearly basis. It also awards million dollar earners for both riders and sires. The organization is headquartered in Pilot Point, Texas.
Carol Rose is a champion horsewoman. She is a world-class show woman and breeder. She became a leader during a time when men dominated the field.
Sandy Collier was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in 2011. Collier was named one of the "Top 50 Riders of All Time in All Disciplines” by Horse & Rider magazine.