AUGUST 1997 BACK ISSUE

Part of Horse Previews Magazine website. Posted on 8/1/97; 10:00:00 AM.

1997 NRHA Derby Sweepstakes Show Sizzled

Coshocton, OH-- Along with sizzling hot summer temperatures, the 1997 NRHA Derby & Superstakes Show held June 18-21 also heated up Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In the final hour of the spectacular event, spectators experienced the excitement of a run-off between the top two riders, Randy Paul and Dell Hendricks, who were tied with a 223 in the Open Finals. Paul rode Outa My Way Jose to a 227 score over Hendrick's Hangten Peppy's 226 in the heated run-off.

Randy Paul aboard Outa My Way Jose, a sorrel stallion, earned a $20,000 check for the winning Open ride and will have the use of an Exiss Aluminum trailer for one year. Outa My Way Jose (Doc N Jose x Miss Roan Straw) is owned by Linda Hamilton of Cave Creek, AZ. The close second place finisher, Hangten Peppy (Peppy Badger Chex x Bees Honey Jac), took back $8,883.70. This black stallion ridden by Dell Hendricks of Scottsdale, AZ is co-owned by Hendricks and Belle M. Carpenter of Santa Fe, NM. The NRHA Derby Open boasted a total purse of $60,000.

Carter M. Smith of Eugene, OR also posted an impressive score of 226 on her sorrel horse, Chocolate Chic Olena (Smart Chic Olena x Jay Bar Felcia), in the Limited Open Finals to win the 1997 NRHA Derby Limited Open Champion title and a check for $4,590.07. With a score of 219.5, The Great Kid (Brennas Kid x Great Gee Gee Fisher) ridden by Pete Kyle captured the Reserve Champion title and took home $3,304.85. The Great Kid is owned by Michael and Joanne Garnett of Lincoln, NE. The total purse for the NRHA Derby Limited Open was $24,480.37.

In the Non Pro Derby, Chocolate Chic Olena once again topped the class of competitors after finishing at the top of the first go-round with a score of 219. In the Friday Night Finals, Chocolate Chip Olena came out and scored an outstanding 226.5 in order to win the Non Pro Derby Championship and $5,157.77 in winnings. High Gloss Hollywood (Hollywood Dun It x High Gloss Glo) ridden by Mandy McQuay and owned by Tim McQuay of Tioga, TX followed behind Chocolate Chic Olena with a score of 216.5 and a purse total of $3,363.76. Total purse pay out for Derby Non Pro competitors was $29,900.12.

The Limited Non Pro Derby Champion winning $1593.41 was Julie Karpinski of Ardmore, OK riding Miss Steppin Jac (Mr. Barbie Cody Jac x Miss Stepping Pine) owned by Walt and Jeri Karpinski from Agua Dulce, CA. Reserve honors went to Okie Dokie Dunnit (Hollywood Dun It x Okies Lancet) and rider/owner Sally T. Broten or River Falls, WI who took home $1,083.52. The Derby Limited Non Pro purse consisted of $6,373.62.

The NRHA Superstakes, a sire-incentive program which rewards stallion-owners of successful offspring, once again credited sire-owners by paying out $9,360.08. Sires included in this purse consisted of Topsail Whiz, Taris Catalyst, Hollywood Jac 86, Hollywood Dun It, Okies Leo Rose, and Gun Start. Sire awards are based on the top three finishers in the Derby Open, Limited Open, and Non Pro divisions. In addition to the sire awards, the Superstakes paid a total of $35,100.18 to competing horses with sires enrolled in the 1997 Superstakes Program.

The Derby and Superstakes Show provides annual scholarship opportunities for NRHA Youth. This year, 15 teams consisting of three team members competed for $5,250 in scholarship money during the 1997 NRHA Youth Team Tournament Scholarship Reining. The winning team who called themselves "Just Do It" took home $3,000 (payable upon college enrollment), R.A. Guthrie designed silver buckles, and other prizes. Team Champions were Lisa Rigdon on Dun Surprised, Angie Rigdon aboard Miss Michelob Dry, and Sam Schaffhauser riding Okleos Fifty. Second and third place teams took home $1,500 and $750 respectively in scholarship money and all youth team tournament members were awarded special prizes donated to the youth program.

The scholarships awarded in the Annual Youth Team Tournament Scholarship Reining are funded in part by the Youth Silent Auction also held during the Derby and Superstakes recipients.

In the addition to the Youth Team Tournament Scholarship Reining, the NRHA Derby also hosted two sections of the new NRHA Youth Series. This competition which shares the same schedule as the NRHA Saddlesmith Series will award a $500 scholarship and a saddle to winners of both the 13 & Under and 14-18 divisions after the conclusion of the 1997 Series. With youth competition as a focus at the Derby, both slates of youth classes counted toward the NRHA Youth Series at this show.

Another highlight for youth at this year's Derby included a pizza party following the youth classes on Friday, June 20. There, Jon Hansen, Assistant Fire Chief for the Oklahoma City Fire Department, spoke to youth competitors. He commended the young people on their efforts as well as inspired them to make positive contributions to their communities. Hansen and his young daughter, Jill, also presented awards during the youth classes that day.

Other highlights at the 1997 NRHA Derby and Superstakes Show included the addition of another NRHA sponsor, Horse & Rider magazine, and the celebration of NRHA members and horses at the Annual NRHA Banquet. This year, NRHA honored 1997 Hall of Fame inductees, Be Aech Enterprise and Nifty Jodieann, as well as 1996 World Reserve Champions and Top Ten finishers.

The total payback for the 1997 Derby and Superstakes Show was $200,322.83 with approximately 300 total horses participating in the event. The NRHA Derby had 142 horses who competed for a total of $120,745.11 in purse money. For ancillary and youth team tournament classes, show payback for two slates of classes consisting of 154 horses was $35,108.46.

This year's event was sponsored in part by Saddlesmith of Texas, State Line Tack, Roper Apparel, Pfizer Animal Health, Buckeye Feed Mills, Markel Insurance Agency, Exiss Aluminum Trailers, Horse & Rider magazine, State Fair of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce.

NRHA is the governing body of the sport of reining responsible for enforcing the standards of competition, promoting the sport, and educating its members and the general public about the proper performance of the reining horse in the show arena. NRHA sanctioned 230 events in 1996 and distributed over $2.1 million dollars in competition purses.