The top scores were three points lower than the 2023 qualifying scores. The numbers are in and the analysis is complete. What do the results from this years’ qualifier say? This episode compares 2024 to last year’s qualifying event.

Heads Up

This episode is best consumed by video due to the graphic and visual nature of it. Watch directly via the website, or on Youtube or Spotify for the best experience.

The depth of Open competition continues to drive forward and find new peaks and valleys as 10 riders get qualified for the Finals in August in Vegas. An in depth analysis of the scores, what they say, how to interrupt them and what do they mean? This episode slices and dices the numbers and scores including penalties applied and not applied along with the maneuver evaluation decisions made. We focus on the top riders that get qualified for the Run For The Million. We look at and review runs that were at the cut line for making the top 10 . We share and explain the stats of the officials performance and error rate on the entire open aged event.

The Show Rundown

• Top 10 Qualify for 2024 RFM in Vegas: What the scores say.

• Maneuver scoring: Can officials identify and report levels of excellence?

• Maneuver spreads: How can the maneuver scores be good and poor at the same time ?

• Does penalty application non-unanimous affect the final scores?

• Officiating for Reining: Are we ready to step up our judging system?

• Performance Rate for officiating. What does the Error Rate say?

This episode looks at examples of excellent rollbacks with clips from Nathan Piper rider Doctor VooDoo, Duane Latimer, riding CS Especially Moody and Martin Muehlstaetter riding Good Time To Tashya. This episode illustrates why rollbacks are the hardest maneuver to mark consistently in the sport of reining.

This episode displays graphs on statistics and data from the Top 10 qualified runs along with graphs of officiating performance and officiating error rate including penalties applied and penalties applied that are not-unanimous across all official score cards.

Runs used in video review and analysis are:

Trevor Dare riding Spat Toy Boy Gun

Cira Baeck riding Out Of The Furnace

Tom McCutcheon riding Super Marioo

Matt Mills riding Guns and Dynamite

Keep Your Questions Coming

The Cowboy Office continues to address all of the amazing questions we’ve received since the show started … don’t worry, we keep a list. In honor of you and your viewership, stay tuned and check the website for blog articles now being published.

ONE MORE THING

The American Horse Council 2023 Economic Impact Study is out.. You can purchase your copy at ahc.org.

RESOURCES:
Brumley Management Group: https://brumleyevents.com/pdf/cactusreiningclassic/2024/60scoresheets.pdf

Production and marketing by ConsultMent.Agency: https://www.consultment.agency/

COWBOY OFFICE SHOW

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Exec@CowboyOffice.com

Learning from the past, listening to the present, looking to the future. Bart Corrington taps into his Reining History 101 Facebook group and industry experience to give us insights into the reining industry.

Our Guest:

Bart Corrington

- Owner/Operator of BC Reining Horses, Tallahassee, FL

- Two-time NRHA World Champion

- Horse trainer for 29 years

- FB Group: Reining History 101 with over 15,000 members

In This Episode:

Consider this: The NRHA reported its 2022 membership at 14,384. Reining History 101 boasts over 15,000 members. 

How does IHSA fit into the puzzle?

Bart’s mother coaches the Florida State IHSA team which operates out of BC Reining Horses. A large percentage of IHSA competitors don’t come from a horse background. This gives Bart a glimpse into the draw of the equine industry on the rest of the world.

- IHSA vs NCEA

- Structure of competition

Reining History 101

NRHA was founded in 1966 on three pillars: Good Ground, Good Judges, Good Purses

- Ground is good

- Judging is satisfactory

- Purses are growing

Is our growth sustainable?

- Nomination Programs

- Shows competing for the same exhibitor pool (this pool is not growing!)

- Newcomers ability to succeed is questionable

Bart’s take on shows in the Southeast and the influence of the Cuban culture

We are an industry that claims to be businesslike and professional but we manage with a club or hobby mindset. 

Keep Your Questions Coming

Email questions to exec@cowboyoffice.com. We’ll continue to catalog your questions for our blog or next question and answer segment.

RESOURCES:

Production and marketing by ConsultMent.Agency

Reining History 101 Facebook -  Click Here

COWBOY OFFICE SHOW

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Exec@CowboyOffice.com

In today’s episode, we take a look at the 2023 NRHA Futurity. We talk about the tie for Open Level 4 Champion, scores, spreads, and use of the judging scale. We don’t forget about the Non Pro Futurity and address the industry buzz around Lane Colston and Adam Donahue’s finals runs.

Congratulations to the Winners!

-- Level 4 Futurity Champions Brian Bell, Crystalized Whizkey owned by Wallace Wood

-- Level 4 Reserve Champions Andrea Fappani and Inferno Thirty Five owned by Stephen Archer

-- Level 4 Non Pro Champions Lane Colston and Gunna Be Painted

In This Episode:

Let’s Talk Ties

225.5 tie between Brian Bell on Crystalized Whizkey  and Andrea Fappani on Inferno Thirty Five. The stakes: 350K to the Champion, 150K to Reserve and the Title of 2023 NRHA Futurity Champion.

Andrea Fappani and Inferno Thirty Five were last in the draw. The judges’ held this score for a review which acted as a catalyst creating a perfect storm of confusion in a run off situation. Would there be a run off? No, go with awards. Wait, yes, clear the arena! Um, let’s wait an hour. 

Is it time to change the Futurity Conditions to eliminate the run off option? This is the pinnacle event of the reining industry. Why not require a run off to crown a definitive Champion? No one wants a tie in the Super Bowl, and it shouldn’t be an option at the NRHA Futurity.

We Don’t Judge Style

Style varied greatly between champion & co-champion. Neither are great movers, did that impact scores in circles and rundowns? It was refreshing to see multiple styles perform well and get paid at the highest level. This is what judging has been teaching for years and we saw it played out on the main stage this year. 

Set Up for Success with Pattern Selection

Pattern selection for Go 1 and Go 2 was phenomenal. Pattern 12 allowed separation and provided an excellent filtering process, then pattern 15 thinned out the semi-finalists with some challenging maneuvers. 

New Schedule Helped Everyone

The extra days opened the schedule and allowed for shorter days. The show had good length of working days for judges/staff/exhibitors/horses. Everyone performs better when well rested.

Scoring Analytics

Average cut Scores were 1 to 1 ½ points higher in 2022 compared to this year. Was competition different or was judging more conservative? 

Judging was consistent throughout the entire Futurity, where they were in the draw made no difference, judges did a great job sorting the competition. 

With three-year-olds being this dynamic, what can we expect from them in the next two years? Genetics, training, and development practices have allowed them to mature at this level. But they still need to be brought along and developed to keep them performing well for longer. 

Non Pro Futurity Buzz

NP Champions: Lane Colston and Gunna Be Painted

Adam Donahue’s Circles - did they get marked appropriately?

Keep Your Questions Coming

Email questions to exec@cowboyoffice.com. We’ll continue to catalog your questions for our blog or next question and answer segment.

RESOURCES:

Production and marketing by ConsultMent.Agency

COWBOY OFFICE SHOW

Website:  CowboyOffice.com

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Instagram: www.instagram.com/cowboyofficeshow

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Exec@CowboyOffice.com