The National Reining Breeders Classic was established in late summer of 1997 as the National Reining Breeders Cup. That name would be changed less than a year later to The National Reining Breeders Classic to reflect the prominence and importance of the event.
Response to the program was overwhelming from the beginning and the list of subscribed stallions reads like a "Whos Who" in the reining industry. Board Chairman Tom McCutcheon of Aubrey, Texas says, "By October first of 1997, before the appearance of a single advertisement, word of mouth had resulted in paid enrollment of 60 stallions."
Within six months, over 140 stallions were enrolled and the success of the Breeders Classic program was assured. By mid-summer of 1998, before the NRBC's first birthday, the program had enrolled over 160 stallions. In 2003, the enrolled stallions number over 220.
Sire and Dam
The NRHA's Sire & Dam Program is recognized as the oldest and most respected breeding program in the performance horse industry. It has enjoyed continued support and growth since its inception in 1966. Thirty-nine years later it remains consistent with the original philosophy - no cash outlay whatsoever for stallion owners - while still providing significant earning potential for donors. The 2004 Futurity Sire Awards purse exceeded $63,000!
Stallion owners donate a breeding(s) which the Sire & Dam Program then sells to a mare owner for one half of the current year advertised fee. In addition to the bargain on the breeding fee, the mare owner also receives a substantial discount on entering the resulting foal in the NRHA Futurity and NRHA Derby.
First and foremost, the Breeders Classic provides a place to show four, five and six-year-old reining horses for big money with purses that are structured to pay deep into the placing's.
Enrollment makes horses eligible to compete as 4-, 5 and 6- year olds in the National Reining Breeders Classic show. When the first NRBC show was held in April of 1998, the event paid over $210,000 in prize money and became, at that time, the second highest paying reining in history. The show also featured a $10,000 added Open NRHA Reining, the largest NRHA Open reining in the United States to date for 2003.
In 1999, the NRBC Show paid over $345,000 and featured over $200,000 Added Prize Money!
Other exciting news for 1999 was that the NRBC Show was chosen as one of the qualifying shows for the first-ever consign $100,000 added United States Equestrian Team Reining presented by Bayer, held in Gladstone, New Jersey in June of 1999.
Both the added money and the designation as a USET qualifier held constant in the next show. For the 2000 NRBC, the total payoff was $346,394.27.
In 2001, the first year of maturity for any enrolled foals, the NRBC’s added purse soared to over $450,000 and with a payoff exceeding half a million dollars! In 2005, the show paid over $1 million!
The National Reining Breeders Classic has changed the face of reining in modern times and it will continue to do so - breaking records, reaching new goals.
With the spiraling number of stallions enrolled in the program, that number will be adjusted upwards. The new goal for the NRBC might be "millions in the millennium!
To be eligible for entry in the 4/5/6-Year-Old Breeders Classic, foal owners pay a $200 enrollment fee by September 15 of the weanling year, or $250 by December 31 of weanling year. Late enrollments can be made at $2,500 for yearlings, $7,500 for 2 year olds and at $10,000 for 3 year olds. Only enrolled foals will be allowed to compete as 4/5/6-Year-Olds in the Breeders Classic!
Mid America Futurities
Now in their fourth year of sales, the Solums are pleased to be bringing their professional sales management services to River Falls, having close ties to the area, as many of their friends and family still reside here. Mid America Equine Sales is based out of Lamar Missouri, running sales throughout the Midwest. A major advantage of working with Mid America, in addition to their many years of experience, all foals consigned to one of their sales are eligible for one of three Mid America Futurities. These major futurities are among the top 5 highest paying futurities, offering up to $70,000 in payout's. The entry fees are waived, as they are covered in the consignment costs at the time of the sale. Also, only foals consigned to one of the sales are eligible to enter these major futurities. By purchasing a colt from the Colts in Training sale, you would have the opportunity to run at $70,000 in either a reining, cutting or reined cowhorse futurity, with no entry fee cost, and a very limited amount of competitors.
