BYARS, OK – On the heels of the news of its move to Tulsa’s Expo Square in 2023, the National Reining Breeders Classic Board of Directors has announced new opportunities for enrolled foals and additional benefits for riders and owners.
Last month, the NRBC Board unveiled the first changes that will begin in 2023. Those included a dramatic increase in added money for the Open Development Division (renamed Novice Horse) plus the addition of the Non Pro Novice Horse division. The Open Novice Horse Division added money has been tripled, increasing from $10,000 to $30,000 and the new Non Pro Novice Horse Division will debut with $20,000 added!
The payouts for both the Open and Non Pro championships have been elevated as well. Beginning in 2023, the NRBC Open L4 Champion will receive $100,000 and the Non Pro L4 Champion will earn $50,000.
But that is just the tip of a very big iceberg. NRBC President Tom McCutcheon said, “It’s a new era for the NRBC. All total, the added money for the Classic will be increased by approximately $350,000 beginning in 2023, pushing it to over $1.1 million. Those funds will be distributed throughout the different divisions both in Open and Non Pro.”
NRBC Secretary-Treasurer Cheryl Cody explained, “Each year, the added money for the Classic has come from 100% of the foal enrollments from the foal crop four years prior, plus any interest earned, along with 70% of the current year stallion enrollment fees. In 2022, that total came to just over $778,000.”
She added, “We have traditionally listed the added money as much less on the original show approval, then adjusted that advertised amount at the show when we are able to add in the stallion enrollments and late foals that came in after the show approval deadline.”
Part of the mega-growth in added money for 2023 will be linked to a change in stallion enrollment fees. “Our stallion enrollment fees have been $1,000 or $1,250 for 26 years,” noted McCutcheon. “That’s considerably less than other stallion programs that have been created around the world, and it’s time to raise the NRBC sire enrollment fees to be able to increase the benefits to our exhibitors and owners. Going forward, the yearly fee for stallions will be $3,000, and we are excited about what this additional funding will do for the show.”
He continued, “One hundred percent of that fee increase will actually go to the purse, as we are upping the amount of stallion money that goes into the added purse from 70% to 90%. With the get of those stallions being eligible to compete in the NRBC for their entire careers, I feel like it is the best buy for any sire program.”
Besides the increases in the guaranteed payout in the Open and Non Pro L4, the changes impact other divisions as well. At the 2022 NRBC, the Open L3 champion earned $24,921, but in 2023 that championship will be guaranteed $40,000. The Reserve L3 title will come with a guaranteed $25,000, compared to $15,169 in 2022.
The Open L2 champion’s check will be for $20,000, over double what was paid in 2022 and the Open L1 champion will earn $7,500, also well over double the previous year.
The increases extend to the Non Pro as well, where the L3 champion will earn $15,000, the L2 $10,000 and the L1 $5,000.
If the stallion enrollments generate more funds than expected, the payout will be adjusted upward.
There will also be an enhanced focus on NRBC enrolled sires beginning at the 2023 show. Along with continuing to award the traditional blue crystal vases to the sires of the champions in all divisions, new recognition for sires is planned. The foal earnings for each sire will be tracked, and the top 10 list of sires for the show will be tabulated daily. The top 10 list will be updated and announced each day at all three arenas, published in that day’s Slide Street Journal and shown on both the jumbotron and the live internet video feed. At the end of the show, the final Top 10 sires will receive special commemorative awards.
Courtesy of the NRBC
Tiny URL for this post:
Get the latest equine news in the Rocky Mountain Region directly to your inbox twice a month!
