The wait is over! Fort Worth is alive with the action and anticipation that only the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® can bring.
The Open Futurity reined work preliminaries hit the John Justin Arena, and the early lead belongs to Tha Rizzler (Metallic Rebel x Starlight Playmate x Grays Starlight), owned by Triple D Ranches LLC and shown by Nick Dowers, with a score of 222.5.
Today, the excitement continues as the Open reined work preliminaries roll on with sets 17–31.
As these young horses make their debut on the big stage in Fort Worth, it’s been especially rewarding to watch so many of them step into the spotlight after impressive wins at pre-futurities across the country.
This past August, CJ Shopbell and gelding SugarNick, sired by Kit Kat Sugar and out of Nicki The Cat by Shiners Nickle and owned by Double Horn Ranch, blew fans away, marking a 227 down the fence and placing first in the Open and Intermediate Open divisions at the Southwest Reined Cow Horse Association Pre-Futurity in Fort Worth, Texas.
“He's been a phenomenal horse all the way through,” Shopbell said. “He's trained really well, and he’s accepted everything. I had no idea he was going to come to town and be such a show horse, but we showed him at the Pre-Futurity here in Fort Worth and he just was there the whole way.”
As his name might suggest, SugarNick is an incredibly sweet horse, and according to Shopbell, he has made friends with his whole family.
“ We feed him a lot of cookies,” Shopbell said with a chuckle. “ He's just a good guy; he wants to be your friend. You'll walk by him and he'll nicker at you, and so you'll grab some cookies and you'll feed him when you go by. I think everybody in the family does, the kids all feed him, everybody feeds him.”
Other champions at the Southwest Reined Cow Horse Pre-Futurity included Myles Brown and Painted Shadows, a stallion by Scooter Kat and out of Miss Scarlets Cat by Metallic Cat, who earned the champion title in the Non Pro division. In the Non Pro Boxing, Cheryl Chown and Princess Dianna were crowned as the champions. Princess Dianna is a mare by Woody Be Tuff and out of Short And Royal by Short Oak, and with a talented rider such as Chown in the saddle, the sky is the limit to what they can accomplish.
While Fort Worth crowned its own slate of champions, the momentum of the futurity season carried west to the National Stock Horse Association Futurity in Las Vegas.
Shannon Haskins, another pre-futurity champion, swept the Non Pro divisions, earning titles in the Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Limited Non Pro, at the National Stock Horse Association Futurity with her horse Just A Stylish Boon, sired by Bet Hesa Boon out of Justa Lil Stylish by Playin Stylish.
“I love this mare,” Haskins said. “I walk into the show pen, and she gives me a little bit of confidence, and I just really enjoy her. She's a good-minded little individual.”
It’s Haskins' first time here at the 2025 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity®, and she and Just A Stylish Boon are ready to take the reins and make some history.
“I want to remain focused,” she said. “I want to not let my nerves get in the way, and I want to stay out of her way so she can do her job.”
It was a cowgirl sweep for the championship titles in Las Vegas. In the Open division, Recklesss (One Time Royalty x Shine Smarter x WR This Cats Smart) and Sarah Dawson took home the win as well as a $36,000 payout for owner Tres Osos Performance Horses. Elizabeth Poor and Poor Rey (Stevie Rey Von x Miss Dainty Cat x High Brow Cat) made their mark in the Non Pro Boxing Futurity and left Vegas as champions.
From the bright lights of Las Vegas to the reined cow horse tradition in Reno, futurity champions have been making their mark across the country.
Yesterday's reined work leader, Tha Rizzler, by Metallic Rebel and out of Starlight Playmate by Greys Starlight, took home the win in the Open Futurity in Reno. Owned by Triple D Ranches and piloted by Nick Dowers, this young stallion has started his career off with a bang. Francesca Lord and My Magic Lady, by Very Black Magic and out of Shaika Hassa, rose to the top in the Non Pro Futurity. To round out the Reno Snaffle Bit Futurity champions, NSHA Futurity Non Pro Boxing Champion Elizabeth Poor and Poor Rey added another champion title to their 2025 show season.
