As reiners from across the world pack to make the trip to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for the largest reining horse show in the world, I am packing for my third trip representing SmartPak at the NRHA sanctioned event. The excitement increases with every trip I take to Oklahoma City. I have attended the NRHA Derby and attended the NRHA Futurity twice. Traveling to Oklahoma is never dull, and I experienced airline delays and cancelations before finally arriving a day late. But as they say, better late than never. I was excited to meet up with existing acquaintances as well as many new customers once I arrived!

In case you you’ve never heard of the NRHA Futurity before, here’s a little background on the show and reining itself for you. The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) each year hosts one of the fastest growing equine events and the largest reining event, and it takes place every November/December with over two million dollars in purse money.

Reining itself is scored much differently from any other equine event. Every horse and rider starts with a score of 70, and for each maneuver they receive positive or negative points. The crowd really gets into each and every run, supporting the riders with whistling, hooting, and hollering. The feel in the arena euphoric, and it’s so fun to be a part of it. While I was there, I had a great time meeting happy SmartPak customers and introducing future SmartPak customers to our company and our products. There’s nothing better than chatting with fellow riders about their horses!