An NRHA Professionals Membership Designed to Work Harder for You!
NRHA Members ineligible to compete in Non Pro, but still desire to compete in Open, can now compete with a Professional Membership for only $150! Current lifetime and three-year members can choose to upgrade their membership for only $50 annually.
The new Professional Membership type is geared to better classify the top competitors in NRHA. In addition, a portion of your Professional Membership fee will go towards creating a pathway for developing the most groundbreaking educational and promotional opportunities seen in the horse industry.
Top 20 Program
Professionals Sharing Wisdom
The NRHA Professionals Committee developed a program to serve as a connection between NRHA and its Affiliates. This Top 20 Program has been designed to utilize the talent and celebrity status of NRHA’s top riders to connect with, educate and motivate green and seasoned riders who want to learn and improve their skills. The NRHA Top 20 Program is for NRHA’s top riders to serve as ambassadors for Reining and provide valuable experiences for NRHA members, riders and horses.
How to Identify a Top 20 Rider
The NRHA will identify, promote and highlight NRHA’s Top 20 money earning NRHA Professionals in the NRHA Reiner magazine and the NRHA website. The current year’s earnings in all classes will be used and the Top 20 list will begin monthly publication in the NRHA Reiner and on the NRHA’s official web site (www.nrha.com) once show results begin to come into the NRHA office. A Rider’s earnings only begin to count for Top 20 purposes from the date they join NRHA Professionals.
Bring a Top NRHA Rider to Your Event
Invite one of NRHA’s top riders to lead a seminar or clinic at your Affiliate show or activity. These professionals bring expertise in breeding, training, sales, and competition—offering members a unique chance to learn, connect, and sharpen their skills.
How It Works:
- You choose and contact the rider (subject to availability).
- Your Affiliate covers reasonable travel expenses.
- Provide a suitable venue for the seminar or clinic.
- Book a rider and give your members an unforgettable learning experience.
For more information, contact NRHA or call 405-946-7400.
- Join NRHA Professionals Today!
- Find an NRHA Professional!
- NRHA Professional of the Year Nomination Form
- Professional of the Year Criteria
- 2025 Professionals of the Year
- Previous Professionals of the Year
- NRHA Patterns 17 & 18: Lope In Patterns: When using a lope to the center pattern, as with all NRHA patterns, judging commences, and penalties are assessed upon entering the arena. The rider has the option to walk, jog or lope through the gate. Should the rider jog through the gate, they must stop or walk prior to the lead departure. The rider must pick up the correct lead and continue loping around the circle to the center of the arena. A ½ penalty should be assessed if a horse jogs up to two strides before the lead departure and if a horse jogs for more than two strides a penalty 2 should be applied. A lope in pattern requires a horse to lope the majority, over ½ the distance, to the center. Any break of gait once the horse is in the lope and up to the center of the arena will incur a penalty 2. Prior to the center, should a horse come to a stop to correct an incorrect lead, they will incur a penalty 1 for being out of lead and a penalty 2 for breaking gait. At the center, without stopping or breaking gait, the rider should begin the pattern. Once a horse is at the center of the arena, pattern 17 and pattern 18 will be ridden the same as pattern 13 and pattern 5.
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