Author Archives: nrha

The more things change, the more they stay the same. For the National Reining Horse Association, there have been a lot of changes in horses, riders, and the sport, but the one thing that has stayed the same since 1987 is Barb and Dick Waltenberry, the official show photographers and NRHA Hall of Fame Members. […]

When life presents you with challenges, you have two options. The first is to accept defeat, and the second is to adjust your course of action but continue toward your goals. Joseph, Oregon-based sisters Madison and Kendall Wigen chose the second. Eighteen-year-old Madison and sixteen-year-old Kendall are the daughters of NRHA Professional Travis Wigen and […]

The reining industry was shaken when longtime competitor and breeder, Steve Mitchell, was killed in a farrier accident just after the National Reining Breeders Classic. Throughout the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel, his son, Colt, and daughter, Hannah, have been carrying on his legacy. Hannah Mitchell, of Cuba, Missouri, began riding her father’s horses […]

Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt. The motto of the Special Olympics organization is known worldwide and can be particularly applied to Beth Kelley, an athlete competing in the NRHA para reining. Born with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Kelley has spinal degeneration and is partially paralyzed in […]

If you ask any professional in the industry what it takes to be successful, their list would likely include two little words, “work ethic.” Fortunately for 17-year-old Cooper Leather, that quality comes naturally. Leather, an incoming high school senior from Wahoo, Nebraska, has a list of references that many industry hopefuls would covet. At this […]