Kim Dooley posted a 222 in the National Reining Breeders Classic Non Pro Finals Friday, April 21, and maintained that lead until the final entry – Mandy McCutcheon. Mandy matched Kim’s leading score and rather than having a run-off for the Championship, the two friends chose to share the title as Co-Champions. The 2006 NRBC runs through Sunday, April 23, at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas, and will surpass last year’s total payout of more than $1 million.

Mandy, Aubrey, Texas, and Kim, from Scottsdale, Arizona, have known each other since they were both showing in youth competition. Both ladies said they couldn’t think of a better person to share a title with so they opted against the run-off and split the first-place check of $36,273 and reserve check for $22,079 giving them each $29,176.

Kim and her horse, Smokin Dually, by Gunner and out of Diddy Boppin Dually, split second in the Intermediate Non Pro at last year’s NRBC then came back strong for this year’s event. Mandy rode Rawhides Banjo, a stallion by Dunit Rawhide and out of Barb A Cita, which carried her to the 2005 National Reining Horse Association Non Pro Futurity Championship.

“I said I don’t want to reward them for being good by making them do it again,” Mandy about the decision to share the Non Pro Championship. “I said it was totally up to her; she could make the call. To me, she was in a little different situation because it’s the first major title for her horse and I don’t think I could ask my horse to do anymore for me.”

“There’s no one else I would want to share this with,” Kim added.

Friday’s competition concluded with the $25,000-added Open reining class, which ran concurrently with the Adequan USEF Reining Qualifier/CRI. Shawn Flarida took an early lead with a 226.5 and walked away with the Championship riding Keith Crawford’s Rowdy Yankee. Keith, a non pro, raised and trained the 12-year-old bay stallion and showed him last in 1999. Rowdy Yankee was retired to stud but Keith decided to bring him back in hopes of qualifying to compete at the USEF Reining Championships in Lexington, Kentucky.

“He’s a cool horse, unbelievable,” Shawn said of Rowdy Yankee. “Keith has done a great job with him. I’m anxious to spend a little bit more time with him.”

“I knew Shawn would do his best and the horse would do his best and whatever happened was going to happen. It worked out and I can’t thank Shawn enough,” said Crawford.

The NRBC continues Saturday with the Limited, Intermediate and Open Classic Finals where the Open Champion will win a check for $60,000. Visit www.nrbc.com for a complete schedule of events, as well as a link to view a live feed of the competition.

The National Reining Breeders Classic is the most successful stallion incentive program in reining history. In just nine years, the NRBC has grown to include over 275 subscribed stallions and more than 18,000 enrolled foals. For information on the NRBC, visit the web site at www.nrbc.com or call 580-759-3939.