PRESS CONTACT:
Jenifer Reynolds
405-399-3122
jeniferreynolds@tds.net
Tami Wagman
918.857.2725
twagman@aol.com
$250,000 Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic Offers Free Clinic With
Andrea Fappani plus Breyer Giveaway of Big Chex To Cash!
NRHA Million Dollar Rider Andrea Fappani is a phenomenal clinician,
sought after world wide, but the Oklahoma Reining Horse Association has
made it possible for horse enthusiasts to learn from this NRHA Futurity
Champion free of charge Saturday, September 5, 2009 as part of the
$250,000 Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic. And that will be just the beginning of
a day full of beautiful horses, exhibited by some of the world’s top reining
professionals at Tulsa Expo Square.
After the Andrea Fappani Clinic, the well-known Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic
“Slide Zone” will move to a new time with a Saturday matinee, but the
event will still feature all the great fun and top notch competition that has
made it a favorite of both riders and spectators.
As always, the first 100 kids through the door will get a free, full-size Breyer
model horse, but this year as a special treat, the Breyer will be a the brand
new portrait model of reining champion Big Chex To Cash, who is making
the trip from California to appear with Andrea Fappani at the Tulsa “Slide
Zone”!
One lucky spectator will also go home with a free John Deere Gator!
Another “Slide Zone” favorite will be back this year – the Charity Slide Off,
highlighting the hallmark maneuver of reining, the sliding stop. Riders will
compete to see who can slide the farthest to benefit Tulsa area charities.
The “Slide Zone” will also continue the tradition of world class “Freestyle”
competition – reining maneuvers done to music and often with horse and
rider in costume. The “Slide Zone” has featured a variety of top
competitors, including Stacy Westfall, who won the event riding without a
saddle or bridle and who was later featured on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Finally, the “Slide Zone” audience will be treated to an Open Competition
that is also a qualifier for the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington,
Kentucky.
But that’s not all! The same $10 ticket to the “Slide Zone” will allow
spectators to return in the evening to watch elite professionals and some
of the top up and coming three-year olds in the reining industry compete
in the John Deere Open Futurity, which is expected to pay out more than
$85,000 – along with a John Deere Gator that will be drawn for by the
competitors. Non Pro Futurity entrants will compete earlier in the week for
a $30,000 payout and will also draw for a John Deere Gator.
Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic show director Tami Wagman says, “It’s always
been a goal of our show to try to appeal to people outside the reining
industry with a general entertainment event that everybody can enjoy.
We think the combination of the free Andrea Fappani Clinic, the Slide
Zone, and the John Deere Open Futurity Final will give horse lovers a great
reason to come to Tulsa and spend the day with us. And they can do it all
for ten bucks! You can’t beat that.”
The Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic will be featured on the RFD-TV show “Wide
World of Horses” on August 3rd, 2009 at 11:30am and 9:30pm CDT. You
can find RFD-TV on Dish Network channel 231 or DirectTV channel 379.
Tickets can be purchased at any Drysdales location in Tulsa, by phone at
1-800-444-6481, or on line at www.okrha.com. They are $8.00 for adults
and $5.00 for children 12 and under.
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About Reining:
Reining is the only western riding discipline sanctioned by the International Equestrian Federation and will be a part of the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. It is a judged event in which a single horse and rider complete a required set of maneuvers, which include the sliding stop and 360 degree spins for which the sport is known around the world.
For more information on reining, go to NRHA.com.
