The entire reining horse community mourned alongside the Salgado family when Eduardo Salgado passed away in August 2022. A talented horse trainer and competitor originally from Brazil, Eduardo left his mark on the industry through the horses he trained and people he influenced — none more so than his younger brother Fernando Salgado.
“He was 10 years older than me, so we had a relationship almost more like father and son. When I was a kid, all the vacations I would go ride with him and learn, and then I started showing in the Youth. When I got done with high school, I worked for him in Brazil as his assistant for three years. He was the one who motivated me to move to the U.S., because if you want to do reining, go learn and compete with the best,” said Fernando, who trains out of Gainesville, Texas.
Fernando is now a National Reining Horse Association $2 Million Rider and competing in The Run For A Million for the fifth time on two horses Eduardo had a hand in training — he’ll show Spook Lil Whiz in the marquee The Run For A Million Reining and Spooks Gotta Win in the $100,000 Open Shootout.
He credits much of his vastly successful career to what he learned from his brother in and out of the arena and is proud to showcase the horses made by Eduardo.
“Pretty much everything I learned from him as a horse trainer, and as a person too, I’m really proud to follow everything he taught me, especially having those horses that he trained, those last ones he trained with me, means a lot to me,” Fernando said.
Fernando qualified for the 2026 TRFAM on 2019 stallion Spook Lil Whiz (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Lil Dreamer x Magnum Chic Dream). Owned by close family friend Renata Lemann, the bay stallion has won over $212,000 after starting out under Eduardo and then going to Fernando as a coming 3-year-old.
“I do love the horse. My brother also trained him, but I had him the whole time, too. Eduardo actually bought his mom, and I still take care of her,” Fernando said.
Spook Lil Whiz won the 2025 Cactus Reining Classic TRFAM Qualifier and Derby. Fernando chose not to show him at the 2025 National Reining Breeders Classic or NRHA Derby to save him for TRFAM. Unfortunately, Fernando broke his leg and was unable to show at TRFAM last year.
“When I got hurt last year, I was still in the hospital when Taylor [Sheridan] called my wife and said, ‘If he can make it next year, he’ll show.’ He did not need to do that, so I feel lucky and like it’s meant to be,” Fernando graciously said. “I have a good feeling about showing him, and I’m super excited. He’s a really solid horse, and Renata is like family to us. She supported my brother and now us, so it’s really special. Getting ready for this show, it’s a professional environment because that’s the business I run, but I have a special feeling that’s more like riding friends’ and family’s horses. I just feel the energy is good, and I’m happy to take advantage of that.”
Fernando will also show 2019 stallion Spooks Gotta Win (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Meradas Shining x Shiners Sonita) in the $100,000 Added Open Shootout TRFAM qualifier in an attempt to get “Winner” into TRFAM next year.
Owned by the Salgado family, the stallion has a special story that grabbed headlines over the summer. Eduardo purchased the colt as a baby and was preparing him for the 2022 NRHA Futurity before his passing during Winner’s futurity year. Fernando took him over and placed at the NRHA Futurity in the Open Level 3 and 4, but a right ankle injury during the stallion’s 4-year-old year left him retired to pasture for four years.
In 2026, Winner had returned to full soundness, and Fernando brought him back out to show at the NRHA Derby. He placed in the top 10 of the Open Level 4 and is now going for his chance to qualify for the bright lights of Vegas in 2027.
“Winner is our family, so he’s going to be with us forever. That’s the good thing about this show is hopefully I can qualify and next year prepare him for this. I’m super excited,” Fernando said.
Fernando holds dear the opportunity to showcase two horses that carry his brother’s stamp of horsemanship, a legacy he’s doing his part to live up to.
“It’s unbelievable, even comparing when I got those horses as 2-year-olds, [the industry has] changed so much. The level of competition, how far we can go, the prizes, the whole thing. It’s unreal to be a part of this, especially for me,” Fernando humbly said. “The horsepower we ride today is unbelievable. A lot of people can do the maneuvers, but what I really learned from Eduardo is to be a horseman and really train a horse, no matter what they’re going to do. I want to be remembered as a horseman. I’m really proud to come from that school and always looked up to him and respected the way he trained.”
By Blanche Schaefer
