In 2023, TRFAM hosted a single Youth qualifier for the event at the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby in Oklahoma City, requiring those living on the outer fringes of the country to travel hundreds of miles to attempt to qualify. New for 2024, TRFAM show producer Amanda Brumley has added two additional regional qualifying events: the Eastern Qualifier, to be held at the Florida Reining Classic in Jacksonville, Florida, in February, and the Western Qualifier, scheduled to take place at the Cactus Reining Classic in Scottsdale, Arizona, in March. The Central Qualifier remains at the NRHA Derby in Oklahoma City, OK, in June.
“I felt it would be in the best interest of the riders to split qualifiers into three regions; one Eastern, one Central and one Western so it would be more demographically available,” Brumley said. “We understand the trip to Vegas, for some, will be costly. Traveling long distances with horses, with fuel prices they way they are, makes hauling expensive. Our goal is to make the qualifying process as economically feasible for parents as possible.” The addition of three qualifiers allows more riders from all over the U.S. to show their talents in Las Vegas. “We are excited to feature the future of Reining at TRFAM,” Taylor Sheridan, Executive Producer.
Each qualifier will host two slates of classes, and the top five riders (plus ties) from each slate will advance to the 2024 TRFAM Youth Reining Championship, scheduled for August 17. The qualifiers are open to youth of all ages on any horse, without ownership restrictions. Qualifications are based on the rider, not the horse, meaning the horse a youth qualifies on doesn’t have to be the horse he or she rides at TRFAM.
Shannon Rafacz, producer of the Florida Reining Classic, said attending the TRFAM Youth Championship with her daughter, Madison, was a priceless experience that she hopes other parents and kids will be able to take advantage of through the new regional qualifiers. She intends to make the Eastern Qualifier a prestigious event complete with special mementos for the youth that qualify in Florida.
“Having the chance to get more East Coast people involved by holding it on the East Coast and exposing kids to it that would normally not be exposed to it is an amazing opportunity,” Rafacz said. “We’re looking forward to holding an event that has its own pomp and circumstance to it so that they all get a little taste of it and get the opportunity to get excited about it.”
The 2024 TRFAM will take place Aug. 14-17 at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center in Las Vegas. In addition to the Million Dollar Competition and Youth Reining Championship, the event spotlights cow horses, cutting horses, and exciting live entertainment. For more information, visit https://www.trfam.com/, like and follow TRFAM on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to the official YouTube channel.
