The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Professionals Committee met during the National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC) in Katy, Texas and approved the following NRHA Professional awards for 2013.
Promoting the sport of horse reining
National Reining Horse Association professional awards winners will be honored at the NRHA Annual Awards and Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on June 26, 2014.
NRHA Professional Horseman of the Year
Josh Visser from Whitesboro, Texas, has been an NRHA Professional since 2007. With NRHA Lifetime Earnings of over $177,500, he was elected to theExecutive Committee where he currently serves. Visser is also a member of several other NRHA committees.Visser has several finalist accomplishments in NRHA major events.
Outside of the show pen Visser donates countless hours to working with NRHA to grow the sport of Reining. At the 2013 Adequan North American Affiliate Championships NAAC Visser Reining Horses, Josh and his wife Carri donated bikes to third place in all 15 NAAC classes.
Over the past couple of years, Visser has donated his time working with firefighters and police officers who competed during the NRHA Futurity in the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation benefit. Recently he volunteered to assist a reining para-athlete during the 2013 American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World Championship Show. In addition, Visser donated his expertise to countless clinics and other fundraising events to benefit the youth of NRHA and National Reining Horse Youth Association (NRHyA).
NRHA Professional Horsewoman of the Year
Carol Metcalf from Pilot Point, Texas, has been an NRHA Professional since 2005 with NRHA Lifetime Earnings of nearly $200,000. In 2004, Metcalf was the Intermediate and Limited Open Champion at the NRHA Futurity. She also has won innumerable World Championships with various breed associations and equine disciplines. Metcalf was the 1996 AQHA Professional Horsewoman of the Year.
According to Metcalf, "Every student has his or her own individual qualities. We appreciate the good qualities, but focus on the weaknesses and try to bring them up to the same level as their best qualities. Then, it all balances out."
Carol operates Metcalf Quarter Horses with her husband Steve and their son Carter.
NRHA Professional Non Pro Coach of the Year
Mark Rafacz from Citra, Florida, has been an NRHA Professional since 2004. With NRHA Lifetime Earnings of over $168,000, Rafacz's nominations were filled with accolades about how much he loves the sport of Reining. Having coached many Top 10 and NRHA World Champions, Rafacz still finds time to donate his time to NRHA regional clinics that benefit the NRHyA. Along with his wife Shannon, the Rafaczs sponsor many shows around the Southeast region.
One nominator said, "Mark is truly unlike any other non pro coach in the country. He is kind, determined, competitive and he has a special talent for riding reining horses and coaching non pro clients."
NRHA Professional Youth Coach of the Year
Pete Kyle from Whitesboro, Texas, has been an NRHA Professional since 2003. With NRHA Lifetime Earnings of nearly $557,000, Kyle serves many roles worldwide in the reining community such as United States Equestrian Foundation (USEF) Chairman of the Reining Committee, President of USA Reining and he serves on the Sweden-based Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) reining committee. Kyle serves as the FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championship Team Coach at the competition in Lexington, Kentucky.
“The experience Kyle cultivated was much more than just winning gold medals and representing Team U.S.A. on the podium. The youth were given the opportunity to interact with the international equestrian community, cultivate an appreciation for the diverse equestrian disciplines, become skilled with the usage of media and communication skills to promote the sport of Reining and become part of all the ‘team spirit’ that grew from the experience,” expressed one nominator.
NRHA Professional Up-And-Coming Trainer of the Year
Jimmy Van Der Hoeven from Whitesboro, Texas, has been an NRHA Professional since 2012 and an NRHA member since 2002. With NRHA Lifetime Earnings of over $250,000, Van Der Hoeven came to the U.S. from Holland in 2010 virtually unknown and he has grown into one of NRHA’s top professionals. Riding Black Hails Gold, Van Der Hoeven was the 2013 NRHA Futurity Level 3 Open Champion and Level 4 Open third place. Van Der Hoeven donates his time as well returning to Holland and providing a free clinic there.
A nominator said, “He has a great work ethic, he works until the job is done no matter how long it takes. I feel that it will not be very long before we see him among the ranks of million dollar riders.”
NRHA Professionals Award Program
The NRHA Professionals Award Program was established by the NRHA Professionals Committee to recognize outstanding individuals in their profession. To be eligible, each individual had to be a member of the NRHA Professionals Program during 2013. With a deadline of March 1, NRHA members nominated candidates in all five categories, including information regarding the nominee’s character, professionalism and the reason(s) he/she deserved the award. The committee then reviewed the nominations and selected the award winners.
Award winners will be honored at the NRHA Annual Awards and Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on June 26, 2014. NRHA Professionals of the Year will receive custom Montana Silversmiths spurs. The banquet will be held at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Banquet tickets may be purchased at nrhaderby.com or 405-946-7400.
Incorporated in 1966, the National Reining Horse Association is the standard setting body for the sport of Reining. NRHA, with their International Headquarters in Oklahoma City, is responsible for promoting the sport of Reining and working to ensure the highest standards of competition. To learn more about the NRHA, its programs and family of corporate partners, visit nrha.com.
By Christina Brezack