Great Escape Winter Slide Recap & Exciting Updates for 2026!

Hello Exhibitors, Trainers, and Friends,
The Great Escape Winter Slide was a fantastic start to our 2026 reining season! We enjoyed beautiful weather—plenty of sunshine and comfortable temperatures—and it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces along with many new ones.
Thank you for your patience as we rolled out our new horse show software. The online registration feature worked smoothly. Additional tools such as instant NRHA eligibility checks, trainer‑grouped exhibitor lists, and live score updates helped improve show office efficiency and enhance customer service.
2025 Year‑End AwardsSTRHA held the 2025 Year‑End Award Ceremony on Saturday afternoon. If you were unable to pick up your award, it will be available at the Great Summer Slide.
Reminder: To qualify for year‑end awards, exhibitors must show in 3 of the 4 class offerings and must be STRHA members before the Great Summer Slide.
Congratulations to Our First 2026 STRHA Buckle Winners!STRHA expanded the buckle series from three classes to six this year. Congratulations to our Winter Slide champions:

• Green Reiner Lvl 1 – Isabella Krajicek riding Crown On Lets Whiz
  
• Intermediate Non‑Pro – Nino Cervantes riding Shines Sugar Rose (Tie with Emily Fernandez; Nino won the flip)
  
• Prime Time Non‑Pro – Bill Cain riding Magic Jersey (Tie with Anne Kayl and Mary Dodson; Bill won the short‑straw tiebreaker)
  
• Masters Non‑Pro – Mary Dodson riding Ready Player Won (Tie with Bill Cain; Mary won the flip)
  
• Rookie Lvl 1 – Sapphire Smith riding I Dream of Chicks
  
• STRHA 3K Rookie – Sapphire Smith riding I Dream of Chicks
  

STRHA Buckle Rule: A rider may only win a buckle in the same class once every two years.
A special thank‑you to Quantum Quarter Horses for adding an extra $100 to the Novice Horse Open and Novice Horse NP Level 1 classes, bringing the added money to $300 per class.
Looking Ahead: The Great Summer Slide – May 29–31, 2026

• If you would like to increase added money in a class, please notify us by March 18, 2026.
  
  • If the added money changes the award level (e.g., from a $73 plaque to a $320 Morgan trophy), the sponsor covers the difference.
    
• The show bill, entry forms, and online entries will open April 16 on GSWEC.com under Events. An email announcement will also be sent.
  
• A special Shout Out to Jody and David David for donating money for class prizes. Look for goodies to pick from in selected classes.
  

Heritage Classic – September 11–13, 2026We plan to offer a Futurity during the Heritage Classic and are seeking sponsors to make this possible.

• Goal: $6,000
  
• Committed so far: $1,000 from Julie McFarlane
  
• Deadline for funds: July 1, 2026
  

If you or someone you know would like to sponsor Futurity money, please reach out.
There are many exciting things happening at our reining events this year. We hope you’ll join us for another season of great horses, great people, and great fun!
See you in the arena,

Gail Berghorn
Reining Show Manager
813-426-5707