Pale Face Whiz and Beth Kelley showed off their skills this evening to top the $2,500 Para Reining Championship, sponsored by Dechra, at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel. The pair scored a 211.5 to receive $1,500 and a Bob’s Custom Saddle from NRHA Corporate Partner Hart Trailers, along with a slew of other prizes.

Kelley competes as a Grade 5 Para Reining competitor, as well as a non pro. She credits NRHA Million Dollar Rider Jared Leclair for working hard to teach her and Pale Face Whiz how to work together.

“With this bum leg, we’ve had to do all sorts of different things,” Kelley said. “I can’t ride like everybody else; I can’t give the same commands or do the same pushing. He’s had to think out of the box for me.”

Leclair helped Kelley find the right partner in Pale Face Whiz, who was bred by Everett Wiggins and boasts NRHA lifetime earnings of nearly $110,000. Kelley said she fell in love with the now-10-year-old gelding she calls “Junior” the first time she rode him.

“I started with Junior about three years ago. In fact, my first [NRHA] Derby was the fourth ride I ever had on him,” she said. “He’s been great. We’ve been on a long journey together.

“Junior takes care of me. He really does,” Kelley continued, noting that Junior will stop instantly if he feels her get off balance. “He also really likes to show. He comes alive in there [the show pen], and he loves to stop. He loves to go fast and show off for the crowd. He gets the vibe and feels me.”

Kelley said she feels lucky to be able to compete in reining, and the thrill of the perfect slide and seeing the dirt fly out of the corner of her eye keeps her coming back. Getting the chance to compete in the OG&E Coliseum was another bonus.

“I love this coliseum! I really do,” she said. “This is so awesome. The dirt’s perfect and it just feels nice in there.”

Reserve Champion Everlee Leyva added $1,000 to her lifetime earnings after showing Heidi Staiger’s Benjamin Sprite (Custom Crome x Whiz Jewels) in the Para Reining Championship. The 11-year-old gelding, bred by Bahn Quarter Horses, and his 16-year-old pilot from Phoenix, Arizona, scored a 196.5 for second place.

Leyva is a Grade 3 rider in the Para Reining division, and Benjamin Sprite is an earner of $30,000-plus.

“He’s super fun to ride, and he’s sweet,” Leyva said of “Benny.” “He’s silly and funny. He’s hilarious and smiles at me.

“This was literally a dream come true for me,” Leyva continued, adding that she is proud of herself for pushing a little harder than she usually does in the show pen. “I want to help the class grow and get more people into para reining.”

Follow along on the action in Oklahoma City at nrhaderby.com.