The final curtain of the 2025 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel fell with the brightest spotlight on the future of reining. The youth riders took center stage on the last day of competition, showing off their talent, dedication and pure joy for the sport in the Adequan® Arena. From Short Stirrup standouts to seasoned 14–18 contenders, these young athletes wrapped up the World’s Hottest Reining in true Derby fashion—proving once again that the next generation of reiners is ready to ride.
Short Stirrup Slate 2 Champions: Etta Piper and Nite And Day
| 2012M (Gunners Special Nite x Big Time Sunshine) | Owner: Linda Hoppe, Gause, TX |
| Score: 144.5 | Breeder: Wendy Lind, Hayden, TX |
“This is my dad’s first customer’s horse, and she has been in the pasture for quite a while, and we’ve gotten her out just recently,” said Piper. “My first time that we showed her, she was just kind of coming back and she didn’t really know what she was doing, but she’s kind of really gone forward a lot. She’s really good, and I like that she’s very laid back and always just chill. I’m gonna show her until next year.”
NRHA Youth 10 & Under Short Stirrup High Point Champions: Joseph Trautman and Smart Whizard Spook
| 2015G (Smart Spook x Miss Poco Whizard) | Owner: Christine Trautman, Reedsburg, WI |
| Breeder: Andre Lauzon, St-Placide, Canada |
“For me, I just love showing him because he can be easy and he can be hard,” said Trautman of his horse’s personality. “He normally is calm; sometimes he is crazy, though. He’s sweet. He never really wants to do anything wrong and he’s playful. I just love showing him because he can be easy and he can be hard. I learn a lot when I’m riding him.”
“I want to win the year-end [awards] and some day win a saddle.”
NRHA Youth 13 & Under High Point Champions: Millie Piper and Never Outta Dough
| 2013G (Outta Dough x Chex Writing Queen) | Owner: Millie Piper, Whitesboro, TX |
| Score: | Breeder: Ryan Appleton, Brady, TX |
“He’s just a very good horse,” said Millie. “If I tell him to do something, I don’t have to worry about him not doing it—he’s very loyal, and he’s goofy. He sticks his tongue out and licks his nose like a cow. He likes to stick his whole face in the water bucket, and he likes to hug my friend Leo.
“My first one [run] was definitely my favorite— it was a lot faster. We are going to go to the [AQHA] Youth World in Oklahoma City and then to the Run For A Million. It definitely gives me more confidence before the other shows [to win this today].”
NRHA Youth 13 & Under Slate 2 and American Quarter Horse Association 13 & Under Slate 2 Champions: Deanna Davidson and Gotta Queen
| 2019M (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Shiney Little Queen) | Owner: Deanna Leigh Davidson, Nacogdoches, TX |
| Score: 141.5 | Breeder: G2 Performance Horses, Scottsdale, AZ |
“She’s a very good horse—she’s very wanting of love,” said Davidson. “It’s easy to deal with her, and she’s also responsive, not the most responsive, but she’s very responsive.
“[Today’s win] is just kind of one more thing on our list. I want to put a big win on her in the non pro, but if I keep stacking up the 13 & Under, well, that helps too! I haven’t shown her a whole bunch in the 13 & Under, and in the past, I haven’t had a whole lot of good experience in it. Getting good experiences with her has really helped. Our goal is to hopefully win the youth at The Run For A Million in Las Vegas because we qualified at the NRBC [National Reining Breeders Classic]. She does really good at home, just hanging out. I mean, you don’t have to work a whole bunch of maneuvers on her. Then we go to [NRHA Million Dollar Rider] Nathan Piper’s every Friday to work maneuvers.”
NRHA Youth 14-18 Slate 2, NRHA Youth 14-18 High Point, and NRHA Unrestricted Youth Slate 2 Champions: Brooke Banks and A Customized Vintage
| 2019G (A Sparkling Vintage x Custom Barbie) | Owner: Kristie Banks, Redwood City, CA |
| Score: 144.5 | Breeder: Marc Gordon, Scottsdale, AZ |
“This horse is really special to me— we’ve been through a lot together,” said Banks. “It’s been a long process with him, but I really feel like in the last couple of months I have seen his personality. I’m really enjoying riding him, and I think he brought the fun back into it for me. We’ve had him for about two years now, and I think he’s getting better and better every day.
“He’s been so good this week, and I’m really proud of him for that. [NRHA Professional] Dan [Huss] encouraged us to keep pushing, and my parents are ‘don’t give up on it’ type of people. We saw little glimpses every once in a while of things getting a little better, and even on our worst day, there were still maybe one or two little things that got better and showed glimpses of the horse he’s going to be and the horse that he is for me. I’m so glad we stayed the course with him because it wasn’t always easy, and he’s just gotten better and better throughout the week. We’re currently leading the AQHA [year-end] points before this horse show, which was another reason why we stayed. I’m glad we did because I’d love to have that title on him as well. It just means more.
As the dust settles on another unforgettable edition of the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel, it’s clear that the future of reining is in good hands. The heart, grit and sportsmanship on display in the youth divisions speak volumes about where this sport is headed.
