Oklahoma City, OK – Under the lights at the Oklahoma State Fair Park, Craig Schmersal bested some of the top reiners in the country to win the 2008 Adequan®/United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Open Reining Championship presented by Equine Motorcoach. Schmersal, an Oklahoma native, won the title along with his share of the $25,000 in added money. The USEF championship was part of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby.

This is Schmersal’s second time winning the Adequan®/USEF National Open Reining Championship—he first won the championship in 2005 when it took place in Lexington, KY. Schmersal, 35, won the championship with a score of 225.5 aboard Mr Dual Rey, an eight-year-old Quarter Horse stallion. Taking reserve champion with a score of 223.5 was Jordan Larson, 27, of Whitesboro, TX, on Lena Gallo, a bay Quarter Horse stallion owned by Lapke Quarter Horses.

“He [Mr Dual Rey] has just been a good show horse the whole time and I could not resist coming and showing him.” said Schmersal. “He’s been true blue the whole time—He’s never let me down.

Schmersal credits Mr Dual Rey’s consistency as a big part of their success along with their partnership with Mr Duel Rey’s owner, Holly Casey.

“I’ve got a great owner- Holly Casey- she’s like a mother to me. She’s been there for us for the whole deal. She deserves this because she supports me through thick and thin,” said Schmersal.

Thanks to the support of Carlee Mahajan, Schmersal and Casey will both take home a 450 pound marble trophy commemorating their win. The trophies are custom-made from the same marble as the Taj Mahal and shipped from India. Carlee Mahaja has given these trophies to the winning rider and owner since the inception of the Reining championship.

In addition to winning the title of 2008 Adequan®/USEF National Open Reining Championship, Schmersal secured a spot on the U.S Reining Team for the 2008 FEI World Reining Championship in Manerbio, Italy September 11-14.

For more information, please contact Courtney Barnett, USEF Director of Reining Programs at (859) 225-6919 or via email at [email protected]