Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – November 2, 2010 – Since 2007, the Reining Horse Sports Foundation (RHSF) has produced a unique, entertaining event sponsored by 4R Performance Horses to help the children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Oklahoma – the 4R Performance Horses Celebrity Slide. The location is Oklahoma City; the venue is the NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show; and the date is Friday, December 3.
The following celebrities are taking time from their busy schedules to help some of their most ardent fans and the local chapter of the largest wish-granting organization for children: Shawn Michaels, Natalia Estrada, G.R. Carter, Jr., Christi Proctor, David Yurman, Kristin Dickerson, J.W. Hart and Paulo Crimber.
These celebrities will swap the familiar tools of their trade for the best reiner finery along with other celebrities and well-known professional bull riders to test their skills on some of the premier athletes of the equine world – reining horses. The celebrity competitors will get a crash course in the sport from some of the best reiners in the world. Last year’s coaches included – NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida, NRHA Two Million Dollar Riders Tim McQuay and Craig Schmersal; Million Dollar Riders Dell Hendricks, 2010 World Equestrian Team and Individual Gold Medalist Tom McCutcheon and his wife Mandy, NRHA’s only woman Million Dollar Rider; and NRHA Professional and World Champion Casey Hinton. Assisting will be their young friends from the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Oklahoma, serving as honorary coaches.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND GET TICKETS
Tickets for the Celebrity Slide are $8 and can be purchased in advance at nrha.com. Avid bull-riding fans who want a chance to meet their favorite bull rider “up close and personal” can attend a VIP Reception at the conclusion of the competition. Tickets to the VIP event may be purchased from the Foundation by contacting RHSF at 405-946-7400 tickets are $75 each or two for $125 (limited tickets available) Enjoy good food, music and fun as we auction off high end items that benefit both foundations.
So, get ready for a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat event and join us for an evening of excitement and help make some worthy youngsters’ “wishes come true.” Mark your calendar for Friday, December 3 at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds beginning at 6 pm! There’ll be opportunities for autographs and photographs, so come prepared.
MORE ABOUT THE CELEBRITIES
• Shawn Michaels – Shawn Michaels has made a career of stealing the show on the WWE circuit for more than 20 years. He was WWE’s first-ever Grand slam Champion, holding the European Championship, World Tag Team Championship, the Intercontinental Title and WWE Championship. He, along with Triple H, co-founded one of the greatest factions of all time, D-Generation X, whose popularity and anti-establishment philosophy continue to capture the imagination of our fans today.
• Natalia Estrada - The Spanish beauty Natalia Estrada moved to Madrid where she studied dance, music and acting as a teenager. She gained work experience as a flamenco dancer and later became a presenter for children’s television and Miss Spain competitions, as well as news and soccer telecasts. She made her film debut in "Aqui El Que No Corre As Vuela," and in 1996 she had her first big hit in the "The Cyclone." Estrada enjoys participating in a variety of horse activities in addition to equine photography. See her photos at nataliaestrada.com.
• G.R. Carter, Jr. – Professional American Quarter Horse jockey G.R. Carter became the sport’s all-time leading money earning jockey in 2008 surpassing the previous record of $41,405,207 million in mount earnings. The eight-time AQHA World Champion and two-time All American Futurity winner has continued to add to the record since topping the $50 million mark. Carter is known throughout the racing world for his "back-flip" dismounts. After winning a major stakes race, he often uses his gymnastics background to celebrate by performing a back-flip off of the horse from the saddle.
• Christi Proctor - Designer Christi Proctor brought a Texas-size imagination and a winning personality to TLC’s Trading Spaces. While Trading Spaces is her national television debut, Proctor also has a background in performance, having been a singer her entire life. Proctor’s design work displays a mix of charm from varied Texas cultures, the old west, and Europe. Find out more about Proctor’s current endeavors at moonrein.com.
• David Yurman – David Yurman is the founder of the David Yurman Jewelry Company, which is internationally recognized for its “cable” designs created from sterling silver twisted ropes. Major retailers such as Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus proudly carry his collections. In his own words he seeks to create designs that “fuse art, fashion and fine jewelry.” Get more information at davidyurman.com.
• Kristin Dickerson - Local news celebrity Kristin Dickerson wakes up Oklahoma’s Green Country as a Tulsa News Channel 8 Morning anchor. Dickerson came to the Sooner State from Las Cruces, New Mexico, on an athletic scholarship to ride for the Oklahoma State University's Women's Equestrian Team where she earned an individual national championship. She competed in the Celebrity Slide last year and received reserve champion honors. Visit ktul.com to find Dickerson’s biography in the “News Team” area.
• J.W. Hart - J.W. Hart, a PBR Ring of Honor inductee, has an extraordinary resume winning the 1994 PBR Rookie of the Year, the 2002 PBR World Finals, as well as earning thirty 90-point rides, six event wins, and the 2004 U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. Challenger Finals championship. Often referred to as PBR's "Iron Man," Hart set a record when he competed in 197 consecutive events over nine years. Hart lives in Oklahoma where he and his wife, Leann, raise bucking bulls and he is often found adding colorful commentary to PBR's TV broadcasts.
• Paulo Crimber - A 10-time qualifier to the PBR World Finals and Brazilian fan favorite, Paulo Crimber has become a well-known PBR competitor with his consistent top finishes and entertaining post-ride dance celebrations. 2007 was a milestone season for Crimber as he became the 13th rider to eclipse the $1 million mark in all-time PBR earnings. In 2008, Crimber found himself as high as second place in the PBR World Standings after taking the 2008 Anaheim Invitational event win, the second PBR event win in his career. Recently, he has been instructing at bull riding clinics, training horses, and judging at bull riding events.
RHSF
The Reining Horse Sports Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and enhancing the sport of Reining worldwide. The RHSF accomplishes this through their five core programs: NRHA Hall of Fame, Crisis Fund, Research, Development & Education, Youth Programs and International Development. For further information about the Foundation, contact [email protected] or 405-946-7400, ext. 137, or visit the RHSF website at rhsf.com.
MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION
The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Oklahoma serves children ages 2½ to 18 living throughout Oklahoma and has granted more than 1,600 wishes since its inception in 1987. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Oklahoma please visit oklahoma.wish.org or contact Kandy Parsons at 405-286-4000 to find out how you can share the power of a wish®.
4R PERFORMANCE HORSES
The RHSF is grateful to event sponsor 4R Performance Horses and the many volunteers who’ve given so generously of their time and resources to make this “wish” come true. 4R Performance Horses is owned and operated by Dwaine and Judith Rivers, together with their two daughters. They are located just minutes north of San Antonio in Boerne, Texas and specialize in raising, showing and selling reining horses. They have paid special attention to selecting top quality broodmares, with each of them performing in the show pen, and stallions that are proven performers, with some of the best bloodlines the industry has to offer. 4R Performance Horses can be found on the web at 4rperformancehorses.com.