Craig Schmersal had four horses to show at the Southwest Reining Horse Association (SWRHA) Futurity and Horse Show in Ardmore, OK, in October. He had Commanders Nic and Im Genuinely Smart for Open and Novice Horse Open competition. He had two three-year-olds for the SWRHA Futurity, Wrangle Whiz and Conquistadors Star. All four horses earned NRHA paychecks.
After the show, Schmersal, his wife Ginger and their sons Chris and Nick drove to their new home and training facility in Overbrook, OK, with one more achievement on Craig’s already impressive resume. Craig Schmersal went to Ardmore with $996,291.60 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings--and left as NRHA’s seventh Million Dollar Rider.
Thirty-three-year-old Schmersal was born and raised in northwest Ohio in Columbus Grove. His father, Chuck, inspired and supported his son’s interest in horses. In fact, Schmersal says he would never be where he is today without his father’s drive and love for horses. Craig also credits the summers spent riding with multiple NRHA Futurity Champion Mike Flarida as an integral key to his success. However, Schmersal reserves the highest praise for his wife Ginger. According to Schmersal, “She’s my eyes. She’s just been great for my business and great for me.”
Horses that have been career-makers, include Craig’s 1994 NRHA Open and Limited Open World Champion Cee Blair Sailor owned by David Connor. In fact, Schmersal showed Cee Blair Sailor in Germany and won the NRHA Open at the 1994 Americana to secure his world championships. It wouldn’t be Schmersal’s last successful trip to Europe.
Schmersal was on the Gold medal Team USA when reining made its debut at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain. He rode Tidal Wave Jack, owned by the B S Syndicate. In 2005, Schmersal qualified and took the nine-year-old stallion to the 2005 FEI World Reining Masters Finals in Manerbio, Italy. They won that event with a score of 231.5. Tidal Wave Jack has NRHA Earnings in excess of $130,000.
Two other horses have contributed mightily to Schmersal’s NRHA Lifetime Earnings. He won the 2004 NRHA Derby Open Division on Commanders Nic, owned by Craig and Ginger, and has earned over $256,000 on that talented horse. And Mister Montana Nic, owned by the Montana Nic Syndicate, has over $109,000 to his credit.
Schmersal admits, “Training horses was something I was going to do whether I made money or not. I just wanted to ride horses. I never thought in a million years I’d made a million dollars.” But in 2005 Schmersal did earn the Million Dollar Rider title.
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