Byars, OK - October 21, 2003 - The National Reining Breeders Classic, slated for April 20-25, has announced that it will host a United States Equestrian Team Qualifying Event in 2004, according to Chris Potter of the NRBC Office.

"The class, which will feature a $10,000 added purse, will be run concurrently with the NRHA Open class, with $20,000 added," noted Potter.

"The NRBC will be the last qualifier of the year for the USET Championship, so we expect great participation for that reason, alone. And when you realize that those who enter both classes are running at a $30,000 added purse, there's an extra incentive to participate," he added.

The series of six 2004 USET Qualifiers began at the All American Quarter Horse Congress October 10. National Reining Horse Association All Time Leading Rider, Tim McQuay, won that event on Custom Red Berry, owned by Stone Canyon Ranch, the estate of Leanne Bovet Roberts.

McQuay, himself an NRBC Board member, rode the distinctive roan mare to a score 225.5 (the high reining score of the 03 Congress) to take the win and $5,271.75. McQuay said, "It's an honor to ride such a famous mare with such talent and have it work like it did. In the past I've missed getting everything put together with her so I was thrilled with this win at the Congress."

McQuay, a five-time winner of the Congress Reining Futurity, had another successful Congress, qualifying all three of his Futurity entries for the finals.

With one USET event under his belt, he's already looking forward to the NRBC Qualifier. "I hope that we can stay hooked up for that. The NRBC will be the biggest USET event and I'm hoping to be able to show her there because of the amount of the money offered in conjunction with the open."

In order to compete in a USET Open Reining Championship Qualifier, the rider must be listed on the 2003/2004 USET Long List and follow the 2004 USET Open Reining Championship Qualifying Procedures. Riders who have shown and received a score in the qualifiers are then eligible to compete in the USET Open Reining Championship next spring.

For more information about the USET Open Reining Championship and the qualifying classes, call Jamie Saults, USET Director of Reining, at (908) 234-1251, ext. 40, or visit the website at www.uset.org.

The National Reining Breeders Classic, based in Byars, Oklahoma, is the most successful stallion incentive program in reining history. In just six years, the NRBC has grown to include over 260 subscribed stallions. For information on the NRBC, visit the web site at www.nrbc.com or call 580-759-3939.