Eleuterio Arcese, Verona, Italy, has worked to promote the sport of Reining in Europe for the past twenty years through his involvement with NRHA, the Italian Reining Horse Association, and the Italian Quarter Horse Association. He has been host to multiple reining clinics and sponsored major NRHA and AQHA reining events in Europe. As an avid breeder of performance horses, Arcese has influenced breeding programs at his facilities in Italy as well as in the United States. Eleuterio Arcese’s pro-active efforts to promote the event have contributed to the worldwide recognition of Reining as an international sport.

Pat Feuerstein, Ocala, Florida, has been involved with Reining since 1972, first as a Non Pro competitor. In 1975, she became involved with the administration of horse shows, clinics, and demonstrations through her work with the newly formed East Coast Reiners Association, and then did volunteer work for NRHA and the International Reining Council. As a writer, Pat’s specialty has been reining and she’s been a published author since1977. Her work has appeared in every major equine publication. Feuerstein was the first Feature Editor of the NRHA Reiner when it began in 1980, a position she enjoyed until 1993. In 2002, Pat returned to the NRHA Reiner, and once again holds that position.

Charlie Smith, Ocala, Florida, began his involvement with NRHA 26 years ago as a Non Pro competitor. He began placing aggressively on NRHA’s Top Ten lists in 1980 and earned Non Pro and Novice Horse Non Pro World Champion and Reserve Champion titles. In 1990, Smith was both the Non Pro and Novice Horse Non Pro World Champion. When this seasoned competitor became an NRHA professional, he found his niche as a mentor and coach, bringing numerous riders to NRHA Non Pro divisional World titles and top ten placings. Smith was also the 2001 NRHA Open Reserve World Champion as well as the Intermediate Open World Champion. Smith has been an NRHA judge for twenty years.

For the past twenty years, as photographers and videographers, Dick and Barb Waltenberry, Ripon, Wisconsin, have chronicled not only the success of individual reining horse competitors, but of the National Reining Horse Association itself. They are listed as the official photographers and videographers of the NRHA Futurity and Derby and work at prestigious NRHA approved reinings from coast to coast. They were instrumental in implementing and maintaining NRHA’s ability to review a performance, an essential asset to the NRHA judging program. Waltenberry, Inc. has also produced outstanding judging videos as well as promotional material for NRHA.

Smart Chic Olena, owned by Jim Babcock, Gainesville, Texas, will be the only horse inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004. This outstanding stallion was the 1993 NRHA Open Reserve World Champion ridden by Craig Johnson and is an NRHA Gold Certificate earner. Smart Chic Olena became an NRHA Million Dollar Sire in 1999, then a Two Million Dollar Sire in 2002. Smart Chic Olena offspring have over $2,520,000 in NRHA earnings and he is ranked #2 on the NRHA Leading Sire List. He was the 1993 AQHA World Champion in Senior Reining and his foals have earned over 12,000 AQHA points. Smart Chic Olena is currently the leading sire of AQHA Reining Point Earners. His sons and daughters have also excelled in NCHA and NRCHA events.

The NRHA Convention schedule includes a general membership meeting, board and committee meetings as well as educational seminars, a golf tournament, informal get-togethers and an auction to benefit the Reining Horse Sports Foundation. The Awards Banquet, scheduled for Saturday evening, February 7, will recognize the achievements of 2003 NRHA competitors and formally acknowledge the contributions of its newest Hall of Fame inductees.