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Craig Schmersal

At 35, Craig Schmersal is one of the youngest trainers on the NRHA's top ten list, the 6th all-time leading rider, and an NRHA Million Dollar rider with career winnings of nearly $1,500,000.

2008 launched in great style at the NRBC. Craig takes two horses back the Open Classic Finals, and ends up in the Top Ten with both horses; Boom Shernic (with a score of 226.5, for 4th place) and Sparkling Waves (with a score of 224.0, for 9th place). Mr Dual Rey scores again, with a 226.5, earning the Reserve Champion spot in the USEF/CRI Open competition. By the end of the NRBC, Craig had added nearly $70,000 to his lifetime earnings. At the NRHA Derby, Craig sins the USEF/CRI Open competition on Mr Dual Rey, winning the USEF Gold medal and the lead spot on the US Team heading to the first ever 2008 FEI World Reining Championships in Manerio, Italy (Sept. 2008). He also took two horses back to the Open Derby Finals (Boom Shernic and Once A Von A Time).

Continuing his run of championships on Mr Dual Rey, Craig added the 2007 Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic Open Champion and Las Vegas Reining Classic to the list of the stallion's wins. He also won the Open Futurity in Las Vegas riding Conquistador Lilstar. Earlier in the year at the Rocky Mt. Summer Slide Open Futurity, Craig rode two of his horses (Boom Shernic and Once A Von A Time) to tie with himself for first, and won the Stallion Stakes Open Futurity on Once A Von A Time. In the spring of 2007, Craig continued to ride his young horses in the finals of the major Derbies. He took all three of his entries (Sparkling Waves, Gunners Lil Smarty, and Peppy Dun Hollywood) to the NRBC Open Derby finals. Just one month later, he rode Sparkling Waves and Peppy Dun Hollywood into the NRHA Open Derby finals, ending up 7th on Sparkling Waves.

Craig ended a successful 2006 riding Sparkling Waves (by Tidal Wave Jack) to a 4th place finish in the toughest NRHA Futurity field yet. Craig rode Mr Dual Rey to win the Senior Reining at the 2006 AQHA World Championship Horse Show. He hit the jackpot at the Las Vegas Reining Classic in September 2006, winning both the Open Futurity (riding Lethal Surprise) and the Open Derby (riding Mr. Dual Rey). Earlier in the summer, he won the Open Futurity Stallion Stakes at the Rocky Mt. Summer Slide on Sparkling Waves. At the Tulsa Reining Classic, he took second in the Open on Mr. Dual Rey. At the 2006 NRBC in Katy, TX, he took three horses back to the Derby finals and was the $25,000 Open Reserve Champion on Mister Montana Nic. His earnings in 2006 made him the number two money earner in the NRHA's 2006 Top 20 – the NRHA's official list of the top 20 NRHA professionals (06/20/2006).

In September 2005, he won the Gold Medal in the FEI World Reining Masters Open Division on Tidal Wave Jack, against a field of riders from 17 countries. In May 2005 he steered Commanders Nic to become the leading all time earning stallion in the NRHA - after winning the 1st go-round at the National Reining Breeders Classic.

In 2004 he was the NRHA Open Derby Champion on Commanders Nic and Open Derby Finalist on two other horses; Open Derby Co-Champion at the Reining By The Bay on Mister Montana Nic and Tazmanian Sailor; NRBC Open Derby Finalist on three horses, and Open Futurity Champion at the Rocky Mt. Summer Slide.

Craig has won numerous AQHA and NRHA Open World Championships. One of his most exciting accomplishments to date is earning a position on the United States Equestrian Team. In 2002, the team competed in Jerez, Spain where they took home the Gold Medal for the United States. This was not Craig's first trip internationally. In 1994 he traveled to Germany to secure an NRHA World Championship and win the most prestigious European west horse show “The Americana”.

Craig showed in his first NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity in 2001 and was an open Finalist with the second highest fence score in the finals. He went on to win a reserve NRCHA Derby championship in 2002.

In addition to training and showing Craig has, in partnership with Shawn Flarida, created a set of training videos demonstrating their winning techniques for futurity prospects and finished shows horses. You can buy Good As Gold Reining videos from their on-line store.

Craig's goals include showing his futurity horses where he has successfully proven himself to be one of the most competitive trainers bringing multiple horses every year to the Open finals.

Craig's program includes of every level of horse. He has a great staff of assistant trainers who allow him to ride a variety of horses and help Non-Pros go to the top.

If you are looking for a trainer who is serious about his business and interested in making your horse the best it can be, or if you want to become more competitive in the show ring, then contact Craig.