The 2020 National Snaffle Bit Association World Championship Show and Breeders Championship Futurity got underway in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Friday with the Working Hunter Derby.

Morgan Ratkowski, of Jowlton, Tennessee, piloted Better Buy The Minit to a win in the two-round classic hunter format with 26 Open and Non-Pro combinations, earning $400.

Reserve Champion was Kamanyawannadance, owned by Carly Estreich-Lueck and shown by Ryan Painter. Third was Thanks For Zip En Me, owned by Sharon Miller and shown by Ryan Painter.

Better Buy The Minit, affectionately called Murray, is a 2005 AQHA bay gelding, sired by Do You Have A Minute and out of Tickle My Asset.

“The last time I showed here at the NSBA World Show was in 2014, and Murray and I actually won this class as well!” Ratkowski said. “We have been a team for eight years now, showing in Amateur and Open classes.”

Ratkowski said her favorite part of this Derby was the handy portion of the class.

“We tried to make it as handy as possible and have fun with it,” she explained.

Morgan and Murray will also compete in the Amateur Working Hunter, Amateur Equitation Over Fences and Amateur Hunter Hack at the NSBA World Show.

“I would like to thank my mom for making this trip for me, my grandpa for buying me this perfect horse, and Linda Crothers for helping me to make sure that I do not let Murray down,” Ratkowski said.

The NSBA World Show and Breeders Championship Futurity continues through Aug. 16 and will award $1,000,000 in cash and prizes during this year’s event. Over fences classes, including Working Hunter, Equitation Over Fences and Hunter Hack for Open, Amateur and Youth competitors are featured today in the Ford Truck arena.

The organization also runs an American Quarter Horse Show – Show Your Colors – during the first few days of the World Championship Show event. Western Riding, Western Pleasure and Horsemanship classes are being judged in the Mustang Arena.

Special events planned during the week include:

• The NSBA will hold its Honors Ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 9 in the Ford Truck Arena, where the association will honor Hall of Fame Inductees, Quarter Million Dollar Recipients, the Jack Benson Award Winner and the Horse of the Year.

• A Parade of Heroes followed by Heroes On Horses competition is featured Saturday, Aug. 8.

• The NSBA Foundation Silent Auction begins at 8 a.m. Sat  urday, Aug. 8 across from the show office.

• The Cinch Trail Duel Preliminary Round and Party will be held at the conclusion of Color Amateur Trail in the Pavilion on Tuesday, Aug. 11.

• The Cinch Trail Duel Finals and Party will be held at the conclusion of Color BCF 3-Year-Old Limited Open Western Pleasure, in the Ford Truck Arena on Wednesday, Aug. 12.

The Yearling Sale Preview will be held beginning at 5 p.m., on Thursday, Aug. 13 in the Super Duty Arena.

The NSBA Foundation Silent Auction closes at noon. on Thursday, Aug. 13, across from the show office.

• The Yearling Sale will be held starting at 4 p.m., on Friday, Aug. 14, in the Super Duty Arena.

For a schedule of this year’s World Championship Show click here: https://www.nsba.com/schedule

Live stream from the Ford Truck Arena can be viewed here: https://www.nsba.com/ford-truck-arena

Live stream from the Mustang Arena can be viewed here: https://www.nsba.com/mustang-arena

Photo by Larry Williams