National Reining Horse Association Classic Opens At Tulsa County Fairgrounds

Mirjam Stillo has been riding horses since she was a young girl.

“Since I was a little, little kid, so probably 3-4 years old,” she said.

She started competing on horseback at six years old and says it’s largely because of her parents' love for horses.

“They kind of had a passion, so that kind of transmitted and I took it to the next level,” said Stillo.

Originally from Italy, Mirjam started reining, a popular sport in Europe, where riders guide horses through a series of spins, circles and stops.

“We have different maneuvers in a pattern, and we have five judges judging us,” Stillo said.

Now, she’s taking her talents to the international stage at the first-ever 100X Reining Classic, where thousands are competing for more than $3 million in prizes.

She says as the sport grows, so does the competition.

“It’s a big class and this year it has a lot more added money so there’s a lot more competitors,” said Stillo.

Carly Barrick, one of the event’s organizers, also has experience in the saddle.

“My background is actually hunter jumper, so I have ridden and competed my whole life, just not reiners,” she said.

She hopes this event helps the craft grow beyond people who already love horses.

“You don’t understand what these horses are capable of until you see it,” said Barrick.

Barrick says this event has already helped raise the bar for others around the world, and she’s already looking forward to next year.

“As we put some stuff up, plan some stuff, get some feedback, I think we’ll definitely go bigger the next time, I think we didn’t hold back, and we’re excited to see how it all turns out,” she said.

And Stillo says… she’s just looking forward to competing.

“I think this is gonna be a big party and a big challenge and it’s gonna be stiff competition,” she said.

The event will take place up until Sept. 3 at Expo Square.