Shawn Flarida
In any given show season, Shawn Flarida travels from his facility in Springfield, Ohio to more than twelve NRHA shows. His reward has been multiple NRHA World Championship titles, top ten placings, and USET titles. Following his spectacular win at the NRHA Derby, Shawn is now the NRHA’s all-time leading money earner with more than $2.6 million in NRHA lifetime earnings.
At the 2008 NRBC in Katy, TX, Shawn swept up both the Championship and Reserve Championship titles in the Open Classic. Riding his 2007 Futurity winner, Wimpys Little Chic, he won the Open Finals with the high score of 233.5. With that run, the mare also won the Open Mare bonus, which this year paid out more than $18,000. Shawn followed up with a score of 231 on RC Fancy Step, to win the Reserve Championship. Shawn was the only trainer to bring all three of his horses back to the Open finals, and he finished with all three in the Top Five. With a score of 226, Shawn and Walla Walla Whiz landed in 5th place. Shawn's total earnings at the NRBC topped more than $200,000! 2008 started out with a bang for Shawn earning the Reserve Champion title on KR Lil Conquistador at the Bill Horn Shootout/Single Shot Derby in Ocala, Florida. He then added another win in the Wimpy's Litte Step Open Derby, riding RC Fancy Step (score: 231).
2007 was another big year for Shawn. Winning the NRHA Open Futurity on Wimpys Little Chic marks the 4th NRHA Open Futurity Championship for Shawn (2002, 2004, 2005 and 2007). He placed 1st (RC Fancy Step) and 3rd (Wimpys Little Chic) in the Open Futurity at the AQHA Congress in Ohio. He also took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the NRHA Novice Horse class, and won the Open Reining class on Smart Spook. See the complete results here. Shawn also dominated at the Ariat Tulsa Open Futurity in early Sept., coming in first on Wimpys Little Chic with a score of 224.5 and second on RC Fancy Step (also by Wimpys Little Step) with a score of 224. Earlier in June, at the Clayton Woosley Hall of Fame Reining Open Derby, Shawn tied with himself for first riding Late Light and Hollywoods Smokinbabe. He also took third on Ima Tinseltown! At the beginning of March, he won the Wimpys Little Step Derby (Springfield, OH) on KR Lil Conquistador with the highest score ever awarded in the NRHA - 235! Just two weeks later, Shawn wins the Gordyville Breeders Cup Derby riding Senor Tejano Whiz. In April, Shawn takes third at the NRBC Classic riding Walla Walla Whiz.
2007 NRHA Open Derby results: After Shawn took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in the NRHA Open Derby 1st Go-round, he rode to a crowd-pleasing win (231.5) on Walla Walla Whiz. Read the NRHA press release here.
Results after the 1st go-round of the NRHA Derby read more...:
| Horse | Score | Owner | |
| 1. | Kr Lil Conquistador | 227.5 | B Cheree Kirkbride |
| 2. | Walla Walla Whiz | 225.5 | Arcese Quarter Horses |
| 3. | Senor Tejano Whiz | 224.5 | 4 R Performance Horses |
