Todd Bergen, of Eagle Point, Oregon, traveled to the National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity with lifetime earnings approximately $63,000 shy of the magic number needed to join the elite group of NRCHA Million Dollar Riders.
After topping the preliminary rein work, Bergen still had a long way to go. Luckily, he took two horses back to the Open Finals Nics Black Diamond and Spark Me Again. He finished sixth on Nics Black Diamond, garnering a $40,000 check, and tenth on Spark Me Again, worth an additional $25,000.
However, the new Millionaire didn't realize how close he was until someone came up to him after the finals and told him! I really didn't know how close I was I wasn't counting pennies, he admitted. I didn't think about it when I was showing. I just found out after the finals that I had won just enough. I'm pretty excited.
When Todd reached that milestone, and became the sixth NRCHA Million Dollar Rider, he also became the first rider ever to achieve Million Dollar status in two different associations! In 2004, he became a National Reining Horse Association Million Dollar Rider. I think the thing that excited me the most was being able to accomplish this in two different associations, Todd said. Earning that much in the NRHA was awesome, and then to do it again just a few years later in the NRCHA is really cool.
Bergen won his first NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity on Boonlight Dancer in 2001. He has also had two Snaffle Bit Futurity Reserve Championships.
He has won the NRHA Open Futurity twice in 1995 on Todasmyluckyday, and in 1998 with Chic Please.
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