Record Entries and Major Paydays Highlight All
Star Reining Stakes Open Futurity
2026 PRESS RELEASE
Guinovart and Schmidt claim Level 1 and Level 2 championships; Brant and McCutcheon lead the Level 3 and Level 4 go-round
L1 Futurity Champions: Valentino Guinovart & Gunna Voodoo You
COLUMBUS, Ohio — COLUMBUS, Ohio - September 30, 2026 - Two days of Open Futurity competition at the All American Quarter Horse Congress brought new champions, memorable performances and another milestone for the All Star Reining Stakes. With record entries and the largest added-money commitment in program history, the 2026 event continues to turn growing support into meaningful rewards for horses, riders and owners.
The All Star Open Futurity attracted 336 entries across its four levels, up from 244 in 2025 - a nearly 38 percent increase. Level 4 climbed from 78 entries to 113, while Level 3 grew from 60 to 99. Level 2 welcomed 83 entries, up from 66, and Level 1 increased from 40 to 41.
Behind those numbers are the breeders who planned the crosses, the owners who believed in their prospects and the trainers who brought them to this moment. For two of those teams, Wednesday ended with an All Star championship.
Valentino Guinovart and Gunna Voodoo You, owned by Buckshot Farms, captured the Level 1 Open Futurity championship with a 217, earning $7,500 for the title. Their performance edged out Wyatt Deary and Mary Kimelman’s Live And Let Die, who finished reserve with a 216.5.
In the Level 2 Open Futurity, Joe Schmidt and All Cocoa No Cream delivered a 218.5 to claim the championship and its $12,500 payday for owner Vaughn Zimmerman. Jesse Beckley aboard Whizzin Repeat and Shelby Guthrie riding Americasnextspark shared reserve honors with matching scores of 217.
L2 Futurity Champions: Joe Schmidt & All Cocoa No Cream
For information about All Star Reining Stakes, visit www.allstarreiningstakes.com
Media contact: allstarreining@gmail.com
While Levels 1 and 2 celebrated their champions, the Level 3 and Level 4 competition set the stage for the finals.
Brandon Brant and Sixty Six Reasons, owned by Ava Egbert, topped the Level 3 go-round with a 220.5. Brant also secured the division’s second-highest score, marking a 219 aboard David R. Schlabach’s Smokin Enterprise. Sixty Six Reasons’ performance placed second in the Level 4 go-round as well.
Leading the Level 4 go-round were Cade McCutcheon and Spooky Boo, owned by Timothy J. Anderson, with a 221.5. Their score set the standard heading into the finals, where the All Star Level 4 championship carries a $50,000 first-place award, with $20,000 awaiting the Level 3 champion.
The Open Futurity alone features $227,500 in added money, part of the program’s record $470,000 added-money offering for 2026. Across the full event, total distributions - including class purses and additional program incentives and paybacks - are projected at approximately $800,000.
That growth reflects the continued commitment of participating stallion owners, breeders, nominators and exhibitors. Their support makes it possible for All Star to reward success across multiple levels while continuing to invest in the future of the sport.
With the Level 1 and Level 2 titles decided, attention now turns to the Level 3 and Level 4 finals - and the next champions of a record-setting year.