KATY, Texas – In the four years he’s been training Boom Shernic, Craig Schmersal has always known what’s under him. It was no surprise, then, that the 6-year old stallion (Boomernic x She And Chic Dunit) captured the Open Final of the richest National Reining Breeders Classic yet, held April 14-20 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center.

“I’ve been knocking on the door for several years with him,” said Schmersal, who moved his operation to Overbrook, Okla., from Menifee in 2005. “That’s the thing about that horse. He’s been a hard-knocker. Every time you show somewhere, he has a chance to win.”

The duo’s 228 bested 30 other riders in a tough finals that required a 221 to enter. Reserve was split between Jordan Larson on Stop Like A Dream, owned by Gilbertgo Leal, and Shawn Flarida on Wimpys Little Chic, owned by Arcese Quarter Horses — both with 227.5.

The NBRC event has evolved into one of – if not the – favorite stops on reiners’ calendars. The large, well-footed arena combined with the aged horses make an event that truly allows the showing of a reiner. The fact that this event is well-run by its management team helps, too, as its steady growth indicates. This year’s total payout of $1,405,903 was the most ever, and entries for the show and the Classic totaled about 1,900 – an increase of five percent.

“The highest payout previously had been in the $1.3 million range, so this was a huge step for us,” said Cheryl Magateaux, NRBC Secretary-Treasurer. “We’re hoping that what we’re seeing is a pickup in the horse market overall and the horse industry overall. Maybe it’s the beginnings of that.”

In its 13 years, the NRBC has paid out $11,381,709 – more than any other reining in that length of time other than the National Reining Horse Association Futurity.

Schmersal, a $2 million Reiner as of January this year, earned $75,000 for the title. He had two other horses in the NRBC top 15, including Peppy Superboom (Boomernic X Peppy Designed) in a 10th-11th place tie that paid $25,000, and Whizs Katrina (Topsail Whiz X Shiners Sulena) in a 14th-15th tie that earned $20,000.

It was Boom Shernic’s who assumed the spotlight at the Classic, and apparently who will remain there as Schmersal gears up for a challenging remainder of 2010. After the NRHA Derby June 21-26, he hopes to take Boom Shernic to the qualifier for the Alltech FEI World Games less than two weeks later at the AQHA Battle in the Saddle July 5-10. Both events will be at the State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City.

“It’d be a great deal to be part of that team,” said Schmersal, who also has good crop of futurity horses for the NRHA Futurity later in the year. “He’s enough horse. The timing’s just terrible with the Derby being right before the weekend they’ve got to show to qualify for the team. It’s going to be one tough reining.”

Schmersal moved to Overbrook where he and his wife Ginger raise four children, including Chris, 16, Nick, 14, Brendyn, 5, and Addisyn, 4. His California years in Riverside County were instrumental in his career, he said.

“I put a nice program together when I was in California, and I just got to build on the program that I built there,” he said. “I love California, but I love Oklahoma, too. We grew to the point where moving here was the best option to buy more land and let the babies grow up on grass. I’m not sad I made the move, but I do miss California from time to time.”

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