Thank you for visiting Sam Smith Reining Horses News page. Below you will find some press releases about Kelle Smith. We hope you enjoy this information.

Kelle pictured on See Ya at Seven,
2003 Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity Champion, shown on January 2004 NRHA Reiner Cover.

11.28.2003 - Kelle Smith...the 2003 Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity Champion

To see the article about Kelle Smith as seen in the NRHA Reiner click HERE

Kelle Smith came to the 2003 Futurity & Championship Show in Oklahoma City to compete in the Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity and win a prize. And as each daily edition of The Score... was published, it seemed that she would. The Score... listed the go round and class leaders. Kelle was at the top of the Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity leader board from the first go round, first section, until the last Non Pro rider ran in the second go round. She was number one on Chexanicki, a lovely bay filly by Bueno Chexinic and out of Fancy Footwork. This would be a wonderful win for Kelle. Chexanicki was her project. She had a special “connection” with this three-year-old. But Kelle had two entries slated to run in the Non Pro Futurity Finals. Kelle’s second entry, See Ya At Seven (Hollywood Eighty Six x Pure Lil Peppy) was ridden and trained exclusively by Kelle’s husband, NRHA professional, Sam Smith. After the gelding sustained an injury, the Smith’s decided that this talented home grown three year-old would be better suited to the less stressful demands of the Non Pro Futurity. So Kelle started riding him about six weeks before OKC. They drew third on Final’s night, scored a 221, and after the last horse ran, were declared the 2003 Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity Champions. That tells us three things: This is a very talented
three-year-old; Sam Smith had him trained and ready to go; And, Kelle Smith can show – really show – a young horse. She’s been doing that her whole life.

From There To Here
Kelle Smith, nee Chamberlain, grew up in Ohio. She’s the daughter of Joyce and the late Ed Chamberlain. Both were avid horse show folk. “My parents actually met because of horses,” says Kelle. “My mother’s first horse was purchased from my father’s parents.” Kelle’s father ran barrel horses and her mother rode pleasure horses, despite the fact they lived in an area where there were some very serious reiners. “My mother and father both went to school with Bill and Paul Horn,” says Kelle. “We lived about three miles from Paul and my parents were very good friends of his. We spent a lot of time at Paul’s and we bought some of his reining rejects, but I had no interest in reining and I don’t believe we ever went to any reining shows.” But that would change – it would take a while – but that would definitely change. “When I was four-years-old I had a half Arabian/half Quarter Horse pony. My first trophy came showing her in Halter,” remembers Kelle. Until she was about nine, Kelle showed primarily with the Central States Horse Show Association, then she began showing in AQHA hunt seat competition, then western pleasure classes as well as NSBA events, where she earned a Reserve World championship title. Kelle was the youngest rider to qualify for the very first AQHA World Championship Show in 1974 where she competed in the hunter under saddle class on Pat’s Destra who she also qualified for and showed in the AQHA Youth World Show in Barrel Racing. “Through my twenties and thirties I showed the pleasure horses and that’s how I came to meet Sam,” says Kelle.

When Kelle Met Sam
“I was showing a two-year-old in the Non Pro NSBA Pleasure Futurity at Congress when I met Sam,” says Kelle. That was in 1996. The Smiths were married in 1998. And in 1999, Kelle went to compete in her first NRHA show. The show was Gordyville. According to Kelle, “We bought Rat L Trap Jac in February from Tim Katona. I had him for a month before that first show. I wanted to show just in the Limited Non Pro, but Sam made me cross enter in the Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro.” There were 77 entries in the class and Kelle won all three divisions. So on her first trip to the NRHA show pen, Kelle won a bronze, a pewter, a plaque and $948! She admits that when they were back at the motel, she told Sam “I can do this. This is simple.” The euphoria didn’t last. “After Gordyville we went to the Carolina Classic,” says Kelle. “I entered the horse in the Derby and I bombed in the biggest way. I had minus one and a half turn arounds. It was horrible - the agony of defeat. I was depressed, but I’m a competitor. I couldn’t wait to get in the pen again.” Kelle had her chance in the NRHA Derby. “This horse was perfect leaded – but I missed a lead and didn’t make the Finals, so I entered my horse in the
Limited Non Pro class. I drew early and tied with a person who drew late. Since my horse was already put up, I didn’t want to run off, so I ended up second.” After the Derby, Kelle only showed her horse in Category 1 classes and ended the year as the Non Pro Reserve World Champion – her first year in the NRHA show pen! “We went to the NRHA Futurity & Championship Show $100 short of the reserve world title,” says Kelle. “I had to win $100 more than the person who was second. That’s a lot of pressure for a beginner reiner.” But a seasoned, successful Non Pro competitor like Kelle does have the advantage. “I was always very comfortable showing,” she says. “It doesn’t upset me too much. I usually
have confidence in what I can or can’t do. And Sam’s horses are very reliable.” Kelle ended up third in the Non Pro class and won the reserve world title. According to Kelle, Rat L Trap Jac “was a special horse – a palomino by Chrome Plated Jac. He was unbelievable – way – way more horse than most people have for their first reining horse.” Kelle and Rat L Trap Jac earned over $21,000 in 1999 – which put her out of the Limited Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro divisions. But that was fine with Kelle. “Rat L Trap Jac was the only horse I’ve ever shown in Category 1 classes,” says Kelle who went back to her first love – the young horse.

At Home In Aged Events
“All I’ve ever really shown were young horses,” says Kelle. “I’ve never had a weekend horse besides my first reiner. I’ve always liked the younger horses. I like to ride them. I like to see the changes. It tests your ability more than just riding an older horse that’s the same every day. It’s really challenging and something I really enjoy.” And riding three- and four-year-olds is something Kelle Smith is really good at. Starting in the year 2000, Kelle has earned Category #2 aged event money on Dun Kiddin Melody, Dun Kissed The Sky (2000), Crome Kist Dun It (2001), Miss Smokin Boggie, Slip Me A Hundred, Time To Shine Honey (2002), and in 2003 Chexanicki and her Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity Champion, See Ya At Seven. Kelle went to OKC with $25,836.71 earned in Category 1 events and almost $35,000 earned in NRHA Category 2 – a figure that will more than double after her OKC Non Pro Futurity winnings are tallied.

Let’s Do It Again, Sam
The Smiths live in Belle Center, Ohio – about an hour west of Columbus. They have 112 acres - home to three broodmares, babies and young horses in training with Sam. “Sam’s main focus is the Futurity,” says Kelle. “He loves to ride two-year-olds, which gives him more opportunity to have nice three-year-olds to show in the Futurity.” While Sam’s program is geared to the young horse, he does have a few Non Pro clients, and their priority is showing in aged events. “We don’t go to a lot of weekend shows,” says Kelle. “We go to the futurities, so Sam has clients who want to go to the shows that we go to.” The Smith’s dream is to build a band of broodmares and raise quality foals to train for the NRHA Futurity. “We’d like to keep the fillies – put a record on them and then send them out to pasture,” says Kelle. Chexanicki will be joining the Smith’s broodmare band. Kelle has a special connection with this mare and, “Obviously we want to raise another one like See Ya At Seven,” says Kelle. “He’s a wonderful horse. He was very easy for me to show. He had to be super broke or I would not have been able to have the success I had in OKC. And he just got better the more I got acquainted with him and the more seasoned he became.” A true team effort for the Smiths: Sam had See Ya At Seven ready to go – and Kelle Smith can show a horse – really show a young horse!

Kelle's 2003 Press Releases

Kelle's 2006 Press Releases • Kelle's 2007 Press Releases

Kelle's 2009 Press Releases