OCALA, FL (352today.com) – A $420,000 pay day?

That’s what Peter and Courtney Morgan’s horse, The Firemen, earned by winning the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity Finals this past fall.

The Morgans, lifelong horse enthusiasts, have lived in Ocala, Florida, for 45 years, moving from upstate New York. Their love for Ocala runs deep.

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“The ultimate goal in this sport is to win the Futurity,” said Peter Morgan. “It’s like the Kentucky Derby of the reining industry. We were fortunate enough to have the horse that won the Futurity.”

The NRHA Futurity Finals, held in Oklahoma City from Nov. 26 to Dec. 7, 2024, saw 403 initial entries. After two elimination rounds, 30 finalists competed in four levels, with Level 4 being the most challenging. The Firemen triumphed in the Level 4 Open Division.

Once-in-a-Lifetime Athlete

Horses like The Firemen are rare. His calm demeanor and exceptional talent have left a lasting impression.

“We’ve done a lot of things in our lifetime with the horses,” said Peter. “And the horses have been great to us, but a horse like The Firemen, they don’t come around all the time. He’s so quiet and gentle.”

Making History

A historic moment unfolded as The Firemen’s rider, Kaci O’Rourke, became the first woman to win the Level 4 Open Division. O’Rourke also claimed the Level 3 Open Division title.

“Women have come close in the Level 4, but Kaci was the first woman to win the Level 4,” Peter said. “It was the last Futurity at the Jim Norick Arena, as they’re tearing it down because they’re building a brand-new arena next door to it.”

Peter, a seasoned NRHA judge, praised O’Rourke’s performance.  “She had one of the best goes I’ve ever seen in the finals on Saturday night in the Futurity.” 

Breeding Success

The Morgans previously bred a runner-up Futurity finisher, Mr. Fahrenheit, but The Firemen represents a new pinnacle. The couple shifted to breeding reining horses over the past decade, aiming for top-quality performers.

When The Firemen was two years old, Kaci O’Rourke approached the Morgans, saying, “I have this really nice colt I want you to come look at,” Courtney recalled.

The Morgans’ decision to buy their first colt proved fruitful.

Capturing Hearts

The Firemen’s Futurity Finals performance mesmerized the crowd.

“When he ran in, stopped, slid so far, and then ran backward, the crowd went crazy,” said Courtney. “At the end, his final stop, the majority of the crowd stood up and gave him a standing ovation. I’ve never seen that before.”

Scoring in reining is precise. Each maneuver is graded from -1.5 to +1.5, with 70 being the average. Peter described The Firemen’s flawless execution. “That run-in and stop were a +1.5, the best score possible.”

Anxious Moments

Despite The Firemen’s standout performance, uncertainty lingered as he went 24th out of 33. Nine top competitors remained, some multiple-time Futurity champions.

But strategy played a role. O’Rourke and her husband, Jack Daniels, ensured The Firemen wasn’t overworked in preliminaries, saving his best for the finals.

“They were just spot on the whole time,” said Peter. “There was a lot of horse left and watching him from the stands—that’s what you want to see.”

Gratitude and Work Ethic

The Morgans credit O’Rourke, Daniels, and their team at Pond Hill Performance Horses in Aubrey, Texas, for The Firemen’s success.

“They’re the hardest-working people we’ve ever seen,” Peter said. “[Kaci’s] husband did a lot of the training on that horse. They interviewed us right after the last horse went. When they went to Kaci, the first thing she said was, ‘My husband trained this horse.’ She just won the biggest rein in the world, and she gave the credit to Jack her husband. That’s the kind of people they are.”

Reliving the Dream

Courtney re-watches The Firemen’s winning run almost daily. “I can still tear up watching it now,” she said.

Looking Ahead

As a 4-year-old, The Firemen will continue competing.

“We want to do what’s right for the horse,” said Courtney.

Having already secured his legacy, The Firemen’s future is bright. Peter says that he doesn’t need to win another rein to be a premier stud.

Peter said, “We will watch him show and evaluate where he is, and, like I said, he’ll tell us. We’ll know what the next right thing is to do after his 4-year-old year.”