RSR Closing Time and Justin Wright clinched the NSHA Open Derby Championship on August 23, 2026, at the NSHA Pre-Futurity with a total score of 662.5. This victory earned them $24,284 and was a significant moment for owners Michelle & Reagan Horton of Ray Shell Ranch.
For the team, this win was a long time coming. Wright mentioned that Sioux had been on the verge of winning a derby all year, and finally, everything fell into place in Las Vegas with scores of 220.5 in reining, 220 in herd work, and 222 in fence work.
This triumph boosted the 5-year-old stallion’s lifetime earnings to $130,863 and marked Ray Shell Ranch’s first major aged-event title.
Wright expressed his eagerness to return to Texas and present the derby buckle to Reagan Horton.
The Making of a Derby Champion
Sioux’s journey to victory was not straightforward. After undergoing surgery for a broken splint bone that was affecting his suspensory ligament as a 4-year-old, Sioux faced an uncertain recovery. However, Michelle Horton’s intuition led them to support Sioux through the process.
Following a period of rest, Sioux returned to the show ring with Wright in the saddle, securing a win at the 2026 NRCHA Celebration of Champions.
Wright remarked, “He’s been really consistent. He’s been in the money and made the finals everywhere I’ve taken him this year, but this is his first win.”
Sired by the renowned stallion Stevie Rey Von and out of mare Lillys Bugatti, Sioux is described by Wright as having a substantial build and a calm demeanor, which was crucial as the young horse navigated a year away from competition.
The weight of the decision to move Sioux to Wright’s barn is not lost on him. “It’s been a short relationship so far, but they feel like family already,” Wright said of the Hortons. “They’re great people that are raising equally as great horses.”
A Legacy that Stretches From Strawn Valley to Ray Shell Ranch
Ray Shell Ranch’s history extends beyond their cow horse achievements. Don Horton, Reagan’s father, established Strawn Valley Ranch in 1998.
For over a decade, Don operated it as a cutting horse facility, standing stallions like Dual Smart Rey, until his home-building business, D.R. Horton, demanded more of his attention.
“He continued until around 2012,” Michelle explained. “Realizing he couldn’t dedicate as much time as he wanted, he decided to close that chapter.”
A horse sale in 2013 left the Strawn ranch vacant.
Nearly ten years later, the Horton’s daughter, Madeline, developed an interest in cow horse competition, marking the start of a new chapter.
Michelle recalled their initial excitement at attending The World’s Greatest show, which sparked their passion for the industry. This led to the sale of their Weatherford property in 2023 and the relocation of everything back to Strawn Valley Ranch in 2024.
In 2024, they also began sponsoring NRCHA events, co-title sponsoring the World’s Greatest Horseman with Western Bloodstock.
Over 25 years after Don Horton’s first barn in Strawn, the ranch is thriving under a new name, discipline, and generation, now with a champion to their name.
“RSR Closing Time is the first horse to bring us recognition through wins,” Michelle noted.
This initial taste of success is propelling Ray Shell Ranch forward. With eight broodmares in their band, they anticipate 18 foals in 2027, guided by AQHA Hall of Fame Inductee Frank Merrill.
For a family with over 25 years of Western performance horse history, the derby victory validates their direction under a new name.