Person · 2009
NRHA Hall of Fame · Inducted 2009
Mike Flarida
2x NRHA Futurity Champion · Shawn's Brother · Inducted 2009
Mike Flarida of Ohio was the first of the Flarida family to win at the highest level of reining competition, winning two NRHA Open Futurity Championships — first in 1993 on Custom Crome and again in 1996 on Whizard Jac. His younger brother Shawn worked for Mike before launching his own career, going on to become reining's all-time leading earner at over $7 million. Mike's early success paved the way and the pair represent one of the sport's most accomplished brotherhoods.
Career Highlights
- 2x NRHA Open Futurity Champion — 1993 on Custom Crome (who became a Hall of Fame sire) and 1996 on Whizard Jac; both horses became cornerstones of the modern reining bloodline tree
- Patriarch of the Flarida reining dynasty — younger brother Shawn worked for Mike before branching out in 1989; Shawn went on to become NRHA's first $7M rider and was inducted in 2011
- Ohio
Class of 2009