Gina-Maria Schumacher Claims 2025 NRHA Level 4 Non Pro Futurity Championship on Homebred CS Sailor Made

Gina-Maria Schumacher returned to the top of the NRHA Futurity stage on Saturday night, securing the 2025 NRHA Level 4 Non Pro Futurity championship aboard CS Sailor Made, a homebred mare by XCS Ranch’s stallion Snip O Lution and out of La Bigia Sailor. With an impressive 221 score, Schumacher took home $75,000—marking another major milestone in a career that continues to deliver strong performances on reining’s biggest stages.

This year’s victory holds deeper meaning for Schumacher. CS Sailor Made isn’t just another talented futurity horse—she’s one Schumacher raised, trained, and prepared specifically for this moment.

“It’s been a goal and a dream of ours that we can raise and train and show successful horses from CS,” Schumacher shared. “To win the Futurity on one is even more special.”

Watch the 2025 NRHA Futurity on Ride TV.

A Win Years in the Making

Schumacher is no stranger to reining’s biggest stages, having earned major non pro titles at the NRHA Futurity and NRHA Derby and has also competed in The Run For A Million where she held her own against leading open professionals. But this futurity title brings her program full circle. CS Sailor Made, along with the other two horses she competed on in this year’s Futurity finals, represents the long-term vision Schumacher is committed to—developing horses entirely within her own program.

That direction aligns with recent changes at CS Ranch following Duane Latimer’s departure as head trainer. Rather than seeing it as a setback, Schumacher views the transition as a chance to take greater ownership of the program’s future. Latimer remains a mentor when needed, but the direction moving forward increasingly reflects her vision and training approach.

The Mare Behind the Championship Title

When asked about the mare she won on tonight, Schumacher joked that the mare is opinionated, but really easy to get along with.

“She only likes certain people,” Schumacher said with a laugh. “She wants to be loved on and she’s very kind. But she definitely has her opinions.”

After the run, Schumacher kept her attention on adjustments she hopes to fine-tune moving forward. She noted that CS Sailor Made stayed honest throughout the pattern, even though it had been a long week for a 3-year-old.

“I know she can turn way better than she did tonight,” Schumacher said, adding that part of that was on her timing. “But overall, it was pretty smooth—she listened, and she was good.”

Inside Schumacher’s Strategy for Showing Three Horses in the NRHA Futurity Finals

Schumacher was the only rider in the Level 4 Non Pro Finals to qualify three horses. Managing three finals horses isn’t simply about preparation; it’s about timing, organization, and keeping each horse mentally fresh.

“I try to do all my homework at home and get them prepared the night before,” she explained. “Then I warm them up lightly and check my maneuvers. If it feels good, I leave them where they’re at.”

The biggest challenge of the night wasn’t showing them—it was moving between the warm up arena and the main arena with tight scheduling and cold weather adding extra variables. Still, each horse warmed up, stayed focused, and walked through the gate ready to perform.

Schumacher handled each run as its own, not letting the pressure of multiple horses stack on top of one another. And at the end of the night, the strategy paid off, putting a homebred futurity champion at the top of the leaderboard.

2025 NRHA Non Pro Futurity Finals Results