Duane certainly had “earning power” at the 2003 NRHA Futurity & Championship Show held annually in Oklahoma City. He took home NRHA paychecks worth $206,289.38 from that single show. Duane came to OKC with $917,546.19 in NRHA Lifetime Earnings. Add that to his Futurity paychecks and the talented trainer reached yet another milestone in his illustrious career – Latimer became only the fourth individual to reach NRHA Million Dollar Rider status.

As NRHA’s fourth Million Dollar Rider, Duane Latimer joins a trio of NRHA “Super-Stars.’ Bill Horn, Weatherford, Texas, was the first to reach the Million Dollar Rider mark in 1995. Tim McQuay, Tioga, Texas, followed suit in 1997. Shawn Flarida, Springfield, Ohio, was a dominant force to be reckoned with in 2002 earning a record-breaking $270,364.12 for the year. By the fall of 2003, the 34-year-old Flarida had reached the Million Dollar Rider mark and was recognized for this achievement at the 2003 NRHA Futurity. Flarida was quick to make the point that with the generous purses offered by NRHA, “There are sure to be more Million Dollar Riders in the near future.” For Duane Latimer the “near future” occurred at the 2003 NRHA Futurity.

The 40-year-old Latimer, a native of Canada, earned his first NRHA paycheck, worth $404, in 1988 on Yogis Major Image – a modest beginning to an amazing career. To date, Latimer’s NRHA Lifetime Earnings are $1,123,835.57 – and still counting! And he bested Flarida’s one-year earning record with 2003 earnings of $346,497.22. The National Reining Horse Association is proud to announce Duane Latimer’s status as an NRHA Million Dollar Rider.