Doug Milholland Reining Horses

: : Doug Milholland
Actively involved for over 33 years, Doug Milholland has been one of the top reining horse trainers in the industry. From the early days of the NRHA, Doug has been sincerely dedicated to furthering the sport of reining, mentoring non pros and professional horsemen and women to a higher level.

: : Qualifications
NRHA Judge
AQHA Judge
FEI Judge

: : Clinics & International Connections
Doug Milholland is a well respected and much sought after clinician. For over two decades, he has been invited to give reining clinics around the world, and is credited with helping expand the sport of reining on an international front. In testament to that, Doug Milholland was asked to represent the sport at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics as part of an NRHA starstudded lineup. Riding the palomino stallion, Catalyst Too, he wowed the crowd with a dynamic and elegant freestyle performance.

: : Awards
NRHA Open Futurity Champion on Silver Anniversary
NRHA Open Reserve Futurity Champion on Rest Stop
NRHA Open Reserve Futurity Champion on Denim Jac
NRHA Open Reserve Futurity Champion on Fancy Jac
NRHA Open Derby Champion on How D Mae Bee
NRHA LTE $662,000+
#14 NRHA All Time Leading Rider
14 time NRHA Open Futurity Finalist
Numerous NRHA Open Derby Finalist
2 Time Buckskin/Palomino Reining World Champion
6-Time AQHA World Champion in Reining and Working Cowhorse
Numerous Top 5 finishes at AQHA World Show
Trained 3 AQHA Amateur Reining World Champions
Named to the NRHA Hall of Fame in 2006

: : Doug Milholland Background
Doug Milholland is a true horseman through and through. Growing up in the mountains of Western Colorado, Doug was riding before he could walk, and horses were prevalent in every aspect of his life. He even rode a horse to school as a youngster, and by age 4 Milholland was helping his father move cattle from summer to winter range.

Doug came into the horse industry thanks in part to the support of his father, who had a strong passion for horses and a life-long interest towards improving horsemanship. As he worked his way up through the business, Doug also had many industry legends as mentors to draw from. Family friend Ray Hall took him to his first horse show. Monte Foreman and some of the old "Greats" such as Sunny Jim Orr, Stanley Glover, and Leroy Webb were also inspiring influences for Doug.

Doug Milholland + Rest Stop
NRHA Open Futurity Res Champions

As he developed his skills as a horse trainer, Milholland also gained experience from more modern legends, such as NRHA Hall of Famer Bob Loomis.

It was in the 1980's that Doug first garnered attention, thanks to his numerous AQHA World Championships. He won his first title in 1982 when he won the AQHA Sr Working Cowhorse World Championship. Then a year later he captured both the Jr and Sr AQHA World Championships. He then followed that feat with yet another World Championship in Sr Reining and a Reserve World Championship in Working Cowhorse in 1984.

Doug coached 3 Amateur riders to AQHA World Championships as well- in 1986, 1991, and 1996.

In NRHA competition, Doug had similar success. In 1982, Milholland rode How D Mae Bee to a 14th place finish at the Open NRHA Futurity. The next spring, he rode the gray stallion to the 1983 NRHA Open Derby Championship and the AQHA World Championship in Jr Reining. The duo won the 1984 AQHA Sr Reining World Championship the following year.

Starting in 1982, Doug has made the NRHA Open Futurity Finals a phenomenal number of times. Training out of his facility in Nebraska, he developed and won on a list of horses that reads like a who's who of the reining world.

In 1984, he was 5th on Forest Cabin Moon. In 1986 he was 5th on Cool Change Cody, and a year later 4th on Topsail Skeets. Then in 1988, he rode a famous buckskin mare by the name of Rest Stop to capture the NRHA Open Futurity Reserve Championship. A year later in 1989 he was 3rd on another outstanding mare, Eyed Be A Princess.

However, it was in 1990 that Doug stood in the finals night spotlight when he rode Silver Anniversary to the NRHA Open Futurity Championship.

Silver Anniversary was an orphaned filly that Doug had previously placed 6th on at the All American Congress earlier that fall. Milholland and the big hearted mare actually missed making the finals by a single point.

However, the duo made history when they won the Consolation Futurity, and a last chance slot on finals night. They had to go first, but their score held up against all the remaining finalists, and they won!

Doug continued his winning ways, garnering another NRHA Open Futurity Reserve Championship in 1991 on Denim Jac. That year Doug made the Open Finals top ten on all three of his horses, also placing 4th on Bees Honey Jac and 6th on Top Slider. Bees Honey Jac went on to produce 1996 NRHA Open Futurity Champion, Whizard Jac.

Doug again won the NRHA Open Futurity Reserve Championship in 1992 on Fancy Jac, a great mare owned by Sally Brown that he also won the Open Freestyle on at the 1993 Congress and NRHA Futurity.

In 1993, Doug found his business at a crossroads when he was confined to the indoor arena for all but 6 weeks during a long Nebraska winter. Figuring that he needed to ride outside on the track more in order to stay competitive, Doug moved his operation down to Purcell, Oklahoma in the fall of 1994.

Since then, he has continued to make the finals at the major NRHA events, and has also been instrumental in helping reining grow on an International level. In 1996, he was part of a starstudded lineup comprised of Bob Loomis, Rocky Dare, and Mike Flarida, when he was asked to perform at the Atlanta Olympics. He rode a dynamic and elegant pattern on Catalyst Too, and the two graced the cover of the Reiner magazine commemorating the groundbreaking event.

Giving clinics and judging reining events the world over have helped Milholland develop strong international ties. Through those commitments, as well as apprenticeships, he has proudly helped many up and coming trainers.

He has been a mentor to talented riders such as Drake Johnson, Jordan Larson, Jarvis Anderson, Dave Zimmerman, Sue Waskowiak, Jamie Bissel, Andy Sherrerd, Steve Ross, Mike Davis, Rich and Flis Sassella, Mary Woolsey, Eduardo Ribeiro, Franco Bertolaini, and Jango Salgado, to name a few.

Doug has continued to develop and train top reining horses, many of which have gone on to long and successful careers- both with Doug and other open and non pro riders. He has trained standouts such as Dateline OKC, Commandalena, As Smart As Charlie, Smart Paul Olena, Genuine Shinola, Shiners Shinest, Sailing Smart, Melonkali Jac, Sunrise Enterprise, Listo Pollito Lena, Durante Doc, Barflit Fritz, Catalyst Too, Catalyst Command, CB Command, A Special T, Shining Salute, Genes German Melody, and many others. You can learn more about these horses by visiting the Superstars page.

Reining is a family endeavor at Milholland Ranch, where Doug's wife Valerie is integral in the daily operations of the business. Son Luke Milholland is also an accomplished reiner, as a NRHA Non Pro Futurity finalist the recent winner of the Intermediate Non Pro Futurity at the Tulsa Classic. Daughter Brooke Oehlhof also competed in reining events, and is married to cutting trainer Steve Oehlhof.

The Milhollands are excited about the growth the reining industry is experiencing, and are proud to stand two outstanding stallions-NRHA Open Futurity Champion Boomernic, and Whizmatic. Whizmatic is currently being shown by Doug, and is a stellar bred athlete by Topsail Whiz and out of Reserve Futurity Champion, Denim Jac.

Doug Milholland and everyone at the Ranch extend a warm invitation to stop by if you are ever in the area. Whether you are looking for a new horse, wish to look over the facility, or discuss your future reining goals, they would love to visit with you.

"Sometimes you need to just stop and be thankful.....
For Heaven and Hope, Family and Friends, Sunshine and Rain, and....
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxGreat Reining Horses!"

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Reiner covers used by permission of the National Reining Horse Association and the NRHA Reiner
Sliding pictures, win picture, futurity spotlight pictures by Waltenberry.