That decision came with a learning curve. Reed had only limited time in the saddle before heading to the NRBC, showing the stallion just a handful of times prior to the event.
“I showed him a couple of times last year at a show in Tulsa, and then this year right before entries were due, I rode him twice more before coming here,” he said.
Even with limited time together, Geronemo proved to be the kind of horse that makes showing fun. His willing attitude and natural feel allowed Reed to settle in quickly, giving him the confidence to just show and stay out of his way.
When asked to break down the run afterward, Reed laughed and said he “kind of blacked out,” crediting the stallion for making the ride feel that easy.
That kind of ride starts with the horse’s mind—and Geronemo’s is what sets him apart.
“He’s just a really fun horse to show,” Reed said. “He has so much heart, and so much grit. He’s just so easy going.”
What makes the stallion especially dangerous in the pen is how that attitude pairs with his physical ability.
“A big forte for him is his stops,” he said. “So I really wanted to capitalize on them in the finals. With my spins I just wanted to get in there and zero or plus-half them. And with my circles I knew that if I asked him to go hard in his circles he would come back really good. And he did all of that out there tonight.”
A Full-Circle Moment for the Kyle Family
While the win was earned in the show pen, it was backed by a team effort that stretches well beyond it.
Geronemo is trained by $1 Million Rider Trevor Dare, and Kyle credits the entire program for preparing the horse and making it possible to step in and compete at that level.
“Trevor and his whole team are incredible,” Kyle said. “I couldn’t do it without them. They do such a great job with these horses.”
The stallion is owned by Kyle’s in-laws, who purchased him as a yearling and have been part of his journey from the beginning. Since then Geronemo has become a true family horse, with Kyle’s wife, Kodi, piloting the stallion in the 2024 NRHA Non-Pro Futurity, where she advanced to the Level 1 finals.
“They were up watching it,” Kyle said of his in-laws, who followed the run from their home in New Zealand. “We wish they were here, but it’s really special they got to see it.”
For Kyle, the moment also carried a deeper connection to the sport itself.
His father, Pete Kyle—an AQHA Professional Horseman, judge, and former AQHA chief of shows—has been a longtime presence in the reining industry. On the night Reed won the NRBC Level 4 Non Pro Derby, Pete wasn’t just watching—he was part of the broadcast, serving as a commentator for the livestream during the finals.
For Reed Kyle, the win marked a career moment at one of reining’s most competitive stages.
For Geronemo, it was another reminder that the 5-year-old stallion is only getting started.
NRBC Classic Non Pro Finals Level 4 Results
NRBC Classic Non Pro Finals Level 3
NRBC Classic Non Pro Finals Level 2
NRBC Classic Non Pro Finals Level 1
NRBC Classic Non Pro Finals Youth
NRBC Classic Non Pro Finals Prime Time
NRBC Classic Non Pro Finals Masters
