Matt Mills Shines at the 2026 NRHA Derby in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, OK – Matt Mills had a standout week at the 2026 NRHA Derby presented by Markel, bringing home multiple top finishes across three horses and capping the week with a class win that made the road to OKC worthwhile.
Blue Thunder – Novice Horse Open L2 & L3 Class Champion
Perhaps the most memorable story of the week came from SRM Blue Thunder. After a strong prelims run that was derailed by a 15-point penalty when Blue stumbled and went down on a knee at the final stop, Matt and Blue came back with a statement performance – marking a 225 to claim the Novice Horse Open L2 & L3 class title. The 225 marked a career-high score for Blue, and a powerful reminder of what this horse is capable of when everything comes together. It was a testament to the trust Matt and Blue have built together and a sign of big things to come.
Wallas First Gun – L3 Open Derby Reserve Champion
Wallas First Gun, known around the barn as Bullet, delivered one of the runs of his career at the 2026 NRHA Derby. The six-year-old owned by Mark and Janice Dickson marked a 224.5 to earn Reserve Champion honors in the L3 Open Derby; a tremendous result that speaks to the work Matt and Bullet have put in throughout the year.
Wallas Top Gun – 3rd Place L3 Open Derby
Bullet’s full brother Wallas Top Gun, known as Bud and also owned by Mark and Janice Dickson, wasn’t far behind. Bud marked a 223 to finish 3rd in the L3 Open Derby and 18th in the L4 Open Derby; a strong performance that further validates the quality of the Wallas bloodline and the depth of Matt’s program heading into the second half of the season.
A Week to Remember
Having two full brothers, Bullet and Bud, both owned by Mark and Janice Dickson, finish 2nd and 3rd in the same class is a remarkable achievement and a reflection of the consistency Matt brings to developing horses at the highest level of the sport. Add a career-high 225 and a class win with Blue Thunder and it was a week that the entire Matt Mills Reining Horses program will remember for a long time.
Matt and his program will now turn their attention to the second half of the 2026 show season, with the NRHA Futurity in Oklahoma City this November firmly in sight.
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