Tracking Derby Entries through the Pro Management Offices
The entry deadline for the 6666 National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel was on May 15, 2022, and the show kicked off just a few short days later. With over 575 Derby entries, and ancillary entries still rolling in, employees at Pro Management have been heads down in an effort to help NRHA put together another memorable Derby. A month after that Derby entry deadline, the pieces are falling into place. Keep reading to learn how the Pro Management Office processes Derby entries.
Brent Walck (Mailman)
Brent has been delivering mail for the Pro Management Office for 24 years. He carries the mail directly to the desk from which it will begin its journey through the office to ensure that no malady befalls it out in some remote mailbox. Rain, sleet, snow, or shine, Brent keeps your USPS delivery safe until it arrives on Jovonna White’s desk, and he always does it with a kind word and a smile.
“Pro Management is one of my favorite stops. They are always friendly and smiling, and they usually have a cold bottle of water and some good snacks to share. The popcorn on Fridays is especially good!” Brent shared, then added. “I like that they still send lots of mail, too. So many have moved to email.”
Jovonna White
Jovonna was happily beginning retired life when she was drawn into the Pro management offices to help get through an especially busy spell. She enjoyed her time so much and fit in so well, she never left. Her previous career at the Farm Service Agency more than prepared her for processing entries. Her desk is where your entry begins its transformation from sealed envelopes to your confirmed spot in Oklahoma City.
“They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I’ve learned a few!” she admitted with a laugh. Then on a more serious note, she touted the values that the office runs on. “Accuracy is important in our office, and we always strive to provide the best customer service possible.”
Jovonna opens the mail, makes a copy of the payment method, and enters your information on the Entries Received sheet on the NRHA Derby website so you can see that your entry made it here in Brent’s capable hands. She also checks to be sure your horse has been nominated, puts everything in a folder, and passes it on to the next phase of its journey.
Rita LoPresto
If your Stabling Request Form arrives with your entry, it gets passed to Rita. Rita was bored with retired life when she found fulfillment again in Pro Management. With her extensive knowledge of good management and organizational tactics, she has been an asset to the team ever since.
At the NRHA Derby, stall sponsors get priority placement so when Rita receives a Stabling Request form, she checks to see if it is from a stall sponsor, and if so, she checks the previous year’s stall chart to see where they were placed and then the current chart to see if there is space. This is why it is important to request your stalls early.
She enters the information from the form, including any special requests, onto a Google sheet to make placement easier, and if there is a payment with the stalls, she delivers it to Cheri Johnson in bookkeeping. She keeps the completed forms in one of two four-inch binders, one for sponsors and one for non-sponsors.
“Even after stalls are assigned, I have phone calls and emails coming in to add or remove stalls or to trade stalls with someone else, or to move stalls, and a number of other requests,” she admitted.
Rita also gets the VIP RV Forms. With these, she checks sponsorship status and makes sure there is space for the request. Again, billing and payments go to Cheri, and processed forms go into a large binder.
Jody Staff
Jody Staff is the youngest member of the team, but she more than makes up for her lack of years with reliability and accuracy. She gives her generation a good name and is the go-to for all questions concerning entries.
“We love going to the show and getting to see everyone that we talk to on the phone in person at the event,” she shared. “The Pro Management team, together with NRHA and the Show Office team at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel want to make your experience at the show a great one.”
Entries spend the most amount of time with Jody. She checks each horse’s and rider’s eligibility and enters the horse and rider information into the horse show program.
The horse show program assigns a back number and Jody prints a label for the folder to make it easier to find before she sends it back to Jovonna to file. Meanwhile, the payment method is handed over to Kristen Simons.
Kristen Simons
Kristen is the newest member of the team, but she has more than proven herself with her desire to learn and her adherence to accuracy. Her position in bookkeeping means that she posts the payment in Quickbooks. She deposits checks and also runs credit cards, which gives her the uncomfortable job of occasionally calling clients to let them know that the credit card payment failed.
“The best part about being a new member of this amazing team is that there is never a dull moment,” Kristen said with a smile. “It may be challenging and liberating, but it is well worth every moment.”
Cheri Johnson
Cheri leads the bookkeeping section of the office and is the longest-standing employee of Pro Management. She assists Kristen with the financial processes such as posting payments, depositing checks, and running credit cards. She also sends invoices as necessary, and in addition, after the show has ended, she balances the books to ensure that everything adds up properly.
“We have been doing this for a long time now, so we have gotten to where our process works like a well-oiled machine,” she said. “There are so many parts, and everyone has a part, so if someone misses something, another person will usually catch it. It’s nice that everyone has each other’s backs like that.”
In addition to all of the work that the Derby provides, Pro Management is wrapping up the National Reining Breeders Classic as well as taking entries for the NRHA Futurity during this time. There are hotel contracts to negotiate, vendors to please, parties to plan, and staff to find and hire plus so much more. Through it all, the team works together and stays focused on creating as seamless an experience at the 6666 NRHA Derby presented by Markel as possible.