NRHA Million Dollar Rider | 2× Futurity Champion | 21+ World Championships
Todd Sommers grew up in Indiana with a clear goal: become a professional horse trainer in Texas. Right out of high school, he headed south and landed his first job at the Tommy Manion Ranch in Aubrey — one of the most respected establishments in the western performance horse industry. It was the right start for a career that would span decades and disciplines.
After working with multiple top professionals and absorbing the nuances of both reining and western pleasure, Sommers struck out on his own in 1988. He built his program methodically, earning a reputation for a consistent and detail-oriented approach to horse development that clients across multiple disciplines could count on.
His show record spans an extraordinary range. In reining, he became a two-time NRHA Open Futurity Champion — the sport's most prestigious title. Among his championship horses were Von Reminic, Don't Skip Charlie, Seven S Flashy Zipper, Cookie Leaguer, Buenonic Chex, Hes Dun His Time, and Cattitude — a roster of successful horses that reflects both his eye for talent and his ability to develop it.
In 2000, Sommers was NRHA's top money-earning rider — a season that validated everything he had built since going out on his own twelve years earlier. He reached the coveted NRHA Million Dollar Rider milestone at the National Reining Breeders Classic, when a 222 on Whiz It A Chic secured his place in that elite company. 'I feel very honored to be in the company of the elite riders in this industry,' he said at the time.
Beyond reining, Sommers has been equally formidable in western pleasure competition, accumulating more than $180,000 in NSBA earnings and earning over 20 National and World Championships in the AQHA, APHA, ApHC, and PHBA — a versatility rarely seen at this level of professional competition.
He and his wife Kelly own and operate Sommers Performance Horses near Whitesboro, Texas — the same North Texas community that has become something of a hub for elite reining trainers. His program produced notable professionals including Nathan Piper, who trained under Sommers before establishing his own successful career.
Todd Sommers' legacy is that of the dedicated craftsman — a trainer who built his career the right way, with patience, precision, and an unwavering commitment to excellence across every discipline he touched.
Todd Sommers rides Superior Saddles by Andy Mashke. His TS Ranch Riding saddle in the Superior lineup reflects his dual expertise in both reining and western pleasure — a saddle built for the versatile professional who demands performance across every discipline.
View Superior Saddles Lineup →