Oklahoma journalist Jenifer Reynolds & Chris Cook Honored for Lifetime Achievement

Terré Gables/KFOR
·2 min read

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Oklahoma media mainstays, Jenifer Reynolds and Chris Cook, were presented with the Dale Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Award recently for their dedication to enshrining the history and legacy of the sport of reining.

According to the Reining Horse Foundation both were honored during the Foundation’s Sliders’ Night Out at the OKC Fairgrounds on Nov. 29th.

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“As the equine world has seen ups and downs due to numerous challenges, we worked with Jenifer and Chris to tell the story of Oklahoma City and our relationship with the horse show industry in a way that we all could be proud of,” said Mike Carrier, 2020 Dale Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and past president of the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The manner in which Jenifer and Chris so meaningfully tell the stories of the people, horses, and events that have made the performance horse industry such a significant part of the overall industry, along with the beauty and grace of the partnership between humans and the love of horses, is a tie that binds so many to Oklahoma City and our commitment to NRHA.”

With longstanding ties to Oklahoma and showcased to fans across the globe, Reynolds and Cook are considered the driving force behind Sandbur Productions, Inside Reining, and Horse of the West, which airs on RFD-TV.

Reynolds is most known in Oklahoma for her time in radio and local television. She is also a member of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame. Cook has spent decades as a photojournalist.

In 2023, the community economic impact on Oklahoma City of the National Reining Horse Association Futurity and Adequan ® North American Affiliate Championship show is estimated to be upwards of $16 million, making contributions such as Reynolds’ and Cook’s vital to the financial health of the community.

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“My parents have always been really taken with the fact that the reining industry is such a caring family that looks out for each other and supports each other. They always wanted to showcase that with their TV show as much as they wanted to showcase the competition,” said Nelia Cook, Reynolds and Cook’s daughter, who works alongside them in production. “I think they were never exactly sure how much they were part of that family since they aren’t competitors themselves. When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, the reining community really stepped up to support our family and raised a generous amount of money to help with medical bills. She’s been taken care of like one of their own and now with this achievement award, I think it just goes to show that you don’t have to be a reiner to feel the love of that community.”

For more information, visit www.nrha.com or https://www.horseofthewest.tv/.

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