The preliminary competition is complete at the National Reined Cow Horse Association Hackamore Classic at the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo, Colo., as 4- and 5-year-old horses, in the traditional bitless bosal headgear, competed in the cow work.
The top 11 Open horses advance to the cow work-only finals Saturday. The finals score, combined with the preliminary score, will determine the Champion. It took a 429 to qualify for the Open finals.
Blackfoot, Idaho, professional Zane Davis maintained his lock on the top two placings after three events, leading the preliminary round on Rubys Radar (One Time Pepto x Ruby Bagonia x Peppy San Badger), a 2010 stallion owned by Billie Filippini. Davis piloted Rubys Radar to a combined 440.5 (146 herd/146.5 rein/148 cow), and also won the cow work round.
Just behind Rubys Radar is another Davis-trained horse, Brother Jackson (Peptoboonsmal x Shes Icing Onthe Cat x High Brow Cat), owned by John Semanik. The 2009 stallion has a composite 435.5.5 on two events (148 herd/145.5 rein/142 cow).
In the Intermediate Open, the preliminary leader is Coolreys (Dual Rey x Olena Cindy x Doc O’Lena), shown by Justin Lawrence and owned by Robin Dangel. They earned a total 430.5 (145 herd/142 rein/143.5 cow). Coolreys also earned an Open finals berth. Seven Intermediate Open riders will compete in the finals Saturday, and a minimum composite 425 score was required to advance.
The Limited Open prelim leader is Jojo Tari (Little Polo Joe x Tari Acre x Bob Acre Doc), owned and shown by Lavert Avent. The 2009 mare has a total 427.5 (145.5 herd/140.5 rein/ 141.5 cow) and will also advance to the Intermediate Open finals.
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| Rubys Radar, shown by Zane Davis for owner Billie Filippini, won the cow work round and leads the Hackamore Classic Open composite. |
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Open Novice Horse Champion
The Hackamore Classic preliminary round determines the Champions in several divisions, and a hard-luck horse received a well deserved moment in the spotlight when he won the Open Novice Horse Championship. Reys Star Cat (High Brow Cat x Reys Starlight x Grays Starlight), a 2009 gelding shown by NRCHA Two Million Dollar Rider Todd Crawford and owned by Dom Conicelli, won the title with a total 434 score (143 herd/145.5 rein/145.5 cow).
Reys Star Cat, originally trained by leading National Reining Horse Association professional Craig Schmersal, entered Crawford’s program as a 3-year-old.
“I showed him at the reining futurity. Unfortunately, it was not successful,” Crawford said. When Conicelli, a stalwart NRCHA supporter and non pro competitor, purchased Reys Star Cat, he was gelded to improve his mental focus, and introduced to cattle last year as a 4-year-old. Making up the training time was a challenge, according to Crawford.
“Not having that foundation as a 2- and 3-year-old with the cow work was difficult. He was very scared of a cow and it took a long time to teach him to go down the fence. If the cow hit him, he would exit stage left. He showed here in all three events very well. I was quite happy with him,” Crawford said.
Besides a career change, Reys Star Cat also missed five months of training while he recovered from an injury sustained last fall. Crawford appreciated his owner for refusing to give up.
“Dom is one of our great people in the cow horse world. I always believed the horse had the talent, but I kept telling Dom it was going to take a little time. It’s been a challenge, and a lot of people would have bailed a long time ago. I appreciate him sticking with it,” Crawford said.
The Novice Horse Championship came with a check for $2,482, as well as a custom sheet and a set of skid boots, both donated by NRCHA Corporate Sponsor Classic Equine.
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Level 1 Limited Open
Pueblo, Colo., was an appropriate place for Coloradoboonsmal (Peptoboonsmal x Miss Playboys Josie x Freckles Playboy) to win the Level 1 Limited Open Championship. It was a meaningful title for the 2010 gelding’s trainer, Keith Vogel, and his owners, Ted and Cheryl Swanson.
“We’re all Colorado residents, and that’s pretty special. When you have a big event in your local area, it’s nice to go get something done,” Vogel said. “The horse never ceases to amaze me. I’m really happy with him. Good horse, big heart, big stop, lots of cow. He’ll be a great bridle horse, I think. He has yet to live up to his ability.”
Coloradoboonsmal scored a total 423 (143 herd/139 rein/141 cow), earning $1,487. He also took home a Gist custom buckle from the NRCHA and a sheet and skid boots from Classic Equine.
The roan gelding,known as “Ed” around the barn, was a less than willing partner as a 2- and 3-year-old, but Vogel was determined to uncover the talented performer that he knew was somewhere inside.
“It takes time. You have to try to get those tougher minded horses to like you. You can’t be the reason they hate to go work,” Vogel said. “I thank the Swansons for letting me take the time with this horse. With that kind of support from my owners, my family and friends, there’s not a whole lot I can do besides go win. I’m just the lucky guy in the middle,” he said, smiling.
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Hackamore Classic Non Pro Finalists Determined
The top six Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro riders will advance to Saturday’s cow work-only finals, along with the top five Novice Non Pro Riders. It took a 417 composite in the Non Pro and Intermediate and a 418 in the Novice.
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Hackamore Classic Amateur Champion
It was an emotional win for Tara Matsler, Canyon, Texas, who claimed the Hackamore Classic Amateur Championship aboard her homebred mare, Soula Boon (Soula Jule Star x Blues Nu Boon x Peptoboonsmal).
“It’s absolutely amazing. This is a second-generation horse that my family has bred and raised. My dad won a reserve world championship on her grand-dam, and I showed her dam for the last few years. It’s very cool to win something like this on one you raised and have such a history with,” Matsler said.
She guided the 2009 sorrel mare to a total 425 score (139 herd/141 rein/145 cow), taking home $1,080; a Gist buckle from the NRCHA; an embroidered sheet from Classic Equine; and a gift certificate from San Juan Ranch, a division of Santa Cruz Biotechnologies.
Matsler owns Soula Boon with her husband of almost a year, Cody Matsler.
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Non Pro Limited Champion
When Curt Fender, Cave Creek, Ariz., won the Hackamore Classic Non Pro Limited Championship, he became the first National Reined Cow Horse Association Free Ride member to win a NRCHA Premier Event title.
Fender was also celebrating his 44th birthday as he piloted Dynamite Nic (Tinsel Nic x Lenas Dynamite Chic x Smart Chic Olena) to a total 403.5 score (130 herd/134 rein/139.5 cow), earning $1,215. The Championship also came with a Gist buckle and a custom sheet from Classic Equine.
“I haven’t been at this very long, so it’s pretty cool to win a major event right off the bat,” said Fender. He started showing cow horses last November, at the encouragement of longtime friend, roping partner and professional trainer Brad Barkemeyer. He bought Dynamite Nic in February, and the 2010 gelding, previously trained as just a reiner, received a crash course in cow work.
“He had never seen a cow before I bought him. He was shown in the reining and the ranch pleasure,” Fender said. Dynamite Nic had barely 90 days on cattle before Fender showed him at the Hackamore Classic, and even less time in the hackamore.
“We put him in the hackamore maybe two and a half weeks ago. The day that the entries were due, I asked Brad if we were doing this or not, and he said okay. I’m planning to show him at the [NRCHA] Derby next. We’ll see how the next month goes.”
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Shining Lil Nic Open Bridle Spectacular
Riding Very Smart Magic (Very Smart Remedy x Magical Lena x Little Lenas Legend), a horse who only entered his program a few weeks ago, Jay McLaughlin, Gainesville, Texas, won the Shining Lil Nic Open Bridle Spectacular Championship with a total 434.5 (144 herd/146.5 rein/144 cow),
Less than a month ago, at the NRCHA Stakes in Las Vegas, McLaughlin’s client, Mattie Neal, purchased the 2006 stallion from owner/breeder and NRCHA Million Dollar Rider Annie Reynolds, King Hill, Idaho.
“He actually got hurt and was turned out for two years, and they brought him back and were just doing the reining on him for about 90 to 120 days. I was looking for another horse for Mattie, and I thought of calling Annie, and that’s how it happened. He was great out of the herd, and in the rein work, I’m trying to get to know him so I didn’t run him super hard. He felt really true all the way through it. He was decent down the fence. He can be huge; I can feel it in him. I’ve just got to get his confidence in the bridle.”
McLaughlin will be preparing Very Smart Magic for Neal to show in the Non Pro Bridle as she progresses from the boxing classes to the fence work.
The Shining Lil Nic Bridle Spectacular Open Championship came with a $4,200 check, a Gist buckle and a custom sheet from Classic Equine.
McLaughlin thanked the class sponsors, Shining Lil Nic’s owners, Bill and Janiejill Tointon of Longmont, Colo., for their support.
“I can’t believe it paid what it did! It was a great paycheck,” he said.
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| Left to right: More Magic Please; Susan Lyle; Wilson Lyle; Blue Allen; TF The Gus Man; Jeanie Allen. |
Non Pro Limited Spectacular
Susan Lyle, Basalt, Colo., claimed the Championship and the Reserve Championship in the Non Pro Limited Spectacular.
Riding More Magic Please (Chic Please x Magical Lena x Little Lenas Legend), Lyle soared a total 419.5 (140 herd/138.5 rein/141 cow) for the Championship. She took home a check for $1,016 as well as a Gist buckle and a custom sheet from Classic Equine.
Her other horse, TF The Gus Man (WR This Cats Smart x Classy Remedy x Tangys Classy Peppy), carried her to a composite 417.5 (135 herd/140.5 rein/142 cow) for the Reserve Championship, which paid $762.
“I’m totally blown away! I don’t think I rode my best, but I have great horses,” she said.
Lyle named the cow work as her favorite part of the competition, but quickly admitted she also loved everything else about the event.
“The music, the people, the environment, the weather, having my husband [Wilson Lyle] with me – all of it,” she said.
Lyle formerly rode hunters and jumpers, and became involved with reined cow horses about six years ago when she met Alamosa, Colo., cow horse trainer Blue Allen.
“I took a ranch horse versatility clinic and then started riding with Blue. I have to thank him and his wife, Jeanie, for everything they have done for me. I hope to do this until I’m 80!” she said.
