Metallic Train and Clayton Edsall take home the titles of Open and Intermediate Open Stallion Stakes Champions.
After 8 days of competition, the bright lights of Las Vegas shown brightly on Metallic Train (Metallic Cat x Sparking Train x Shining Spark) and Clayton Edsall as they were crowned 2018 Open and Intermediate Open Stallion Stakes Champions. Clayton Edsall, Oakdale, California, piloted the 2013 mare to a composite score of 656.5 for owner, Beverly Vaughn, Durango, Colorado.
Metallic Train and Edsall were not the only finalists to mark a 656.5 at the South Point Equestrian Center on Saturday, March 31. The 2016 Snaffle Bit Futurity Champions and 2018 NRCHA Cow Horse Classic Derby Champions, Duals Lucky Charm (Dual Smart Rey x TRR Ms Pepcid Olena x Pepcid) and Kelby Phillips, were atop the leader board marking a 656.5, as well. As they say, it all comes down to the fence work and the 2018 Stallion Stakes was no exception.
The long-time duo, Duals Lucky Charm and Phillips scored a 213 in the herd work, a 220.5 in the rein work and a 223 in the cow work, temporarily clinching the title early in the finals. The newly-paired team, Metallic Train and Edsall, earned a big 227 down the fence, breaking the tie with the high cow score and securing the championship, when combined with their score of 215 herd work and 214.5 rein work.
The winning team took home a check for over $46,000.00; $35,471.10 in the Open and $10,838.17 in Intermediate. These hefty payouts were accompanied by a custom saddle from Scottsdale Western World, a JW Brooks straw hat, two Gist custom buckles and gift certificates to Platinum Performance.
Your Reserve Open Stallion Stakes Champions, Duals Lucky Charm and Phillips, brought home a paycheck of $23,802.98 for owners Mike and Robyne Stewart, Munday, Texas.
To say Edsall was a little busy on finals day would be an understatement. The California Professional guided not one, not two, not three, but four horses into the Open and Intermediate finals. Edsall added more than $94,000.00 in Limited Aged Events earnings to his career and multiple titles at one NRCHA premier event. Edsall also topped the $5,000 Novice Horse Stakes aboard Bet Hesa Boon (Bet Hesa Cat x Flo N Blu Boon x Pretty Boy Boon). Owner Beverly Vaughn took home a check of $3,402.00 for the win.
Limited Open Stallion Stakes Champion was another Metallic Cat offspring, Metal Cat (Metallic Cat x Tipofthestar x Grays Starlight), and Brendon Clark. Not only is Clark the rider, but he is also part owner, in addition to Q & S Kersh and J Fine. The owner-rider combo marked a 209 in the herd work, a 212.5 in the rein work and 210.5 in the cow work for a composite 632. These scores lead to a lucrative pay day of $7,779.00.
Level One Limited Open Champion was Ill Be Stylish (Mr Playinstylish x Lean Little Lena x Smart Little Lena) owned by Wayne Hanson, Creston, Iowa, and shown by Dell Hendricks, Tioga, Texas. The judges scored Hendricks a 206 in the herd work, a 213 in rein work and 214.5 in the cow work for a 633.5. NRHA Million Dollar rider Dell Hendricks added $1,932.90 to his cow horse earnings.
2018 Non Pro Stallion Stakes Champion was frequent flyer finalist, Tammy Jo Hays aboard Metallic Sparks (Metallic Cat x Shine Smartly x Shining Spark). The Nocona, Texas, horsewoman piloted the 2014 gelding to a 209 in the herd work, a 213.5 in the rein work and 217.5 down the fence. The 640 composite earned the team an $8,481.43 paycheck, a Scottsdale Western World custom saddle, a Gist custom buckle, a straw hat by JW Brooks and a Platinum Performance gift certificate. Hays owns the horse in partnership with her father Walter Greeman.
It was a big day for the Heath Family, La Grande, Oregon. Toni Hagen-Heath rode Ima One Time Wonder (One Time Pepto x My Legend Del Cielo x Gallo Del Cielo) to the Intermediate Non Pro Championship for owner, breeder, and husband, Dan Heath. Toni and her 2013 homebred mare earned a 210 in the herd work, a 212 in the rein work and a 215.5 in cow work from the judges. The composite score of 637.5 was enough to take a seven-point lead over the Reserve Champion and a paycheck of $3,847,33.
Finishing second in the Intermediate Non Pro and first in the Novice Non Pro was Canadian cowgirl Sonya Distefano and High Brow Kitty Kat (Palo Duro Cat x Hickorys Jac o Lena x Jac Pic A Nic). In addition to the Novice Non Pro Stallion Stakes Champion title, Sonya and her 2013 mare took home a win check of $1,873.48.
Topping 18 entries in the Amateur Stallion Stakes were Cowsmackin and Chantz Stewart, Cave Creek, Arizona. Chantz marked a 204 in the herd work, a 209.5 in the rein work and a 213 in the cow work for a composite of 626.5. Chantz earned a win check of $1,903.50 for her family’s ranch and owner, Stewart Ranch.
Jessica Draper and Workin Mans Blues (Yellow Roan Of Texas x Topi Chexx x A Cowboy At Heart) find themselves at the top of the heap, again, in the Non Pro Limited Stakes. Your 2017 Non Pro Limited Hackamore Classic Champions add another title and earnings of $2,351.50 to their record. Their scores of 213 in the herd work, 200.5 in rein work and 216 in the cow work sent them to the top of 27 entries by a narrow half-point margin.
While your horse’s sire and foal crop year must enrolled in the NRCHA Subscribed Stallion program to be eligible to compete in the Limited Aged Event portion of the Stallion Stakes, anyone is eligible to compete in the horse show classes. The NRCHA Stallion Stakes offers a full set of horse show classes, eight spectaculars and advanced boxing, all in addition to the Stakes. The additional classes, increase in added money and premier venue all contributed to 2018 being the largest NRCHA Stallion Stakes to-date.
