A sparkling rein work plus an above-average cow work equaled a championship for Nicolas Barthelemy, who won the Snaffle Bit Futurity Limited Open Hackamore title aboard TR Dual Shine (TR Dual Rey x Miss N Shine), owned by Sheri Jamieson, La Jolla, Calif.
Barthelemy piloted the 4-year-old gelding to a 218 in the rein work, the highest of the round, and then scored a 214.5 on the cow. The Championship paid $2,250, and the 432.5 score earned Barthelemy and TR Dual Shine a spot in tomorrow’s Open Hackamore finals.
“The reining went really smooth. He was good everywhere – the circles, the lead change, and when he went for the stop, he dragged his butt. I was a little scared I would miss the mark for the spin because he really gave it everything. When I was done with the reining, I was like, ‘One down, that was good, let’s hope for a good cow now!’” an exuberant Barthelemy said after the win, adding that he was pleased with how TR Dual Shine handled his cow.
“The horse was everywhere he needed to be. He boxed good, we sent it down, and he read the cow better than I did, really. That cow shut down and he shut down right with it. He was just there for me. He did the job!”
Jamieson raised TR Dual Shine, and although the gelding was difficult to train at first, Barthelemy said he has improved every year.
“He was a challenge. Everything was in him, I just couldn’t pull it out. You’d get a stop, you’d miss the spin. You’d get a spin, you’d miss a lead change. There was always something. He just needed to mature. He was worth working for. He became stronger and stronger, and he’s become a show horse. He proved it today. I’m really happy,” Barthelemy said.
Besides the paycheck, the Championship came with a Gist Custom Buckle and CR Morrison Trophy sponsored by NRCHA, Platinum Performance from Doug Herthel and a monogrammed Cinch jacket from Bob’s Custom Saddles and New West Country Store.
Barthelemy thanked the sponsors for all the “amazing prizes,” and extended his appreciation to his fiancée, Stacy Hanson, and to Jamieson, TR Dual Shine’s owner.
“She’s just a great client, and I really appreciate everything when it comes to Sheri,” he said.
The Reserve Champion was Kelby Phillips, riding Very Smart Playmate (Very Smart Remedy x Gunna Be Mine), for owners Garth and Amanda Gardiner. They scored a 218 in the rein work and a 214 in the cow work for a 432 composite, which paid $1,800.
The National Reined Cow Horse Association, now in its 62nd year, is the governing body of cow horse competition. It is responsible for promoting the sport, ensuring high standards of competition and educating members and the public about the history and tradition of reined cow horses. With the support of a Corporate Partner family that includes Bob’s Custom Saddles, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cinch, Classic Equine, Gist Silversmiths, John Deere, Markel Insurance Company, Platinum Performance, Quarter Horse News, Rios of Mercedes, Santa Cruz Biotechnologies, Silver Legacy Hotel and Casino, Bloomer Trailers and Schwalbe Trucks presented by Great West Trailers, and Merial products UlcerGard and Equioxx, the association works to keep the vaquero tradition alive in today’s equine industry. For information on the National Reined Cow Horse Association, call 580-759-4949 or visit the official NRCHA web site at www.NRCHA.com.
