The second day of preliminaries at the National Reined Cow Horse Association Jack and Phoebe Cooke Memorial Derby wrapped up Tuesday, June 14, at the Paso Robles Event Center. The rein work prelims for the Open divisions are now complete, and Non Pro competitors have shown in two events, the rein work and herd work.
Click here to watch video of the high-scoring runs of the day.
In the Open rein work, two horses earned 224 scores to share the lead in the go-round. On Monday, Some Kinda Merada (Cats Merada x Ima Fern Believer x Peptoboonsmal), a 2011 mare shown by NRCHA 2 Million Dollar Rider Todd Bergen for owner Cable Creek Ranch LLC, scored a 224 to top the leader board. On Tuesday, the second 224 score came from Smooth Bellingrath (Smooth As A Cat x Very Special Peppy x Peppy San Badger), a 2011 stallion shown by Nick Dowers for his family’s Triple D Ranches LLC.
The high score in the Intermediate Open rein work prelims, a 221.5, belongs to Shine Smarter (WR This Cats Smart x Shiney Tari x Shining Spark), a 2012 mare shown by Sarah Dawson, Gainesville, Texas, and owned by Sarah’s parents, Richard and Cheryl Winters.
There was also a tie at the top of the Limited Open rein work preliminaries. Roosters Pistolena (Gallo Del Cielo x Mss Boomerchex x Mr Boomerjac), a 2012 mare shown by Lee Deacon, Gainesville, Texas, and owned by CDJ Performance Horses, earned one of the high 218 scores. The other 218 belonged to Magicat (Metallic Cat x Magical Lena x Little Lenas Legend), shown by Ryan Thomas, King Hill, Idaho, and owned by Joyce Pearson.
The high score in the Level 1 Limited Open rein work, a 213, belongs to Showmethe Cat (Cat T Masterson x Say Showmethe Money x Nu Cash), a 2012 stallion owned and shown by Brendon Clark, Hollister, California.
Non Pro Herd Work
Laurie Richards, Buellton, California, rode Kiss Me A Lot (Master Getta x Kiss Me A Little x Smart Little Pepinic), her 2015 Snaffle Bit Futurity Non Pro Champion mare, to a 221, the high score of the Non Pro herd work prelims. Richards and Kiss Me A Lot are currently second in the Non Pro composite with a 433.5 (221 herd/212.5 rein).
Intermediate Non Pro & Novice Non Pro Herd Work
Brush Prairie, Washington, competitor Hope Miller won the herd work prelims in the Intermediate Non Pro and Novice Non Pro divisions, scoring a 220 aboard Cashs Catmando (Metallic Cat x Shesa Lota Cash x Nu Cash). Miller and her 2011 gelding also lead the composite in the Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Novice Non Pro with a 434 (220 herd/214 rein).
Amateur Herd Work
Sonya DiStefano, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, won the Amateur rein work prelims on Monday, and she continued her high scoring ways on Tuesday, scoring a 217 aboard Reys Stylish Bell (Dual Rey x Blues Stylish Bell x Docs Stylish Oak) to top the herd work in the Amateur division. DiStefano and the 2011 gelding also lead the Amateur composite with a 432.5 (217 herd/215.5 rein).
Non Pro Limited Herd Work
In the Non Pro Limited division, Linda Wood, Rolling Hills Estates, California, guided This Cats Royal (WR This Cats Smart x Da Royal Pepto x Peptoboonsmal), to a 216 to top the Non Pro Limited herd work go-round.
The composite lead in the Non Pro Limited is shared between Anne Albert, riding White Knight Time, and Erin Mendes, riding Recklessly Abandoned. Both competitors have a 424.5 score after two events.
