Tucker Robinson wins $30,000 Cinch Intermediate Open Futurity Championship aboard Mo Style
Tucker Robinson was feeling under the weather when he rode Lisa Conley’s gelding, Mo Style, in the Cinch Intermediate Open Snaffle Bit Futurity Finals Oct. 2, but he didn’t look a bit off his game as he piloted the son of Mr Playinstylish to three consistent scores – 217 in the herd and rein work and 216 in the cow work – for a total 650.
“He felt good in the herd work and the rein work. One of our circles in the fence work wasn’t quite what I wanted, but he’s a good horse and he tried really hard,” Robinson said in a weak, scratchy voice.
The Lompoc, Calif., horseman was still smiling, though, as he claimed the $30,000 Championship check, along with a Bob’s Custom Saddle from the NRCHA, a Gist Buckle sponsored by Jon and Norma Sather, a CR Morrison Trophy sponsored by Jim Lane Insurance, a 30x hat from JW Brooks Custom Hats, a cooler from Classic Equine, a jacket from Cinch, and product from Platinum Performance and Back On Track.
Robinson and Mo Style (Mr Playinstylish x Mo Fletch x Royal Fletch) also qualified for Saturday’s Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Finals. Asked what he planned to do to prepare, he joked that he might crawl in bed to recover, and let his wife, NRCHA Professional Tina Robinson, school Mo Style for him.
The Intermediate Open Reserve Champion was Sumkinda Maverick (Dual Rey x Sumkinda Pinkcadilac x Peptoboonsmal), shown by Mark Luis and owned by CR Sis LLC. They earned a 647.5 (220.5 herd/219 rein/208 cow) for a $15,000 payday. The placing also came with a Gist buckle sponsored by Rocking BS Ranch, a 30x JW Brooks Custom Hat, a handmade snaffle bit from Randy Paul, a Cinch jacket, and product from Back On Track and Platinum Performance.
Sumkinda Maverick also collected approximately $30,000 in sale incentive money for being the high-scoring Select 2-Year-Old and high scoring yearling from the 2012 and 2013 Snaffle Bit Futurity Sales. The incentive payouts are awarded to Snaffle Bit Sale graduates who return to Reno and earn the high score in the Futurity preliminary go-round.
Bobby Lewis rides CSR Lay Down Sally to Futurity Limited Open Championship
In the Limited Open division, the Futurity Championship went to CSR Lay Down Sally (Dual Spark x Look At Her Glo x CD O Cody), shown by Bobby Lewis and owned by Circle Star Land and Cattle Company.The little bay mare scored a 647.5 composite (213.5 herd/215 rein work/219 cow).
The win paid just over $12,000 and came with a Bob’s Custom Saddle sponsored by Flagg Ranch and Larry Rice, a Gist buckle from the NRCHA, a 30x hat from JW Brooks Custom Hat, a cooler from Classic Equine, a Cinch jacket, and product from Back On Track and Platinum Performance.
Lewis, Overbrook, Okla., a veteran horseman with numerous American Quarter Horse Association, roping, cutting and cow horse titles to his name, trained and showed both CSR Lay Down Sally’s sire, Dual Spark, and her dam, Look At Her Glo. Lewis and Dual Spark were the 2014 Reserve World’s Greatest Horseman, and he rode Look At Her Glo to numerous championships and AQHA high point awards in heading, heeling and cow horse.
“It’s awesome. It’s nice to be mounted as well as I was, and be in the company of all the great horses and have the camaraderie of all the great folks here,” he said. “She’s been a pleasure to ride the whole time. She’s been easy to train. She’s a hard worker and a nice mare, with a good mind and talent like her father and her mother. They’re nice horses.”
Lewis said the challenge of developing a Snaffle Bit Futurity finalist is more difficult than ever, as the caliber of horses and level of horsemanship steadily increases.
“The three events – it’s tough to get them ready and it takes a special horse to do it all. The competition has gotten so deep, so tough, so good, which is awesome. I tip to everybody who trains and raises them, because it’s tough. But that’s the way it’s supposed to be,” he said, smiling.
The Limited Open Reserve Champion was Nics Two Shiners (Shining Lil Nic x Gretch N Jose x Doc N Jose), shown by Jake Barry for owner Dani Nelson. Nics Two Shiners scored a total 642 (208 herd/213.5 rein/220.5 cow), earning $9,063. Barry also collected a Gist buckle sponsored by Balhizer Performance Horses, a 30x JW Brooks Custom Hat, a jacket from Cinch, and product from Platinum Performance and Back On Track.
Time For The Diamond and Nick Dowers Win Open Hackamore Championship
At this time in 2013, Nick Dowers and Time for the Diamond (One Time Pepto x Diamonds With Style x Playin Stylish) were named the Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champions. They returned to Reno Oct. 2 to claim the Open Hackamore Championship, scoring a 221 in the rein work and a 218.5 in the cow work for a total 439.5.
“It’s pretty awesome. It’s pretty special. To come here and do my horse justice just means an awful lot to me. In the prelims, he was a 219 with a three point penalty, so he was just a tick better in the prelims. We’re starting to get that reining dialed in pretty good. We just had a little bit more cow today, which allowed me to show him off,” Dowers said.
The win paid just over $8,680. It also came with a Bob’s Custom Saddle, a Gist buckle sponsored by Dick Hershman in loving memory of his wife, Harriet, a gift certificate from San Juan Ranch, and product from Platinum Performance. Time for the Diamond is owned by Nick’s father, Rod Dowers.
