“I couldn’t be happier with the Arabians I have had a chance to ride,” Fappani says. “Both of the winners I rode here came from Crystal McNutt’s training program. She’s done an amazing job of training them. I basically ‘catch rode,’ and had about a month of training with them. I don’t compare the Quarter Horse to the Arabian. I look at every horse as an individual. I don’t expect them to be better or worse; I expect them to be nice horses. I can’t see why the Arabian reiner won’t get better and better to where they can honestly compete with our Quarter Horse reiners.” In 2001, when Andrea Fappani was 24, he rode RR Star, a 3-year-old sorrel Overo stallion to win the NRHA Futurity. He was the first international rider to win the Futurity and one of the youngest. RR Star was the first Paint Horse to win as well. When asked if he might be the one to ride the first Arabian to win the NRHA Futurity, Fappani replied that he had not thought of it, but that it was a very good idea!
No Arabian/Half-Arabian competitor supported the ARBC and the High Roller Reining Classic with greater enthusiasm than top Arabian reining rider and trainer, Crystal McNutt. Crystal brought 24 horses to Las Vegas; 21 of them Arabian or Half-Arabian. “I’ve attended the High Roller Reining Classic in Las Vegas since its inception,” Crystal says. “They do a very good job. The purses are outstanding. It’s a great show and a great concept. I think I took a few too many horses this year. There were a few nights with no sleep at all, so I will probably rethink my numbers in 2015. Scheduling could have been a bit better for the Arabian horses, but it was the first year and we show them differently then we show Quarter Horses. It might have been better for the crowd on Wednesday morning to see the Half-Arabians show first, before the purebreds. Or even better, it would have been nice to spread it out over a couple of days. Personally, I had a very successful show. We all love the South Point facility and coming up to Las Vegas. A lot of the people who bring their Arabians here use this show as a warm-up for the U.S. Nationals in Tulsa. The additional ARBC classes afford all of us a large, dynamic opportunity.” McNutt was reserve champion in the Level 4 Open HalfArabian ($7.739.05) with Were Dun Johnny (Were Dun x BSF Fiona); and placed with PAF Hitman (Like A Diamond x PAF Tohottohandle) and Ben There Dunthat RA (Brennas Golden Dunit x Minding Ps and Qs). In the Arabian Open Level 4, she was third ($4,536.75) with AM Star ofthe Sea (AM Good Oldboy+ x CarmelBythe-Sea) and placed with LJ Silverado (Al-Marah Matt Dillon+/ x AM Dream Lady). Her sister, Cotton McNutt, won the Level 4 Non Pro on her horse All Maxed Out RA.
Reserve Champion Arabian Level 4 Open MR UNIVERCE (Another Hero x Foxxie Lady), ridden by Tyson Randle for owner Bryan Nelson.
Top Arabian reining professional Tyson Randle was Reserve Champion in the Level 4 Open Arabian Reining ($6,124.61) with Mr Univerce (Another Hero x Foxxie Lady) and third in the Level 4 Open Half-Arabian Reining ($5,980.18) with BJ Spooks Lil Gun (Spooks Gotta Gun x Czars Fire Bug). In the High Roller Reining Classic 1 Open Arabian/Half Arabian Reining, Tyson placed reserve, third and fifth, with Smoking Gun, Mr Univerce and A Hail Storm EWA (Shine Like Hail x Valarita), respectively.
Volume 45, No. 5 | 209AAA