To the End

“I love a good hackamore horse, and he is one,” Lance Johnston said of Annies Smart Cat after riding him to the Hackamore Classic Open Championship.

PRESENTED BY OSWOOD STALLION STATION TOP 10

Fort Worth, TX – October 7-23, 2021 Horse/Rider/Pedigree/Owner/Score/Money 1. Annies Smart Cat; Lance Johnston; (WR This Cats Smart x Shiney Nu Annie x Shining Spark); Rocking BS Ranch; 671 (H:223/R:222/C:226); $20,500 2. Ricato Suave; Clay Volmer; (Metallic Cat x Hip Hip Sue Rey x Dual Rey); Shaleah Hester & Madeline Fountain; 663.5 (H:224/R:218.5/C:221); $15,093.54 3. Hazardouz Material; Erin Taormino; (Metallic Cat x Scooters Daisy Dukes x Dual Smart Rey); Linda Mars; 663 (H:216.5/R:221/C:225.5); $12,398.27 4. Lil Starlight Cat; Lance Johnston; (High Brow Cat x Lil Foxie Starlight x Grays Starlight); Kenneth & Karen Haugland; 659 (H:217.5/R:219.5/C:222); $10,781.10 5. Goin Down For Real; Corey Cushing; (Metallic Cat x Quejanapep x Dual Pep); Tallian Thompson; 657 (H:219/R:220/C:218); $8,085.83 6. Smart Chic An Tari; Sarah Dawson; (Smart Chic Olena x Shiney Tari x Shining Spark); Aaron Ranch; 656 (H:219.5/R:217.5/C:219); $6,468.66 7. Move That Rock; Cara Hencratt; (That CD Rocks x Smokums Dual Move x Mister Dual Pep); Debbie Proctor; 654 (H:217.5/R:217.5/C:219); $4,851.50 7. Graceful Smart Cat; Justin Wright; (WR This Cats Smart x Gracielights x CD Lights); Wagonhound Land & Livestock LLC; 654 (H:217.5/R:219.5/C:217); $4,851.50 9. One Ata Time; Ryan Gallentine; (One Time Pepto x Hip Hip Sue Rey x Dual Rey); Steven Mattson; 653.5 (H:218/R:216.5/C:219); $3,054.65 9. Heza Rowdy Cat; Clayton Edsall; (Bet Hesa Cat x Dear Little Boon Bar x Boon Bar); Kim Basterrechea; 653.5 (H:216.5/R:218.5/C:218.5); $3,054.65 9. Seven S Razzberry; Kelby Phillips; (Blind Sided x Seven S Valentina x Playgun); R.A. Brown Ranch; 653.5 (H:216/R:219/C:218.5); $3,054.65

By Kristin Pitzer Photos by Primo Morales

With nearly 100 entries in the Open alone, the National Reined Cow Horse Association Hackamore Classic, presented by Oswood Stallion Station and held at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity®, had four days dedicated to the herd, rein and cow works in the division. Starting with the herd work on October 9-10 and finishing with the rein and cow works October 18-19, the event proved the old adage that “it’s not over until it’s over,” with the last draw of the entire show, Annies Smart Cat and Lance Johnston, coming out as champions.

Johnston and the 5-year-old stallion (WR This Cats Smart x Shiney Nu Annie x Shining Spark), who was bred by Wagonhound Land & Livestock LLC, laid down big scores in all three works. In the herd work, their 223 ended up the second-highest of the group.

“This horse is so stylish in the herd. Everybody calls him ‘sexy,’ ” Johnston said. “I finally got him shown the way I wanted. I’ve been [2]19s, [2]20s and [2]21s, but I think this is the best I’ve ever shown him.”

Johnston said “Wilbur” had been feeling great in the rein work all week. His plan for the Finals was to run him as hard as he could, while still reserving some horse for the cow work since it followed right after their rein work pattern.

“His biggest strength is his stop and his presence,” Johnston said. “He’s a plus-1 stopper and he can plus-1 circle, but I can’t run that hard and then go down the fence. I had to leave a little bit of air. But he’ll steal points with his presence.”

The pair’s score of 222 was the highest Wilbur has ever marked in the reining, and it also topped the leaderboard. As they went into the cow work, Johnston was grateful to be in the last draw position because he knew exactly what he needed to mark to land in the No. 1 spot.

“I knew it was going to be tough, but I also thought I had a shot, as good as this horse is, to beat ‘Rico’ [Ricato Suave],” Johnston said.

After scoring a 226 down the fence—the highest score in the Hackamore Classic Open cow work—the pair ended up with a huge 671 composite and the championship. They collected a $20,500 check for owner Rocking BS Ranch.

“This horse needed a signature win,” Johnston said. “He’s such a nice horse, he deserved a major win. It’s so cool to be here in Fort Worth to do it.”

Johnston expressed his appreciation to his wife, Tammy, his crew, and Rocking BS Ranch owners Brent and Susie Steward. Johnston rode another stallion they own, Here Comes The Boon, to the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® Open Championship in 2019. He was thankful for Brent’s trust in him when he told him he needed to buy Wilbur a year ago.

“They are unbelievable,” Johnston said. “Brent and Susie changed our lives and took my program to another level. I told Brent if he bought him [Wilbur], I’d win $100,000 on him in two years, and if I didn’t, I’d get a trainer that would because it would be my fault. This is getting us pretty on track right here.” Ricato Suave (Metallic Cat x Hip Hip Sue Rey x Dual Rey), a 4-year-old stallion, held the lead through most of the show but ended up Reserve with his composite 663.5 (H:224/R:218.5/C:221). Trainer Clay Volmer and the stallion, who was bred by Flag Ranch LLC, took home a $15,093.54 check for owners Shaleah Hester and Madeline Fountain.

With their composite 663.5 (H:224/R:218.5/C:221), Ricato Suave (Metallic Cat x Hip Hip Sue Rey x Dual Rey) and Clay Volmer took Reserve for owners Shaleah Hester and M. Fountain. The 2017 stallion, who was bred by Flag Ranch LLC, collected $15,093.54. In 2021, Oswood Stallion Station, located in Weatherford, Texas, recognized the importance of supporting this vital step in reined cow horse training and inked a multi-year agreement to serve as the presenting sponsor of the NRCHA Hackamore Classic.

Started by Jeff Oswood in 1989 with three studs, there are now nineteen stallions that stand at the station.

“Oswood Stallion Station has been involved with the NRCHA for nearly three decades,” said Oswood. “To be a sponsor for the Hackamore Classic is really important to us.”

This year, Brock and Molly Malson entered into a five-year transition to purchase the station.

“I got the opportunity to work for Jeff Oswood and dove in,” said Brock. “He let me grow as an employee. I grew up showing reining horses so I was kind of star-struck at the quality of horses at his facility. To be able to continue on the legacy that [Jeff Oswood] created is important to us; he’s created a brand with values and core beliefs.”

The Hackamore Classic was first held in 2012. It has steadily grown in entries and this year boasts $50,000 in added money in the Open and $15,000 for the Non Pro division.

With a composite 654 (H:217.5/R:217.5/C:219), Move That Rock (That CD Rocks x Smokums Dual Move x Mister Dual Pep) and Cara Hencratt picked up three championships. Hencratt and the 2016 gelding, who was bred by Erin Mendes and is owned by Debbie Proctor, collected $6,588.45 from the Intermediate, $2,066.38 from the Limited and $4,226.40 from the Level 1 Limited Open.

One Ata Time (One Time Pepto x Hip Hip Sue Rey x Dual Rey), who is a half-brother to Ricato Suave, and Ryan Gallentine rode to a composite 653.5 (H:218/R:216.5/C:219). The 2017 stallion, who was bred by Flag Ranch LLC, picked up $4,941.34 for owner Steven Mattson.

Lance Johnston also garnered the Novice Horse Open title, albeit on Lil Starlight Cat (High Brow Cat x Lil Foxie Starlight x Grays Starlight). He and the 2017 Glenn and Debbie Drake-bred stallion scored a 659 (H:217.5/R:219.5/C:222) and collected a check worth $2,709 for owners Kenneth and Karen Haugland.

CWR Sanntonio (Sannman x Surfin Calie x Cat Ichi) and Trey Pool brought home two Reserve titles for owner Jane Owens after scoring a composite 650.5 (H:217.5/ R:215.5/C:217.5). The 2017 stallion, who was bred by Devlyn Drake, nabbed $1,617.17 from the Limited Open and $3,381.12 in the Level 1 Limited Open.

Quizzicality (Magicality x Shirley Shine x Shining Spark), a 2017 gelding bred by Anne M. Reynolds, and Gusti Buerger brought home the Open Novice Horse Reserve Championship for owner Home Ranch LLC with their composite score of 653 (H:217/R:219/C:217). They banked $2,128.50.