How genetic testing can help stallion and mare owners make informed breeding decisions.
CIrCle up
8 Quotable
10 Through Your Lens
12 Notable Non Pro
14 NRCHyA News
In eVery Issue
4 From the NRCHA Executive Director
6 NRCHA President’s Message
72 Dennis Moreland’s Tack Tips
74 NRCHA Sponsor Spotlight
78 From the Judge’s Chair
80 NRCHA Judges Directory
84 NRCHA Subscribed Stallions
88 NRCHA Membership Application
90 Top Rider List
92 NRCHA Affiliate List
18 The Wright Stuff
Justin Wright rides Lil Bay Hawk to the NRCHA Derby Open Championship for owner Stephen Silva.
40 A Spectacular Night
NRCHA Hall of Famer Ken Wold rides Brother Jackson, owned by Daniel Perez, to the top of the CD Survivor Memorial Bridle Spectacular.
50 Two Rein Spectacular
Spotlight continues to shine on the transitional Two Rein division at NRCHA Premier Events.
54 Showtime
Non Pro Bridle Spectacular and Horse Show Champions crowned during the NRCHA Memorial Derby.
93 Suspended List
94 Committee Directory
95 NRCHA Approved Events
On the cover:
NRCHA Derby Open Champions Justin Wright and Stephen Silva’s Lil Bay Hawk (Catty Hawk x Gray Little Freckles x Playgun) scored a 672.5 composite (225 herd/ 220.5 rein/227 fence).
Keri Hudson reykdal and Won smart Wolf (paddys Irish Whiskey x smart miss Wolf x smart trip olena) showing in the non pro two rein spectacular held in paso robles, California.
COLE DAVISON HEELER
A sHARed PAssion
Many personal and professional coaching resources guide their students along the road to efficiency and success by urging them to find their “why.” This is a personal mission statement, which motivates individuals to anchor their goal-striving in the pursuits for which they feel the most passion. Clearly, for people who loathe the jobs they have held for years or decades, finding their “why” can be a life-changing endeavor, if they indeed manage to accomplish it. Something that has always struck me about our NRCHA competitors: male or female, young or old, they are all perfectly clear about their “why,” and it is reined cow horses. Different individuals may have slightly different angles. For some, it may be the horses themselves, or the thrill of competition, or the satisfaction of the process—training a young horse from blank slate to elite champion. They are simply slight
variations on the same “why,” which has in turn fueled our association since it was founded in 1949.
Professional horsemen and -women have constructed entire lives and livelihoods around the “why.” Many jokes refer to horse training as a physically punishing and financially thankless profession. No doubt any trainer would attest there is plenty of truth behind the humor. But to our community of riders who are immersed in their “why,” the enjoyment of living their passion on a daily basis is more than enough to keep striving.
American novelist Ernest Hemingway, in his famous book “The Sun Also Rises,” penned a quote for one of his main characters, Jake Barnes. Jake says, “Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except bullfighters.” His point was that only a handful of exceptional people—in this case, Spanish bullfighters who face death every day—achieve a feeling of fulfillment in their lives. For those of us in the know, his quote could have read, “Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except people who ride reined cow horses.”
Change is constant, in life and the NRCHA. I urge you to think about this: No matter the variations we make in our association, whether it be the location of our Premier Events, revisions to our rulebook, or implementation of various programs, our evolving association depends upon the “why.” Always nurture it.
All the best, Jay Winborn
Volume 22, Number 4
Official Publication of the National Reined Cow Horse Association
Graphic Designers: Candice Madrid, Charles McClelland
Official NRCHA Photographer: Primo Morales
Official NRCHA Videographer: Equine Promotion
Advertising Sales
Breeders: Karen Barnhart, 620-951-4026
Commercial: Jenn Sanders, 940-627-3399
Sales Customer Service Manager: Diana Buettner, 817-569-7114
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Reined Cow Horse News is published bi-monthly (six times a year). All contents are copyright of the National Reined Cow Horse Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior written permission from the NRCHA. Opinions expressed in articles and advertising in Reined Cow Horse News do not necessarily reflect the positions or opinions of the NRCHA or its officers and members. Accuracy of material is the sole responsibility of the authors. Unsolicited materials are submitted at the sender’s risk and the NRCHA accepts no responsibility for them. Please address all submissions to: Reined Cow Horse News, 1017 North Hwy 377, Pilot Point, Texas, 76258. Subscription rate is $25 a year. Periodical postage paid at Pilot Point, Texas, 76258 and additional mailing offices. USPS number, 024-906. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Reined Cow Horse News, 1017 North Hwy 377, Pilot Point, Texas, 76258.
A sAlute to teAmwoRk
From NRCHA President Todd Bergen
With our 2017 NRCHA Derby complete, I would like to congratulate everyone who helped make the show in Paso Robles a success. Our major cow horse events do not happen by themselves. It takes dedicated and detail-oriented work from the people in the office, the facility team, and the broadcast producers to make it happen. When our riders, spectators and sponsors have a positive experience at a show, it’s because our event staff is doing a great job. Hats off to everyone who makes it happen!
There are also a couple of sponsors who should receive extra recognition for their support of the Derby in particular. In this issue, you will read about the CD Survivor Memorial Bridle Spectacular. This class is sponsored by longtime NRCHA supporter Holy Cow Performance Horses, with locations in Weatherford, Texas, and Santa Ynez, California. Nancy Crawford-Hall established this $50,000-added class in memory of her late stallion CD Survivor. It has definitely lived up to her vision as far as creating a showcase for our great bridle horses, and the title has become one of the most sought-after prizes we have in the NRCHA.
The other standout sponsor at the Derby is San Juan Ranch. I’ve been to a lot of horse shows over the years, and you just don’t get a meal at a show like the one San Juan Ranch sponsors on Derby Open Finals morning. It is truly a highlight of our week in Paso Robles. Once again, hats off to Holy Cow, San Juan Ranch, and all of our outstanding sponsors.
Believe it or not, we are right around the corner from the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, and the countdown is more often talked about in days and weeks, instead of months. It is even more highly-anticipated this year, because 2017 marks our move to Fort Worth, Texas, and comes with a bigger payout pretty much across the board. Our go-round winners will take home more money, and the Open Champion will claim $125,000. It all starts October 3 in Fort Worth, and we’re all excited for every aspect—the show and the sales—and are already enjoying a tremendously warm welcome from Fort Worth and the entire Western performance horse industry.
I wish everyone a productive summer and early fall as we look ahead to the Snaffle Bit Futurity and the conclusion of another successful NRCHA Premier Event show season.
2016 snAffle Bit sponsoR
ACknowledgement
origiNAl broNze spoNsor
Beverly Vaughn/Triangle Bar V
sAddle spoNsors
Cinch
Discount Tire
Larry and Ellen Bell
Linda Wood
Chandler Ranch
Mark & Kim Rauch
The Gragg Family
Matthews Cutting Horses
Mitzi & John Crouse
Santa Ynez Valley Cow Horse
Classic
Smart Luck
Triple D Ranches
gold buCkle spoNsors
Dominic Conicelli
Jim & Linda Schrack
Jon & Jody Semper
Trey & Sandra Neal
Linda McMahon
McSpyder Ranch
Michelle Cannon
Loren Macey
Redtail Ranch
Stuart Ranch
TKO Ranch/Bob Stevens
Quotable
We all get a turn. You can’t act like a big shot, you just have to enjoy it and let it happen, because it may be a while before it happens again. I am very blessed that it happened tonight for me, and I’m very, very appreciative.”
—NRCHA Hall of Fame horseman Ken Wold, after scoring a careerhighlight 227 down the fence on Brother Jackson to win the $50,000-added 2017 CD Survivor Memorial Bridle Spectacular Championship.
stephanie
duquette
THRougH YouR Lens
Compiled by Stephanie Duquette
riders honor the American flag before competing in the 2017 CD survivor memorial bridle spectacular at the NrCHA Derby in paso robles, California.
We had foal overflow from the last issue, and couldn’t resist sharing some more of our NrCHA members’ 2017 baby pictures. this is a gardiner Quarter Horses-bred and -owned colt by Hickory Holly time out of soula Jule Forever, growing up fine and frisky in Ashland, Kansas.
brooke Wharton caught her colt, Cubans And brandy, napping between intense play sessions. He’s nicknamed “bode” after skier bode miller, and sired by mr playinstylish out of the mare smoke my boots.
nickname is
We Want Your Photos! Send your best shots to Stephanie Duquette at Stephanie@NRCHA.com.
Please submit your images in JPG format, in file sizes of at least 1 Megabyte or larger, and then watch for them in future issues of Reined Cow Horse News
these aren’t foals, but they are a cow horse’s favorite pastime! three curious heifers enjoy the summer sunset at san lucas ranch, santa Ynez, California.
this golden girl is nicknamed “giulia,” and she belongs to NrCHA breeder sponsor Holy Cow performance Horses, sired by shady lil starlight and out of leading NrCHA dam sheza shinette.
Her
“boo,” although she’s the opposite of scary. meet Dainty little spook (pending), by smart spook and out of Dainty little step, owned by brooke Wharton.
notAble non PRo
Youth champion Adrianna “Anna” Adams is making her mark in NrCHA competition.
Anna Adams, Oakdale, California, has been around horses since a young age, but her pursuit of National Reined Cow Horse Association titles began in earnest when her parents, Wade and Andrea Adams, bought her a cow horse.
“I went to the Snaffle Bit Futurity in Reno, Nevada, I think I was 10, and I was like, ‘I really want to do that.’ My parents bought me my first cow horse, Wynsome Chex. That’s what got me into it,” said Adams, now 17.
Wynsome Chex (Chex Out This Remedy x Miel Classic Tejon x Mr San Olen) carried Adams to two consecutive NRCHA Youth Limited World Championships in 2012 and 2013. She has since ventured into non professional competition riding a new horse, Wanna Winna Prize. The 2008 gelding with $48,485 in lifetime earnings is by Smokums Prize and out of Ill Be A Winning Gal by Ill Be Smart. “Junior” carried Adams to first-place finishes in the 2017 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Non Pro Limited and Non Pro Limited Spectacular, as well as second in the Youth Limited.
help. Junior was super easy for me to show. I was able to put my hand on his neck and just cut. He’s really easy for me to get along with and he takes care of me too.
Adams says her journey to horse show success has required lots of dedication and help from some top NRCHA Professionals. She started out riding with Clayton Edsall and now rides with Les Oswald.
“You have to put in a ton of hours,” said the teen. “Just getting with your horses and being able to read cows and practicing takes time. I’ve been fortunate to have parents who have supported me through this and I’m just really glad that I’ve had my trainer Les Oswald, who has been a great help. He has supported me by teaching me and helping me get better.”
Adams’ advice to others thinking about riding cow horses?
The NRCHA Stallion Stakes in Las Vegas was Adams’ first time to show out of the herd.
“I was a little nervous but he was good,” she said. “I had great turn-back
“We bought him about two years ago,” said Adams. “He’s actually my mom’s horse. My first big show was at the AQHA Youth World last year. My mom let me show him in Reno, which was our first big win. We won the $5,000 Non Pro Limited and were second in the Non Pro Limited. We’re getting together a little bit more.”
“I’d tell them to definitely try it,” she said. “Something about a cow horse is just really cool. For them to be able to do a reining pattern and work a cow is really a good feeling of accomplishment. I’ve shown in the reining before, but I love cow horses. It’s definitely my favorite. I want to still keep showing and just stay with it. I really love the NRCHA and the sport.”
Adams plans to attend college at Texas Christian University and compete on the equestrian team.
Do you know a Notable Non Pro who should be featured on this page? Send photos and story tips to info@nrcha.com.
Anna Adams
nRCHyA news
meet the 2017 National reined Cow Horse Youth Association regional representatives.
The annual NRCHyA meeting was held at the Celebration of Champions in Fort Worth, Texas, this past February, at which time new Student Officers and Regional Representatives were elected. Let’s meet this year’s Regional Representatives.
Northeast Representative Luke Paulus
Luke Paulus is 19 and a senior in high school. He has been showing cow horses for six years. “Being the Northeast Regional Representative of NRCHyA means to me that I have a great opportunity to lead and guide the youth from my region to learn about the amazing benefits of showing cow horses,” Luke said.
Luke is very involved in his church and has delivered sermons across three different states at cowboy churches. He also runs track and competes in crossfit training. Luke’s parents are Richard and Denise Paulus.
Southeast Representative Hunter Huddleston
Hunter is 16 years old and lives in Franklin, Tennessee, where she is a junior in high school. Hunter is also the Treasurer for the Southeast Reined Cow Horse Youth Association. Hunter is honored to represent the NRCHyA and excited to see what the new year brings.
North Central Representative Garett Lund
From LaCygne, Kansas, Garett Lund is 17 and began showing in the NRCHA in 2016. He is the son of NRCHA Professional Brad Lund and wife Amy.
When he’s not riding, Garett enjoys doing leatherwork. “My goal this year as the representative is to get as many people as possible in my region to become involved in the cow horse event,” Garett said.
South Central Representative John Adam Cunningham John is 18 and lives in Stonewall, Louisiana. He started competing in the NRCHA in 2009. John showed at the inaugural reined cow horse event held with the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyoming, in 2015. He was also a reined cow horse finalist at the 2017 Texas High School Rodeo Association State Finals.
Southwest Representative Wyatt Fisher
Wyatt is 18 years old and lives in Nocona, Texas. Wyatt has been showing in the NRCHA for 10 years.
High School Rodeo Representative Josh Briggs
Josh is 16 years old and a junior in high school. He has been showing in the NRCHA for two years. Josh loves competing in cow horse and enjoys all the friends he has made. He likes being a NRCHyA representative so he can share his love of the sport with others.
By Lannie-Jo Lisac
With the NRCHyA growing every year, we had several youth members under the age of 13 interested in being Student Officers. Youth Advisors Sarah Clymer and Allison Walker put in place a mentoring program so the younger members can be involved and learn from the older members. We’re excited about this new program and think it will help our youth association grow even more.
Junior President McKenna Ivey
McKenna is from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is 12 years old and in fifth grade. McKenna is excited to serve as the Junior President. She wants to be able to help the sport of cow horse grow.
Junior Vice President Tucker Gillespie Tucker is 13 years old and lives in McCook, Nebraska. His first year showing in the NRCHA was 2014.
Junior Secretary Landri Lisac
Landri is 9 years old and lives in Pueblo, Colorado. She is in third grade. This is Landri’s first year showing in the NRCHA. She is excited to be a Junior Officer and can’t wait to help NRCHyA President Colleen Bridges.
Junior Treasurer Tatum Olson
Tatum is 13 and lives in Bloomfield, Nebraska. Tatum is the son of NRCHA Professional Jamie Olson and his wife Mica. Tatum’s entire family competes in the NRCHA, including his sister Callie.
He wRigHT sT uff T
By Stephanie Duquette
The classy, yet casual city of Paso Robles, Spanish for “Pass of the Oaks,” is home to the National Reined Cow Horse Association Jack and Phoebe Cooke Memorial Derby, the NRCHA’s largest Premier Event for 4- and 5-yearold reined cow horses. Tucked in the mountains of the central California coast, the show grounds at the Paso Robles
Event Center, as well as the surrounding community, are favorites of reined cow horse competitors. Dining and lodging are conveniently located, and during lulls in the cow horse action, there are plenty of ways to relax in and around Paso Robles, which is known for its wineries, easy access to Pacific Ocean beaches, and attractions like the lavish Hearst Castle.
Central California has long been recog-
nized as the heart of cow horse country, a fitting location to showcase the talents of horses who are taking the next step in their limited-age event careers as derby competitors.
Some of the 2017 Derby finalists had already proven themselves as Premier Event Champions in limited age competition, while others were still striving to put all the pieces together at the highest
California professional Justin Wright guides stephen silva’s Lil bay Hawk to the 2017 NrCHA Derby Open Championship.
Photos by Primo Morales
A pinnacle moment for California professional Justin Wright, winning his first NrCHA premier event Open title with Lil bay Hawk, owned by stephen silva.
levels for a big win. As any NRCHA competitor will attest, on any given day, any of the finalists could have stepped up to claim the Derby Open Championship title.
CAreer HigHligHt
Professional horseman Justin Wright, Santa Maria, California, arrived in Paso Robles as one of the National Reined Cow Horse Association’s top 20 Open riders. In the past three show seasons, 2014-2016, Wright had earned more than $151,000 in Open competition, as part of his lifetime record of more than $450,000. Well-known as a talented hand who has become a frequent player in NRCHA Premier Event finals, Wright had yet to claim a major Open Championship.
Though he knew he was in tough competition, Wright couldn’t help feeling good about what happened in Paso Robles leading up to the Open finals on Saturday, June 17.
“The week felt incredible,” he said.
The 30-year-old horseman brought three Derby entries, qualified all three for the Open finals, and won the Open Novice Horse Championship—based on the preliminary scores—on one of those finalists. Besides his own success,
one of Wright’s assistant trainers, Danny Sanchez, won the Derby Level 1 Limited Open Championship, and several of his non pro competitors performed well in their respective classes. Even as he celebrated the high points, Wright knew the toughest challenges lay ahead during the Open finals.
“It’s going to be different,” Wright said, before the finals. “Usually I’ll show up with one or two and hopefully make the finals on one of them. Having three in the finals is pretty neat, bringing three and having all three in the finals. It’s gonna be a busy day, I guess, but I’m excited about it.”
Wright replied without hesitation when asked whether he had a strategy for managing his trio of finalists.
“No, not at all,” he said, laughing.
As it turned out, the demands of showing three horses made him too busy to be nervous.
“I felt like it kept me ‘loped down,’ where I couldn’t think about anything else except showing my horses,” he said.
The Open finals took place over two days, with the herd work on Friday, June 16, followed by the rein and fence work on Saturday. One of Wright’s finalists, Lil Bay Hawk (Catty Hawk x Gray Little
Freckles x Playgun), owned by Stephen Silva, jumped out to the lead when he marked the top herd score, a 225. It was an encouraging start for Wright, who had been close to winning a major Open title on Silva’s gelding in the past.
“I felt like every time before that I was close, or had a chance, I’d either screw something up or we’d run into some bad luck. This time, it just felt like it was going to work,” he said.
The next day, in the rein work, the 5-year-old Lil Bay Hawk spun, slid and circled his way to a 220.5, the sixth-high score of the go-round. The gelding still had the lead after two events, kicking up the excitement a few more notches.
“It was just fun. More than anything, I was just happy to be there, and have the horse in another great spot to potentially win. He’s been close at some other big shows, and it was great to be there again,” Silva said.
Although Silva, of Templeton, California, is an accomplished NRCHA non pro competitor with several championships and prestigious finals placings to his credit, including making the top 10 in the 2015 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Non Pro Finals with Lil Bay Hawk, he kept a low profile at the Derby.
“I was in full owner mode. I didn’t want to be in the way. I wished Justin luck earlier in the day, and left it at that,” Silva said.
lil bay Hawk and Justin Wright had the high score of the Derby Open Finals herd work, a 225, on their way to the Championship.
From his vantage point in the spectator seats, Silva watched as, halfway through the fence work finals, NRCHA 2 Million Dollar Rider Todd Bergen, piloting Tony Grover’s Boonlight Roan Bar (Bet Hesa Cat x Cat Boonlight Jewels x Boonlight Dancer), laid down a scorching 226 to move into first place. Along with Boonlight Roan Bar’s 219 herd and 221.5 rein work scores, it meant a hard-to-beat 666.5 composite and a suspenseful afternoon for Silva, as he waited for his horse to work third-to-last in the draw.
“When Todd had that big run, it took the wind out of my sails a little, but even ending up in the top five would have been great,” he said.
As the late afternoon temperature soared into the triple digits, horse after horse worked down the fence without moving Bergen from the top of the leader board. Then, Lil Bay Hawk trotted into the arena near the very end of the last set. He took control from the beginning, boxing with authority, nailing one powerful turn each direction, and going straight to the circles. Silva’s vocal cords paid the ultimate price as he watched his horse work.
“I lost my voice. I was screaming at the top of my lungs,” he said.
The judges’ horn signaled the end of the run and Wright waved his hat in the air. He knew it was a great performance. Announcer Darren Moore called out the score—a 227! Wright and Lil Bay Hawk claimed a stratospheric composite of 672.5 for the Championship.
“I don’t remember most of it,” Wright admitted of the fence work. “He went in there, and it felt good, and it just all worked out. Every turn, it seemed like we just stayed in time, and it was incredible. It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of—winning a major, and it’s just incredible.”
No sHortCuts
In one way or another, Justin Wright has been working toward his Derby Open Championship since before his first reined cow horse earnings were recorded in 2002, when he was 16. He earned $143,341 in youth, amateur and non-pro competition before going professional at the end of 2008.
Lessons learned growing up in a horsecentered family steered Wright on a productive path. His parents, Walter and Sharon Wright, were deeply rooted in the cattle and equine industries. With
the influential NRCHA Hall of Fame sire Smokum Oak (Doc’s Oak x Gunsmoke Ann x Mr Gun Smoke) as the cornerstone of their program, the Wrights became leading breeders of reined cow horses, including the 2000 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champion Smokums Prize (Smokum Oak x Tommie Tivio Tucker x Doc Tom Tucker). The Wrights had been married 31 years when Walter passed away in 2011.
Raised in the saddle, shadowing his dad and four older siblings, Justin learned many things about the horse business, and his dad’s fundamentals always stayed with him. He learned to maintain a patient and persistent work ethic and to ride every customer’s horse daily, regardless of whether it was spoiled, broncy, average or excellent. People began to notice the soft-spoken trainer’s combination of self-discipline and natural ability.
“Justin is, first and foremost, incredibly talented. He’s got so much feel on those horses. He’s just now really starting to hone and develop it, and starting to mature, and it’s coming out in the quality of horses that he’s training. Beyond that, his showmanship and how he gets his horses through runs and makes them look so great sets him apart,” Silva said.
Silva and Wright made their first trainer/customer connection nearly a decade ago, when Silva purchased one of Justin’s favorite family-raised horses, the 2004 gelding Talkin Prize (Smokums Prize x Talkin Peppy Merada x Meradas Money Talks).
“That was my first step into serious horse showing, buying that horse,” Silva said.
As it often does, the purchase of one reined cow horse led to others, and in December 2014, Silva was shopping for a Snaffle Bit Futurity prospect. He didn’t see anything he wanted until Bill and Michelle Cowan of Ardmore, Oklahoma, sent him a text of then 2-year-old Lil Bay Hawk, who the Cowans had raised.
“It was a text with just a picture of him standing tied. I pretty much knew I would buy him even then. I tried him and was set on him. I loved him, really loved him, from day one,” Silva said. “Even in that picture, he had a presence. He was just an attractive horse. Not only is he talented and gritty, he looks pretty doing it.”
Silva nicknamed the son of Catty Hawk “Henery,”—the extra ‘e’ is there on purpose—after the Looney Tunes cartoon character Henery Hawk, the pint-
A tremendous 227 fence work score sealed the Derby open Championship, a career highlight for Wright.
sized, feisty yet mighty chickenhawk. In 2015, Silva and Henery earned more than $16,000 in non pro futurity money together, and Silva initially planned to show the gelding in Paso Robles. However, a busy work schedule and concern that he wouldn’t be ready prompted Silva to turn the reins back over to Wright.
“I’m glad he chickened out!” Wright said jokingly.
No one is quite sure what the future will hold for Lil Bay Hawk, who now claims $81,864 in lifetime NRCHA earnings, and the distinction of being the horse who elevated Wright’s career to the next level. A future World’s Greatest Horseman contender? Maybe. But for the time being, Henery’s people are content to enjoy the winning feeling, which moved Wright to tears as he hugged his daughter, Lyla, son, Turner, and the kids’ mother, Gloria, close after the win.
“My family is unbelievable. They’ve stood behind me, and Gloria and the kids. There’s a lot of early mornings and late nights, and it’s tough. My mom’s there, and I have an unbelievable crew there at the house working, Russell [Probert] and Jared [Jones] and Danny [Sanchez], and a great set of owners. Stephen’s stuck with me, event after event,” Wright said.
Silva was a bit surprised to see how deeply the win touched Wright, and observed that the emotions are proof of his commitment.
“I’m incredibly happy for Justin. I didn’t realize it was going to affect him that much. It shows a lot about his character and how much he loves the sport. He devotes a lot of time to a lot of people unselfishly, and with a smile on his face,” Silva said.
All told, Wright claimed $46,383 aboard his three Derby Open finalists. Besides
Little Bay Hawk’s $29,589 paycheck, he split fourth place on Mark and Kelly Gowing’s homebred stallion, Step To The Light (CD Lights x Shinersdiamondjackie x Shining Spark), earning $12,795. Another CD Lights mare, Light And Sassy (x Dual Sass x Dual Pep), owned by Mark and Kimberly Rauch, placed 11th and took home $3,998.
OpeN reserve CHAmpiON
For most of the finals, it appeared that NRCHA 2 Million Dollar Rider Todd Bergen was on point to win his second consecutive Derby Open Championship. The Eagle Point, Oregon, professional won the 2016 title aboard Cable Creek Ranch’s Some Kinda Merada (Cats Merada x Ima Fern Believer x Peptoboonsmal). He took the 2017 Reserve Championship riding Boonlight Roan Bar for owner Tony Grover of Cove, Oregon. The placing
paid $22,391. Boonlight Roan Bar, a 2012 stallion bred by Frank Kahl, Rapid City, South Dakota, has total NRCHA lifetime earnings of $46,485.
INtermeDIAte OpeN CHAmpION
National Reined Cow Horse Association Professional Shawn Hays, Nocona, Texas, also had three horses to show in the
Intermediate Open and Open Finals, and he earned the Intermediate Open Championship riding Nee On Lights, a 2012 stallion Hays has known from the day he was foaled. Bred by Hays’ wife, Tammy Jo Hays, and her father, Walter Greeman, Nee On Lights has remained in Hays’ program for his entire show career, even though he changed hands and is now owned by Hays’ longtime customer, Tennessee-based Yellow Creek Ranch.
It’s a good thing, because Nee On Lights holds a special place in the Hays program. His mother, Shine Smartly (Shining Spark x Smartly Dressed x Smart Little Lena), is also a family-owned horse, now a broodmare, whose brilliant performance career netted $111,496 in NRCHA money. The 1999 mare, nicknamed “Flower,” has seven NRCHA-performing offspring with combined earnings of $196,881. Nee On Lights is her second-highest money
earner, now with $57,728 on his record after his Derby win.
Hays and Nee On Lights kept their cool in the Paso Robles heat, scoring a 655 composite on finals day (216 herd/218 rein/221 fence). The Intermediate Open Championship came with a $6,981 paycheck, and the pair picked up another $3,198 for finishing 12th in the Open.
“I drew a good cow, and that little horse, he was on target in the fence work. He was a little tired because it’s been real hot today. The cows, in the prelims, the heat kind of tapped them out, but the cows didn’t weaken today. They stayed strong. We went down and made a good right turn, jumped out and made a good left turn and got circled up,” Hays said.
“He goes in and tries to give you the same run every time. He doesn’t try and cheat you. He’s just a really solid little show horse,” he said.
Hays had two other horses in the finals. He earned combined paychecks of $3,317 in the Open and Intermediate Open on Hes The Katz Meow, owned by Dustin Deckard; and picked up $551 in the Intermediate Open aboard Playin Motown, owned by Moncrief and Lee.
The Intermediate Open Reserve Champion, just a point behind Hays with
a 654 composite (220 herd/218 rein/216 fence) was Cattin Downtown (Smooth As A Cat x Zacks Fifth Avenue x Zack T Wood), shown by Scottsdale, Arizona, professional Shadd Parkinson for owner Hannes Winkler.
LimiteD OpeN CHAmpiON
Hollister, California, professional Brendon Clark piloted Metal Cat (Metallic Cat x Tipofthestar x Grays Starlight) to the Derby Limited Open Championship, scoring a 632.5 composite (215 herd/210.5 rein/207 fence). The win paid $5,836.
“I won the Level 1 Limited Open here last year, and was reserve in the Limited Open, so to come back this year and be able to win the Limited is exciting. I worked really hard over the last few years trying to learn as much as I can, and I’m still learning something every day. I tell people that training reined cow horses is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, and they laugh at me, because I used to ride bulls for a living,” Clark said. He retired from bull riding in 2013 and has devoted the majority of his professional energy to his horsemanship business. Also an experienced broadcaster, Clark is a popular on-air commentator for NRCHA Premier Event finals, includ-
ing the Snaffle Bit Futurity and World’s Greatest Horseman.
He owns Metal Cat in partnership with friends Quentin Kersh and Jonathan Fine, and praised the gelding’s steady temperament and cow sense.
“He’s a horse that doesn’t need a lot of work. You don’t need to warm him up much. You just go in, and he does what you want. He’s a nice-minded horse.”
Metal Cat, a 2013 gelding, was bred by William Coburn III, Redding, California. Before he came to Clark’s program, he had been in training with cutting horse and reined cow horse professional Morgan Cromer, and then moved into reined cow horse training with Phillip Ralls.
“Phillip said he thought he would suit me, and we had some success last year,” Clark said. “He was good here in the prelims. With this horse, I try not to expose what he doesn’t do as well. I try to showcase what he can do. He’s very good on a cow. I’m glad for him that he finally got a win.”
In the Reserve Championship position was Caleb Jantz, Caldwell, Idaho, who piloted SJR Cash Advance (Dual Rey x Shesa Lota Cash x Nu Cash) to a 632 (211 herd/208 rein/213 cow), collecting $4,669 for owners Del and Susan Bell.
Far left: Nee On Lights, shown by shawn Hays, claimed the Derby intermediate Open Championship and picked up 11th place money in the Open.
Left: brendon Clark and metal Cat, a gelding he co-owns in a partnership, earned the Derby Limited Open Championship.
OpeN NOviCe HOrse
The preliminary scores determined the 2017 Derby Open Novice Horse Champion, and a mare who was brandnew to her trainer’s program demonstrated her talent and work ethic as she not only earned the Novice Horse title, but also claimed a spot in the Open Finals.
Light And Sassy (CD Lights x Dual Sass x Dual Pep), a 2012 mare shown by NRCHA Professional Justin Wright, scored a 653.5 composite (214.5 herd/ 219.5 rein/219.5 fence), winning nearly $3,000. Owners Mark and Kim Rauch, Arlington, Washington, sent the mare to Wright just two months before the Derby. Even for Wright, one of the NRCHA’s top 20 professionals, it was a challenge to prepare a new horse for a major event in such a short timeframe.
“She’s a really neat mare. She’s had to work hard the last couple months to get used to a new program. She stepped up to the plate and never second-guessed what I was asking. She always tried her guts out and came out the next day with a good attitude. She’s advanced really quickly. I was still unsure when I got here, because I hadn’t showed her at a major event. She has surprised me all
week, and has been better every time I got her out,” Wright said.
LeveL 1 LimiteD OpeN CHAmpiON
The Wright Quarter Horses team had another reason to celebrate on Thursday, as Justin Wright’s assistant trainer, Daniel Sanchez, won the Level 1 Limited Open Championship riding Mi Smart Ichi Girl (Cat Ichi x A Smart Laker Girl x Laker Doc), owned by Mary Hobbs. The 2012 mare scored a 641.5 composite (211 herd/212 rein/218.5 fence), earning $2,123.
“She’s a super gritty mare. She’s always been gritty, and a great fence horse. She’s not going to get outrun down the fence. If the cow has a little spunk to it, she’s going to be right there with it, and that’s what she did today. Everyone said it was scary, but we were just trying to get that cow caught,” Sanchez said.
The 22-year-old horseman has been an assistant trainer to top NRCHA Professionals, starting his career under Jake Gorrell, Hanford, California. Sanchez currently works for Justin Wright, a fullcircle family tradition.
“My dad worked for the Wrights for 20-plus years. Justin has known me since I was a baby. He’s pretty much like my
big brother, he’s been a role model to me my whole life. I’ve looked up to him showing horses, so it’s pretty great to be competing against him now and working for him. It’s pretty awesome,” Sanchez said.
He thanked Wright, Gorrell, his parents, and Mi Smart Ichi Girl’s owner, Mary Hobbs, for believing in him.
“She stuck with me when I was 21 years old and sent this mare to me. I don’t know many people who would send a horse to a 21 year old, but she did, and it’s worked out great for the both of us,” he said.
The Level 1 Limited Open Reserve Champion was another Justin Wright protégé, Jared Jones, who rode Linda Tayne’s Gunna Smokum Alittle (Little Lotto Lena x Mia Gunna Smokum x Smokum Oak) to a 637 (214 herd/213 rein/210 cow), earning $1,592.
Derby NON prO, iNtermeDiAte NON prO AND NOviCe NON prO CHAmpiON
A special bond between Hope Miller and her 5-year-old gelding, Dare To Sioux (A Shiner Named Sioux x Tari Darlin x Taris Catalyst) helps the pair consistently achieve fence work performances that any top professional trainer would
Far left: Light And sassy had a heavy and serious workload before the NrCHA Derby, but rose to the challenge, winning the Open Novice Horse Championship and qualifying for the Open finals.
Left: Daniel sanchez added an NrCHA premier event Championship to his resumé when he claimed the Level 1 Limited Open title on mi smart ichi girl.
envy. The non pro from Hockinson, Washington, piloted “Baby Sioux” to the highest fence score of any rider at the 2017 NRCHA Derby, a 229, sealing triple Championships in the Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Novice Non Pro divisions.
“He is amazing. That’s the only thing I can say. Amazing. Special,” Miller said. “He tries his hardest with the fence work. It’s his favorite thing to do.”
The first steer that came out for Miller in the finals fence work was a massive, aggressive solid black that the judges whistled off. Her next one stepped through the gate and didn’t look much better—a muscular black-and-white, equal in size to her horse, that looked as if it had been fitted for show at the county fair.
“It was huge and fat. I was like, ‘Uh oh, it’s gonna be a walker.’ As hot as it was, and for how big it was, [I thought] that thing is not going to want to run, but it did, thank goodness,” Miller said.
Dare To Sioux easily won the sprint down the fence with flawless control, executing a powerful, full-contact right turn and then a tight left turn, going immediately into the circles. Miller says
she never thinks about the score during a run.
“I just ask for 110 percent and he gives it. We just try our hardest. I had more of a feeling this time, as I’m petting the cow. I was, like, ‘I’m one of the guys now,’ because I always wanted to do that,” Miller said, smiling.
It’s often said that the most talented horses have oddball qualities, and Dare To Sioux is no exception.
“He is so quirky. We always joke that he acts like a girl,” Miller said.
Her pre-show preparation consists of keeping him happy.
“I walk him around, I pet him, I give him a cookie and tell him he’s so pretty and so cute, and let him have his confidence. He’s an odd horse. Sometimes you have to ride him a lot and sometimes you just walk him. It really just depends on what he needs.”
Their composite score of 656.5 (210 herd/217.5 rein/229 fence) earned triple paychecks totaling $12,364. It is the second consecutive NRCHA Premier Event for Miller and Baby Sioux to dominate the Non Pro divisions. They also swept the three Non Pro, Intermediate and Novice Championships at the 2017 NRCHA
Stallion Stakes in Las Vegas, Nevada, less than three months before their arrival in Paso Robles.
Miller bought Dare To Sioux as a yearling from the Carol Rose dispersal sale in Gainesville, Texas, against her father, Dan’s, wishes—a disobedience he has since forgiven. In fact, Miller’s father is so committed to Baby Sioux that he makes sure his daughter puts on her lucky shirt for the finals. The shirt’s pattern, once seen, cannot be unseen: bare-chested men with a visibly high level of fitness.
“He tells me to put the boy shirt on because it’s my good luck charm. Everyone now knows, if I pull out that shirt, if my six-packs are on, I mean business,” Miller said.
She started Dare To Sioux under saddle when he was 2, and then her trainer, NRCHA Professional Trent Pedersen, Brush Prairie, Washington, took over for a while. Pedersen and Dare To Sioux made the 2015 Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Finals, and then in 2016, qualified for the Intermediate Open Finals at the Stallion Stakes and the Derby.
It was another brilliant fence work performance for Hope miller and Dare to sioux, who scored a 229 to sweep three Derby Non pro division championships.
After showing in the Open for two seasons, Baby Sioux came back home to Miller, where she has always felt he belongs. The blonde horse and his blonde owner got down to the serious business of having fun together.
“We’ve always had a special connection since he was a baby,” Miller said. “He trail rides and barrel races. He’s not just a cow horse. He does everything. If he doesn’t make it as a bridle horse next year, I’m sure we’ll find something else he likes to do.”
Miller thanked Pedersen and her parents, who “support me the most. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. My dad flew in from work to be here, and he got to see both my fence runs.”
The Non Pro Reserve Champion was JJ Fisher, of Nipomo, California, who guided RD Play It Again Sam (CD Q Tee x PCR
Playlena Oak x PCR Peppys Oak) to a 651.5 composite (217 herd/215 rein/219.5 cow). The Reserve Championship paid $5,780.
In the Intermediate Non Pro, Bart Holowath, Cayley, Alberta, Canada, guided Smart Lookin Nurse (WR This Cats Smart x Nurseware x Dual Rey) to the Reserve Championship. They scored a total 651 (216 herd/218.5 rein/216.5 cow), earning $2,779.
The Novice Non Pro Reserve Champion was Cynthia Bias, Edison, California, who earned $1,334 when she rode Truckin On Ice (NMSU Truckin Chex x Legendaryiceprincess x Little Lenas Legend) to a 634 (214 herd/217 rein/213 fence).
AmAteur CHAmpioN
The Derby Amateur Champion was Jorge Cid, who rode Wright On Hickory (Hes Wright On x Hickorys Miracle x Docs Hickory) to a 640.5 composite (215
herd/215 rein/210.5 fence). The Amateur win paid $1,620, and Cid also earned a spot in the finals for the Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Novice Non Pro divisions, where he claimed three paychecks totaling $3,417.
NrCHA & eveNt spoNsors
Despite a three-year hiatus from showing, Jorge Cid never missed a beat, piloting Wright on Hickory to the Derby Amateur Championship and earning another $3,417 in the Non pro, intermediate Non pro and Novice Non pro finals.
The 2017 show season represents a return to cow horse competition for Cid, who graduated from college in Texas and then returned to his native Venezuela.
“I was out for three years. Being able to come back to a big show like this and
win in the Amateur is awesome. I moved back to my country, to Venezuela, and have been working with my dad in the family business,” he said.
Living and working in Venezuela does not provide Cid many opportunities to ride, and he appreciates the well-trained and uncomplicated Wright On Hickory, a mare he bought in February at the NRCHA Celebration of Champions.
“That’s the thing, I just ride whenever I come to the shows. I have three days to practice before the shows so it’s quite a challenge,” he said. “Wright On Hickory is just amazing and she’s so easy to get ready and to show. That’s a big help.”
Cid rides with NRCHA Professional Shawn Hays, Nocona, Texas, who suggested he try Wright On Hickory earlier this year. Cid began his cow horse show career in successful fashion on a bridle horse, and had been eager to take on the challenge of a younger mount.
“I always wanted to show in the derby classes. It was a challenge, after three years of not showing, to get a derby horse. They’re not as mature as the bridle horses, so it’s a bigger challenge for sure. It’s been good so far. I made the finals [at
the NRCHA Stallion Stakes] in Vegas, I made the finals here, so—just keep showing and see how it goes.”
The Amateur Reserve Champion was Jesse Spence, Yamhill, Oregon, who guided A Stylish Spark (Stylish Rey Gay x Just A Sparknshine x Shining Spark) to a 637 score (210 herd/216.5 rein/210.5 cow), earning $1,350. Spence will also advance to the finals in the Derby Non Pro and Novice Non Pro divisions.
NoN pro LimiteD CHAmpioN
The Non Pro Limited Champion was Meredith Graber, Cannelburg, Indiana, who rode her mare, CSR Lay Down Sally (Dual Spark x Look At Her Glo x CD O Cody), to the 2017 Derby Non Pro Limited Championship with a 654.5 composite (216 herd/219 rein/219.5 cow). The win paid $2,430.
Graber purchased “Sally” from NRCHA Hall of Fame horsewoman Carol Rose last fall, and immediately clicked with the talented 6-year-old mare. The team won the 2017 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Non Pro Limited Championship in Las Vegas, and then followed up to take the same title in Paso Robles.
“It’s pretty exciting. I was extremely happy with all my scores, the rein work especially. I’ve never run that good in the rein work. The herd was OK, it could have been improved, but definitely was up there. I was also happy with the cow work today.”
Graber, who is in her last year of NRCHA Youth eligibility, says Sally is a dream horse, requiring almost no maintenance or preparation between shows.
When asked what she and her mare have been doing since the Stallion Stakes to stay tuned up, Graber replied, “Honestly, nothing! We’ve been at home, roping a few steers out in the pastures and branding and stuff, but other than that, not much. She doesn’t need much. I could leave her off for two months and bring her back and she’d be the same. If you just run and stop, turn around and pull her into the ground, she’s there. She’s pretty sweet. I hardly ever work her on cattle. She doesn’t need it.”
Graber thanked her parents and her trainers, NRCHA Professionals Chris Dawson, Perrin, Texas, and Ben Bowman, Sandborn, Indiana, for their help and coaching. Bowman did not make the trip to California, so Graber relied on Dawson’s advice while in Paso Robles.
“Chris rode Sally for about a year, so it was nice to have someone who knows her. He told me, ‘Keep calm and work your cow, and don’t lose it!’” Graber said.
The next stop for Graber and Sally will be the American Quarter Horse Association Youth World Show, and then possibly step up to the fence work classes in 2018.
The Non Pro Limited Reserve Champion was Jessica Draper, San Luis Obispo, California. She rode her gelding, Working Mans Blues (Yellow Roan of Texas x Topi Chexx x A Cowboy At Heart) to a 650 composite (217 herd/212 rein/221 cow), earning $1,944.
the Derby Non pro Limited Champion was meredith graber, winning her second NrCHA premier event title of 2017 aboard Csr Lay Down sally.
Photo by PRIMO MORALES PHOTOGRAPHY
speCtaCulaR nigHt a
By Stephanie Duquette
It all came together for brother Jackson and NrCHA professional Ken Wold, who sealed the CD survivor memorial bridle spectacular Championship with a stunning 227 score down the fence.
All the pieces came together for brother Jackson and NrCHA Hall of Fame professional Ken Wold, as they sailed through three brilliant runs to win the CD survivor memorial bridle spectacular Championship.
Bridle Spectaculars at National Reined Cow Horse Premier Events deliver some of the best action a reined cow horse fan will ever see. The bridle is the highest level of traditional vaquero horsemanship, and these horses are the
veterans of the NRCHA, with all the ingredients: talent, training and years of experience. The CD Survivor Memorial Bridle Spectacular, named in honor of the late stallion owned by NRCHA sponsor Holy Cow Performance Horses, is a $50,000-added contest that never fails to thrill spectators, year after year.
The 2017 edition of the CD Survivor Memorial Bridle Spectacular, held in conjunction with the NRCHA Derby in Paso Robles, California, drew 16 elite equines. With just a single go-round of herd work,
rein work and fence work determining the champion, every score counted.
As it often does in reined cow horse competition, the outcome all came down to the final event, the fence work, where a phenomenal 227 score elevated Brother Jackson (Peptoboonsmal x Shes Icing Onthe Cat x High Brow Cat), shown by NRCHA Hall of Fame horseman Ken Wold, of Wilton, California, to the win. Brother Jackson scored a total 661.5 (220 herd/214.5 rein/227 cow), earning $23,400.
The veteran horseman, who joined the NRCHA Hall of Fame in 2008, said the 227 fence score represented one of the biggest highlights of his long career.
“I’ve been doing the fence work ever since I was 20 years old, and I’m 70 now, and always dreamed of having that run—and I had it. That’s all I can say. It was really special,” Wold said. “I didn’t
brother Jackson slides to a stop as part of his winning performance in paso robles.
the CD survivor memorial bridle spectacular reserve Champion was One Fine Vintage (One time pepto x shiners siena x shining spark), a stallion shown by paso robles, California, professional phillip ralls, and owned by robertson ranches. One Fine Vintage earned a 656.5 (218 herd/219.5 rein/219 fence). He claimed an $18,720 paycheck.
know I marked that high. I kind of had a plan of how to set that cow up, but I have a plan all the time and it never works. It worked this time!”
The Bridle Spectacular earnings elevated Wold’s lifetime NRCHA record to more than $802,000. Brother Jackson’s earnings are now past the $116,000 mark. The 2009 stallion came into Wold’s program when his longtime friend and customer Danny Perez purchased him. Perez, of Westley, California, became smitten with Brother Jackson when he saw him compete at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity in 2012. At that time, the stallion was trained and shown by NRCHA
Million Dollar Rider Zane Davis. When Perez had an opportunity to buy the stallion in December 2014, he didn’t hesitate.
“It’s a privilege to have this kind of horse, and to watch Ken show him. It’s fun. I knew he was capable of having a good run. We’ve been waiting for it to come out in him, and it did tonight,” Perez said.
Wold also knew Brother Jackson had the ability to rise to the top at the highest level of competition.
“There are a lot of great horses here, and great riders. This is as tough as it gets, in my opinion. I feel very blessed, and I thank the Lord for this.”
Wold appreciates the support from Holy Cow Performance Horses, sponsor of the $50,000-added bridle class each year at the NRCHA Derby.
“It enables these great bridle horses to show what they are. To see them work
that well in the cutting, and the reining, and the fence work is really phenomenal, and without the support from Holy Cow, we would never be able to come up to this level,” Wold said. “I also thank Dan Perez, who believed in this horse
Paso Robles Pavilion
Nancy Crawford-Hall of Holy Cow performance Horses, a leading Quarter Horse breeding operation with locations in santa ynez, California, and Weatherford, texas, is the driving force behind the annual CD survivor memorial bridle spectacular. Crawford-Hall adds $50,000 to the class purse each year in memory of the late Holy Cow-owned stallion, CD survivor, whose life was cut short following an accident in 2009. CD survivor (CD Olena x Have A Lil Lena x peppy san badger), a 2001 stallion nicknamed “Clark,” was in his prime, just beginning his career as a bridle horse at age 8 when he died. shown by NrCHA million Dollar rider Jake telford and NrCHA Hall of Fame professional sandy Collier, CD survivor earned $152,723 during his lifetime.
from day one. We’ve had some ups and downs, but you couldn’t ask for a better customer. My wife, Ramona, has been behind me when I’m marking 208’s, too, so I’m glad that we all got to have a good night. It’s special.”
CD Dee Vee Dee
ISAMETALLICA 2016 sorrel stallion (Metallic Cat x Isabellena, by Quejanaisalena). Dam NRCHA money earner - PE $211,264 & 1/2 sister to earners of $336,511
LTE $213,621
NRCHA Stakes
Open Champion
Peptoboonsmal Yearling
JITTERY 2016 red roan stallion (Metallic Cat x Jitters Brown, by Smart Little Lena). Dam money earner - PE $359,991
KAT REY 2016 sorrel stallion (Kit Kat Sugar x Royal Reyda, by Dual Rey). Dam Earner of $21,479
Black Pearl
Half Brother Sells!
LTE $120,203
Futurity
NRCHA Snaffle Bit
Open Champion
Mr Playin Stylish Yearling
Half Brother Sells!
Mo Style LTE $69,663
NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity
Intermediate Open Champion
Yearling Full Brother Sells!
KITTYS GOTTA PLAYER 2016 sorrel stallion (Mr Playinstylish x Kittyboonsmal, by Peptoboonsmal). Dam Earner of $6,440 & 1/2 sister to earners of $259,922
LG COOKIN WITH SUGAR 2016 bay stallion (Kit Kat Sugar x Cookies Cookin, by Doc’s Hickory). Dam money earner - PE $256,184
LIL ROYAL FLETCH 2016 chestnut mare (Royal Fletch x Lil Miss Stylish, by Mr Playinstylish). Dam 1/2 sister to earners of $135,927
MAY DAY BADGER 2016 sorrel mare (Reys Dual Badger x Shiney Senorita, by Shining Spark). Dam Earner of $52,720 - PE $80,075
METALLIC N HICKORY16 2016 bay mare (Metallic Cat x Miss Hickory Hill, by Doc’s Hickory). Dam Earner of $101,039 - PE $420,716
J Bloodstock Western
Call Me Mitch
LTE $112,028
Yearling Full Sister Sells!
MILLIONDOLLAR STYLE 2016 sorrel stallion (Mr Playinstylish x Little Smart Ginger, by Smart Little Lena). Dam money earner - PE $135,927 & 1/2 sister to earners of $74,766
MO CHECKS 2016 sorrel gelding (Im Countin Checks x Poosmal, by Peptoboonsmal). Dam Earner of $13,468 - PE $1,024,214 & 1/2 sister to earners of $658,989
NEVERMIND 2016 sorrel mare (Metallic Cat x Look Never Mind, by Squeak Toy). Dam money earner - PE $351,865
ONE SMOKING CAT 2016 blue roan mare (One Time Pepto x Lynneas Preppy Cat, by High Brow Cat). Dam Earner of $8,705 & 1/2 sister to earners of $252,065
Playin Rem
2016 sorrel stallion (Mr Playinstylish x Sugar Babe Taffy, by Master Remedy). Dam Earner of $15,072 - PE $198,319
PEPPER SHAKERS 2016 bay stallion (Metallic Cat x So Sweet Pepper, by Nitas Wood). Dam PE $157,292
SENORITAS HOLLY TIME 2016 sorrel mare (Hickory Holly Time x Shiney Senorita, by Shining Spark). Dam Earner of $52,720 - PE $80,075
ONECHECKATATIME 2016 sorrel mare (Im Countin Checks x Loves Cat, by High Brow Cat). Dam Earner of $36,928 & 1/2 sister to earners of $91,434
PENDING 2016 sorrel stallion (Mr Playinstylish x Mo Fletch, by Royal Fletch).
Dam PE $69,663 & 1/2 sister to earners of $146,352
PENDING 2016 sorrel stallion (Mr Playinstylish x Lil Sally Cat, by High Brow Cat).
Dam Earner of $14,514 - PE $220,204 & 1/2 sister to earners of $151,624
PLAYIN WITH THE KAT 2016 chestnut stallion (Mr Playinstylish x Fletch The Cat, by Royal Fletch). Dam Earner of $53,023 - PE
$26,923 & 1/2 sister to earners of $143,284
RED AUTUMN BOON 2016 red roan stallion (Peptoboonsmal x Icin On The Cake, by High Brow Cat). Dam 1/2 sister to earners of $1,671,146
REEDING A METALLIC 2016 sorrel mare (Metallic Cat x Reeds Instant Magic, by Abrakadabracre). Dam Earner of $80,958
SEVEN S BIG EASY 2016 red roan gelding (Hickory Holly Time x Seven S Fiesta, by Playgun). Dam Earner of $5,613 - PE $13,010
SEVEN S CALAMITY 2016 gray mare (Rockin W x Seven S Alley Cat, by Real Gun). Dam 1/2 sister to money earners
SEVEN S CODE RED 2016 sorrel gelding (Blind Sided x Seven S Pretty Lady, by Seven S Zanaday). Dam 1/ 2 sister to NRCHA earner of $7,432
ROYALTYPLAYINSTYLISH 2016 sorrel mare (Mr Playinstylish x Chance of Royalty, by Royal Fletch). Dam PE $6,115 & 1/2 sister to earners of $306,779
SENOR HOLLY TIME 2016 red roan stallion (Hickory Holly Time x Shiney Senorita, by Shining Spark). Dam Earner of $52,720 - PE
$80,075
SENORITA IN LIGHTS 2016 sorrel mare (CD Lights x Shiney Senorita, by Shining Spark). Dam Earner of $52,720 - PE $80,075
SEVEN S RED ROBIN 2016 red roan gelding (Blind Sided x Seven S Dixie Chic, by CJ Sugar Lena). Dam producer of NRCHA money earner
SEVEN S REYNCHECK 2016 sorrel gelding (Reys Dual Badger x Very Smart Valentina, by Very Smart Remedy). Dam NRCHA money earner & 1/2 sister to NRCHA money earners
SEVEN S REYZOR 2016 sorrel gelding (Dual Smart Rey x Seven S Stylish Page, by Peptos Stylish Oak). Dam Earner of $3,900 - PE $11,371
Meradas Cookin Now LTE $121,492
NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity
Open Champion
Kit Kat Sugar Yearling Half Brother Sells!
Pepe Le Wright
LTE $62,244
Yearlings Sell out of his dam Soula Jule Forever
LTE $34,751 • PE $100,060
Plain Wright LTE $89,867
YNRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity
Open Reserve Champion
SEVEN S ROCK TONITE 2016 red roan mare (Rockin W x One Time Tonite, by One Time Pepto). Dam NRCHA money earner & full sister to earner of $53,823
earlings Sell out of his dam Isabellena
PE $211,264
SHES ALMOST WRIGHT 2016 sorrel mare (Hes Wright On x Isabellena, by Quejanaisalena). Dam NRCHA money earner - PE
Shiney Senorita
LTE $52,720
PE $80,075
Her Yearlings Sell!
SOCIAL SIOUX 2012 buckskin mare (A Shiner Named Sioux x Shine A Mite, by Doc O Dynamite). CS - Jasons Peptolena ‘18; 1/2 sister to earners of $66,889
$211,264 & 1/2 sister to earners of $336,511
SEVEN S TWO STEP 2016 palomino gelding (Wimpys Little Step x Seven S Stylish Page, by Peptos Stylish Oak). Dam Earner of $3,900 - PE $11,371
SEVEN S WARBRIDLE 2016 palomino gelding (Hickory Holly Time x Seven S Party Girl, by Matt Dillon Dun It). Dam Earner of $8,699 & 1/2 sister to earners of $30,331
SHORT ON SUGAR 016 2016 buckskin stallion (Kit Kat Sugar x Shiney Shorty, by Shorty Lena). Dam Earner of $61,933 - PE
$187,677 & 1/2 sister to earners of $289,811
SHORTY METALLIC 2016 red roan stallion (Metallic Cat x Shortys Jay Ray, by Dual Rey). Dam Earner of $23,570 - PE $19,419
SOMEBODYS BLU BOON 2016 bay mare (Once In A Blu Boon x Hickorysomebodysmart, by Somebody Smart). Dam Earner of $104,257 - PE $66,036
STYLIN ON THE BAYOU 2016 sorrel stallion (Mr Playinstylish x Little Bayou Babe, by Smart Little Lena). Dam Earner of $31,012 - PE $19,103
THIS CAT IS A JULE 2016 sorrel stallion (WR This Cats Smart x Soula Jule Forever, by Soula Jule Star). Dam Earner of $34,751 - PE $100,060
SMART CHEX 016 2016 sorrel stallion (Dual Smart Rey x Chex Out My Hiney, by High Brow Cat). Dam Earner of $84,178 & 1/2 sister to earners of $791,411
THIS SENORITAS SMART 2016 sorrel mare (WR This Cats Smart x Shiney Senorita, by Shining Spark). Dam Earner of $52,720 - PE $80,075
VOODOO CHECKS 2016 sorrel stallion (Im Countin Checks x Ms Mimosa, by Freckles Playboy). Dam Earner of $174,595 - PE $185,766 & 1/2 sister to earners of $328,950
TEXAS TANQUERY 2016 bay stallion (Freckled Leo Lena x Most Unique, by Haidas Little Pep). Dam Earner of $63,125 - PE $20,690
WILDCATTER STYLE 2016 bay stallion (Mr Playinstylish x Lean N Stylish, by Docs Stylish Oak). Dam Earner of $34,597 - PE $33,496
Two Rei n s pe CTa C ula R
Photos by Primo Morales
spotlight continues to shine on the transitional two rein division at NrCHA premier events.
Three-event “Spectacular” classes for horses age 6 and older, featuring herd work, rein work and cow work, are familiar territory for bridle horses. In 2017, the NRCHA has debuted a brand-new Spectacular for two rein horses, offering the class at the Stallion Stakes and again at the Derby.
The Two Rein Spectacular was created as an opportunity for horses to compete for robust paychecks and prestigious titles as they make the transition between showing two-handed in the snaffle and/ or hackamore, to becoming a finished, one-handed bridle horse. Reliable bridle horses have been a scarce commodity in the reined cow horse industry, and the NRCHA board of directors established the Two Rein Spectacular to encourage owners to keep those horses training and competing as they bridge that gap.
OpeN t w O reiN speCtACul Ar CHAmpiON
For champion reined cow horse stallion Call Me Mitch (Metallic Cat x Miss Hickory Hill x Docs Hickory), the transition from showing in the snaffle and hackamore to showing in the two-rein has been uncomplicated, thanks to the
Call me mitch and phillip ralls have been a team since the stallion’s show career began in 2014. they continued their success by winning the 2017 NrCHA Derby Open two rein Championship.
Left: blind sided and Jay mcLaughlin earned the Open two rein spectacular reserve Championship and Open two rein Championship for owner Aaron ranch. blind sided (peptoboonsmal x Lil miss shiney Chex x shining spark) scored a 659.5 (217 herd/216.5 rein/226 fence), earning $4,080 in the spectacular. His two-event composite in the rein and fence work topped the Open two rein horse show class for another $2,130.
bottom: Vanessa Lawrence rode Cash For Diamonds (Nics black Diamond x Dun It For Cash x Nu Cash) to a 629 composite (205 herd/208 rein/215.5 cow), winning the Non pro two rein spectacular Championship and $1,920. Lawrence’s rein and cow work scores also earned the win in the Non pro two rein horse show class for $1,270.
“I started working on it early, riding him in some little grazer bridles, because we were always planning on cutting on him a little bit and going back and forth between the cutting and the cow horse, so I wanted to make sure I had him to where we could work him one-handed. He’s always been one of those horses that you show him once or twice and he’s got it,” Ralls said.
The 2011 stallion, owned by Estelle Roitblat, arrived in Paso Robles with NRCHA earnings already over the $100,000 mark. When he won the Open Two Rein Spectacular with a 660.5 composite (221 herd/220 rein/219.5 fence), “Mitch” added another $5,100 to his lifetime record, which now stands at just over $112,000. The stallion also reinforced his reputation as a talented, enduring performer.
“He’s probably as honest a show horse as I’ve ever had, and it gives you confidence. This is probably our first bigger show where I’ve shown him one-handed, and used him and asked him, and he’s never let me down. He always gives me 110 percent,” Ralls said.
The Paso Robles, California, horseman thanked Roitblat and appreciated his support crew, led by his wife, Teresa Ralls. Herd helpers and fellow professionals Todd Bergen, Corey Cushing, Jake Telford, John Swales and Justin Wright also contributed to Ralls’ success in Paso Robles.
non PRo
sPeCtaCulaR
Photos by Primo Morales
and HoRse sHow Class CHamPions
the National reined Cow Horse Association Jack and phoebe
Cooke memorial Derby is the largest and richest limited age event for 4- and 5-year-old cow horses, who shared the spotlight with NrCHA’s other show divisions.
with more than $20,000 added money for the Non Pro and Non Pro Limited Bridle Spectaculars, and a full slate of horse show classes in the Bridle, Two Rein, Hackamore, Non Pro Limited and Youth classes, the caliber of competition during the Jack and Phoebe Cooke Memorial Derby was top notch.
The Derby Horse Show class champions took home C.R. Morrison trophies, sponsored by the Will Rogers Memorial Center. Other prizes for the champions, reserve champions and third-place finishers included therapeutic equine products from Back On Track, headstalls from Dennis Moreland Tack, hats from Shorty’s Caboy Hattery, gift certificates from Platinum Performance and animal health products, apparel and stadium cushions from San Juan Ranch/Santa Cruz Animal Health.
NoN pro briDle speCtACul Ar/NoN pro briDle/iNtermeDiAte NoN pro briDle/NoviCe NoN pro briDle
Cutter McLaughlin, Commerce, Texas, and his family’s gelding, CD Dee Vee Dee (CD Lights x Shiners Missy Jay x Shining Spark), were everywhere in the Non Pro Bridle divisions, sweeping four championships in Paso Robles. The 13-year-old Cutter and the 12-year-old CD Dee Vee Dee, a gelding owned by Cutter’s parents, NRCHA Million Dollar Rider Jay McLaughlin and his wife, Wendy, won
the Non Pro Bridle Spectacular when they scored a 654.5 composite (217.5 herd/216 rein/221 cow).
But the young horseman didn’t stop there. His 437 rein work and cow work composite score also earned the championships in the concurrent Non Pro Bridle, Intermediate Non Pro Bridle, and Novice Non Pro Bridle divisions. The quartet of paychecks totaled $7,660.
Cutter mclaughlin, Commerce, texas, and his family’s gelding, CD Dee vee Dee.
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NoN pro LimiteD speCtACuLAr
The Derby horse show class lineup offered a herd work, rein work and boxing spectacular for Non Pro Limited riders. The champion was Kristin Bacchetti, who rode her 2007 gelding, Heart Of A Remedy (Heart Of A Fox x SPD Remedys Response x Docs Remedy), to a 435.5 composite score (142 herd/145 rein/148.5 cow). The win paid $1,538. Bacchetti also collected another $798 for the reserve championship in the concurrent Non Pro Limited horse show class, which was determined by her 293.5 two-event composite score in the rein and cow work.
LimiteD opeN briDLe
In the Limited Open Bridle, Melody Andrews guided David Bergendahl’s Smart Sonita Nic (Nic O Lena Badger x Sonitas Smart Peppy x Smart Peppy Doc) to the top of the results sheet, earning a $1,350 paycheck.
opeN briDLe
Smart Remedy Olena (Very Smart Remedy x Peppys T Bar x Dual Peppy), shown by NRCHA Professional Roy Rich, Temecula, California, earned a $2,130 paycheck for owner Candy Flock when he scored a 290.5 (145 rein/145.5 cow) to win the Open Bridle Championship.
LimiteD OpeN HACkAmOre
The Limited Open Hackamore Champion was Rubies Pretty Kitty (Sophisticated Catt x Playin With Rubies x Lectric Playboy), a 2012 mare shown by Paul Bonnello, Paso Robles, California, and owned by Paul Antoci. They scored a 280.5 composite (137 rein/143.5 cow), earning $1,050.
OpeN HACk AmOre
National Reined Cow Horse Association Hall of Fame professional Lyn Anderson, Madera, California, captured the Open Hackamore Championship aboard Smokin Smart Cat (WR This Cats Smart x She Smokes Smart x Senors Lil Brudder), owned by David and Barbara Archer. The 2013 mare earned a championship check for $2,736 when Anderson guided her to a 292.5 composite (146.5 rein/146 fence).
NON prO HACk AmOre
Cynthia Bias, Edison, California, was in the Derby Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Novice Non Pro Derby finals on Saturday night with Truckin On Ice (NMSU Truckin Chex x LegendaryIcePrincess x Little Lenas Legend), where they took the Novice Reserve Championship and earned a total of $6,667 in three divisions. On Sunday, Bias and her 2012 mare won another $1,050 when they scored a 287.5 composite (143 rein/144.5 fence) to win the Derby Non Pro Hackamore Championship.
NoN pro Limited
The Non Pro Limited Champion was Meredith Graber, who piloted Hickorys Chic Olena (Smart Chic Olena x Hickorys Red Rey x Docs Hickory) to a 294.5 composite (146.5 rein/148 cow). The win paid $1,015.
$5,000 NoN pro Limited ANd step up boxiNg
Ruth Noring and Mister Olena Chic (Mister Dual Pep x April Olena x Smart Chic Olena) were tops in a big 37-entry class of $5,000 Non Pro Limited competitors, scoring a 291.5 (145.5 rein/146 cow) to win the $655 championship paycheck. Noring and her gelding also tested their future fence work skills and won the Step Up Boxing class, the NRCHA’s offering for Non Pros to school some fence work fundamentals in a competitive, judged situation. The goal is to encourage Non Pro Limited riders to progress toward going down the fence. Competitors have a minute and 45 seconds to box a cow, shape it out of the corner, run and rate down the fence, and stop. No fence turns or circling are required.
Noring and Mister Olena Chic earned a 74 score—and gained some valuable experience—to win the Step Up Boxing division, which came with some terrific prizes from San Juan Ranch and Back On Track.
Congratulations Brother Jackson and Ken Wold for winning the NRCHA CD Survivor Memorial Bridle Spectacular
Peptoboonsmal - producer of over $26 million dollars in winners, out of Shes Icing Onthe Cat - LTE in excess of $249,000.00, by Smooth As A Cat.
5 Panel N/N-Earnings in excess of $110,000
Standing at Ken Wold Training Stables and Stallion Services Wilton, CA Owned by Dan Perez – Westley, CA
youtH briDle
The Youth Bridle Champion was Macey Newkirk, of Porterville, California, who rode JA Felix The Cat (Mr Jay Bar x Almar Angel x Tule Tucker) to a composite 279 score (140.5 rein/138.5 fence). The win paid $570.
youtH limiteD
Sydney Lane Hoyt of La Quinta, California, wowed the judges with a big 150 cow work score on her way to the Youth Limited Championship aboard her mare, Miss Nic N Tuck (Peppinic x Miss Leo Tucker x Doc Tom Tucker). Added to their 141.5 rein work score, the pair had a 291.5 total to earn the win, which paid $240.
$1,000 NoN pro limiteD
The $1,000 Non Pro Limited Champion was Nancy Nyjordet, riding her 2009 gelding, Chickaroos Chance (Hick Chicaroo x Foxy Marcie x As Smart As The Fox). The pair earned a 143.5 composite (71.5 rein/72 cow) for the win, which came with a $550 championship paycheck.
b reeder d irectory
Call Me Mitch (Metallic Cat x Miss Hickory Hill x Doc’s Hickory), is a 2011 bay roan stallion with performance earnings of $112,000+. He has earned multiple reined cow horse and cutting championships and finals placings in the NRCHA, NCHA, and AQHA. He stands at Santa Lucia Farms, Santa Ynez, California, in 2017. Call Me Mitch is owned by Estelle Roitblat and shown by NRCHA Professional Phillip Ralls and NCHA Professional Russ Westfall.
Rogers Heaven Sent Ranch of Tucson, Arizona, was founded by the Rogers family in 2005, starting out with just two personal horses. Since then, Rogers Heaven Sent Ranch has grown into a full service facility, breeding and showing some of the best Quarter Horses the industry has to offer.
Rogers Heaven Sent Ranch also maintains an Organic Alfalfa operation and they raise Certified Organic Black Angus Beef. Learn more about them on the web at www.RogersHSR.com.
Dual R Smokin (Dual Rey x Smokin Pepto x Peptoboonsmal), a 2005 Quarter Horse stallion, is owned by J Five Horse Ranch in Weatherford, Texas. He has earned more than $220,000 in the National Cutting Horse Association, and his many titles include the 2011 NCHA Super Stakes Classic Non Pro Championship.
Dual R Smokin is a National Reined Cow Horse Association Subscribed Stallion. He is also nominated to the NCHA Super Stakes, Breeders Invitational, PCCHA Cutting/Gelding Stakes, Bonanza Cutting & Canadian Supreme. He stands at Oswood Stallion Station in Weatherford, Texas. More information is available at www.JFiveRanch.com.
Hes Wright On (Lenas Wright On x Shesa Lota Nic x Reminic) is a 2003 bay AQHA stallion with lifetime performance earnings of $170,000+. He is AQHA 5-Panel N/N. Hes Wright On was the 2015 NRCHA #7 Leading Sire, the 2015 Equi-Stat #2 Leading Junior Reined Cow Horse Sire, and the 2015 EquiStat #6 Leading Reined Cow Horse Sire. Foals sired by Hes Right On have earned nearly $350,000. Hes Wright On is owned by the Hes Wright On Partnership. For breeding information and more details, visit www.BrazosValleyStallionStation.com
Michael and Michelle Miola built Silver Spurs Equine out of a passion for great horses and for the sport of reining. Located in Cave Creek, Arizona, their world-class training and breeding facility is home to great stallions including NRCHA Million Dollar Sire Nic It In The Bud. Visit www.Silver Spurs Equine.com to learn more.
Holy Cow Performance Horses LLC, with locations in Santa Ynez, California, and Weatherford, Texas, has become a leading breeder and owner of reined cow horses, reining horses, and cutting horses. Breeding, raising and showing quality performance Quarter Horses is a passion at Holy Cow - dedicated to raising quality performers that are world class in their respective fields. Holy Cow is home to some of the finest broodmares in the industry, including top reined cow horse producer SHEZA SHINETTE. The stallion roster includes Shady Lil Starlight, Nabisco Roan, Once A Von A Time and Heza Shiney Kodo. Their sponsorship and support of the NRCHA includes the $50,000 added CD Survivor Memorial Bridle Spectacular, a showcase for the industry’s elite bridle horses, at the NRCHA Derby in Paso Robles, California.
Learn more about Holy Cow Performance Horses at www.HolyCowPerformanceHorses.com.
Metallic Cat (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow x Peptoboonsmal), owned by Fults Ranch, is an $11 Million Sire and the 2016 National Cutting Horse Association Sire of the Year. He is the second highest money-earning stallion in the history of the National Cutting Horse Association. Metallic Cat also offers the Metallic Cat Incentive at the NRCHA Stallion Stakes, offering a $10,000 bonus to the highest-placing Open finalist and $5,000 to the highest-placing Non Pro finalist sired by Metallic Cat. Visit him on the web at www.MetallicCat.com.
Matthews Cutting Horses, owned and operated by Jeffrey and Sheri Matthews, is the home of NRCHA Million Dollar Sire ONE TIME PEPTO (Peptoboonsmal x One Time Soon x Smart Little Lena).
Matthews Cutting Horses is well known for superior performance horse bloodlines. The Matthews breeding program is built on extraordinary pedigrees and exceptional performance.
His first foals came of show age in 2010, and in 2014, One Time Pepto was the #1 NRCHA Sire. In 2015, he was the leading sire of NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Sale horses.
One Time Pepto’s performing foals have earned more than $10 million in all disciplines.
Learn more about One Time Pepto at www.OneTimePepto.com.
NRCHA Breeder Sponsor, Smart Boons, is a stallion with lifetime show earnings of nearly $200,000. The red roan son of Peptoboonsmal is out of Smart Little Easter, a daughter of Smart Little Lena. He is owned by Eric and Wendy Dunn - and has been trained and shown for most of his career by NRCHA Million Dollar Rider Corey Cushing.
The Dunns are very excited about Smart Boons future as a leading sire - and they invite you to share their passion! Learn more at www.SmartBoons.com.
Time For The Diamond (One Time Pepto x Diamonds With Style x Playin Stylish), owned by Triple D Ranches, is the 2013 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion. Trained and shown by NRCHA Professional Nick Dowers, Time For The Diamond has career earnings of nearly $150,000. His first foal crop will be 2-year-olds in 2018. Time For The Diamond stands at Oswood Stallion Station in Weatherford, Texas. For more information, visit www.NickDowers.com.
Western Bloodstock is the trusted name in performance horse sales, and is proud to produce and manage the 2017 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity Sales! Visit them on the web at www.WesternBloodstock.com.
tH e impo R tan C e of GenetiC testinG
By Heather Smith Thomas
How genetic testing can help stallion and mare owners make informed breeding decisions.
during the past several decades, research has shed light on a number of important genetic diseases in horses, including several defects that appear in Quarter Horses and other breeds that have utilized Quarter Horse bloodlines. Some of these diseases have cropped up in recent years, originating from muta-
tions in individual horses that were ancestors of some of today’s popular pedigrees, and the new trait was perpetuated in numerous offspring. Mutations are common in humans and animals, but generally don’t cause problems with random matings because they are greatly diluted in a very large gene pool. If the genetic change occurs in an animal that
has hundreds or thousands of descendants, however, this may affect a wide number of horses.
Mutations that have caused concern include HYPP (hyperkalemic periodic paralysis), a dominant trait first identified in 1985 and eventually traced back to the Quarter Horse stallion Impressive. A serious recessive trait, originally termed
the AQHA now offers 5-panel testing for HYpp, gbeD, HerDA, LWFs and pssm
hyperelastosis cutis and later renamed HERDA (hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia) was first documented in the late 1960’s. More recently, a recessive muscle disorder called GBED (glycogen branching enzyme deficiency) was recognized as causing late-term abortions, stillbirths or weak foals that don’t survive long.
Another recessive foal killer is LWFS (lethal white foal syndrome), most common in Paint horses. LWFS is fatal and appears when two copies of the affected gene are inherited, one from each parent.
Some disorders are due to fairly recent mutations, like HYPP, while others—like the muscle diseases that cause “tying up” episodes—have been with us a long time, maybe since the Middle Ages. Muscle cramping associated with exercise, or with exercise after a period of inactivity, has been recognized for more than a century. Terms such as azoturia (referring to dark urine), Monday morning disease, exertional rhabdomyolysis, etc. have been used to describe this abnormality, and in recent years researchers have found there are several forms of this syndrome, with different causes.
Any horse may experience a “tying up” episode if muscle stress is severe, with no underlying abnormality in muscle tissue or function. But some horses continually have problems because of a defect in which muscles collect an abnormal amount of sugar. The predisposing factor for this muscle malfunction is an altered carbohydrate metabolism, due to type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM). This muscle condition is dominantly inherited and occurs most frequently in heavily muscled horses such as Quarter Horses, draft horses, some warmbloods and other breeds that utilize Quarter Horse or draft horse bloodlines.
Dr. Nena Winand, a retired veterinary molecular geneticist at Cornell University, researched the HERDA mutation (an
One thing that bothers me about these diseases is the lack of awareness among breeders, even though there are now some genetic tests available.”–Dr. Nina Winand
inherited skin disorder in some lines of Quarter Horses) and has worked on muscle disorders in horses and other species. She owns horses herself, and has a personal interest in Quarter Horse genetics.
“One thing that bothers me about these diseases is the lack of awareness among breeders, even though there are now some genetic tests available,” she says. Some people who have just started breeding horses, or bought a horse to ride for pleasure or to compete may not test, and then experience a problem.
HOw COmmOn Are genetiC DiseAses?
A research study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2009 (a collaborative effort by geneticists at UC-Davis and the University of Minnesota) utilized a genetic survey of more than 650 elite performance Quarter Horses, along with 200 control Quarter Horses and 180 control Paint horses, to try to determine the frequency of several genetic diseases found in Quarter Horses and related breeds, and to see if some disciplines/sub-types showed more or less frequency than the breed average.
They looked for HYPP, lethal white foal syndrome (LWFS), GBED, HERDA, and type 1 PSSM in horses performing in seven different competitive disciplines— barrel racing, cutting, halter, racing, rein-
ing, Western pleasure and working cow horse. These horses were genotyped for the five different disease-causing alleles, and the age-matched control Quarter Horses and Paint horses were used to establish comparative across-the-breed estimates of allele frequencies.
The highest frequencies among the control Quarter Horses were for type 1 PSSM and GBED. Incidence of HERDA and HYPP were less prevalent. The group of control Paint horses harbored a high level of LWFS and had a higher prevalence of HYPP. In the sub-groups, halter horses had significantly greater frequencies for HYPP and PSSM. Cutting horses had the highest incidence for HERDA and Western pleasure horses had a high incidence for GBED—though GBED, HERDA and PSSM were found broadly throughout all subgroups. Racing and barrel horse subgroups had the lowest frequencies of all five disease genes.
the muscle condition known as type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy (pssm) is dominantly inherited and occurs most frequently in heavily muscled horses such as Quarter Horses, draft horses, some warmbloods and other breeds that utilize Quarter Horse or draft horse bloodlines. the pssm 1 horse pictured is tying up.
Dr. Valberg
Two measures are commonly used in determining frequency and characteristics of a genetic disease. Allele frequency is the broad category that covers both dominant and recessive diseases, and is therefore an estimate of the percentage of disease-causing alleles (variants) of a gene among all the alleles in the horse population (in this instance Quarter Horses and Paint horses). Carrier frequency describes the percentage of the population having a single copy of a disease-causing allele that does not cause a disease phenotype (recessive diseases such as LWFS, GBED, and HERDA). These carriers are important because they have the potential to create diseased animals when bred to other carriers, even though they do not show the disease themselves.
Breeding two carriers will result in affected offspring 25 percent of the time (and result in carrier offspring 50 percent of the time, and 25 percent chance of a non-carrier). For dominant diseases like HYPP and PSSM, a single allele is enough to cause the disease; breeding an affected animal to a non-affected animal will result in a 50 percent chance of creating a normal animal and 50 percent
chance of an affected animal.
In the past, many Quarter Horse and Paint breeders did not use DNA testing unless there was a known carrier related to the horses being used for breeding, yet nearly all sub-groups carry these disease alleles. Use of AI, embryo transfer and superovulation and cloning of popular horses can speed up the appearance of genetic diseases and only a few years are needed to pass many copies of a gene to thousands of horses from a popular sire or mare. The need for genetic testing has increased dramatically.
“This research paper serves as a reference for occurrence of various genetic diseases in different performance disciplines,” says Winand. “Owners of these horses might think there is low incidence, but it is significant in terms of MH (malignant hyperthermia, a serious genetic disease, which is not included in the panel test now offered by the AQHA) and PSSM—especially the type of PSSM that we still don’t know the cause of. There is a test for type 1 PSSM, but we know there are at least two other types in performance horses such as Quarter Horses, Paints, etc.
“We may not have all the necessary tests yet for these, but if I were breeding for performance horses, I would definitely be testing for PSSM, MH, and GBED since these genetic diseases can occur throughout the population. I wouldn’t worry so much about HYPP and HERDA because these are associated with specific bloodlines and a person would know what to test for and what not to worry about if you know your bloodlines,” she says.
Winand adds that breeders have to look back in the pedigree a long ways to be sure, but can understand where these problems came from. By contrast, PSSM and GBED are much more widespread and trace back many generations.
“Originally it was thought that GBED came from a mutation passed on by King P234, but essentially all modern Quarter Horses trace back to King at least once, so it could have come from farther back,” Winand explained.
In some of her own research concerning the possibilities of cloning being problematic, Winand worked with the AQHA to look at the impact a specific sire could have on the breed.
A muscle biopsy from a pssm 1 horse.
A muscle biopsy taken from a normal horse.
Dr. Valberg
Dr. Valberg
“We pulled sire records from Little Peppy, King, Poco Bueno, Doc Bar, and other horses that were perceived to have had big influences on the breed. It wasn’t easy at the time (in 2004) because we didn’t have the updated computer capacity we have today. We asked the IT people to get us the data on how many living Quarter Horses traced back to those sires. We discovered that almost every living Quarter Horse at that time traced back to King, and two-thirds of them traced back at least once to Poco Bueno. Thus, you can’t just look at a pedigree today and think you are safe. GBED is not uncommon, and we are not sure what bloodlines it will be found in; you just have to test for it. HERDA is a little different because we know how it is transmitted,” Winand says.
tHe ImpOrtAnce Of testIng HOrses
Dr. Stephanie J. Valberg, Michigan State University, says it is important to do genetic testing, for several purposes— making breeding decisions, checking the status of an animal you are purchasing for breeding, and making an accurate
If your horse has a recessive trait you would want to breed to a horse that does not carry that trait, to avoid any chance of having an affected foal.”
–Dr. Stephanie J. Valberg
diagnosis in a horse with signs of muscle disease.
“Be aware of the three considerations for when to use genetic testing, which are breeding, purchasing and diagnosis, and know what the genetic test is that is being offered, and whether a test has been validated,” Valberg says.
“When contemplating breeding animals, we want to know whether or not they are likely to pass on a genetic trait. With the AQHA now having a 5-panel test (for HYPP, GBED, HERDA, LWFS and PSSM), it’s possible to get a rela-
tively economical overview of what your horse’s genetic status is on those diseases.”
Owners can then either select mates to breed away from a trait or decide it is not worth the risk of passing on the genetic condition.
It’s important to have an understanding of dominant and recessive traits because this will influence breeding decisions.
“If your horse has a recessive trait you would want to breed to a horse that does not carry that trait, to avoid any chance of having an affected foal. If your horse has a dominant trait, however, and is heterozygous (one normal gene, along with the gene for the genetic disease), no matter what horse you breed to, there is a 50 percent chance that the offspring will be affected,” Valberg said.
This could lead to the heartbreak of producing an affected foal, whether it’s your own foal or a foal from someone else’s mare bred to your stallion.
“If you have an affected foal and are trying to sell it later, this will affect its value if genetic testing is done as part of a pre-purchase exam. If you are purchasing a performance horse and wonder if it might have an underlying genetic disorder, it’s wise to find out—since this may affect the horse’s ability to perform. If you have done genetic testing on animals you are selling, you have a duty to disclose the results of those tests,” said Valberg.
The 5-panel test makes knowing the odds more affordable.
“When you do the AQHA’s 5-panel test, that information also becomes available with the horse’s registration. If you use a private lab for genetic testing, the results are confidential to you and not linked to the horse’s registration,” she says. This could be an issue later if the horse is sold and the previous owner does not disclose the test results to the new owner.
HerDA (hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia) is characterized by hyperextensible skin, scarring, and severe lesions along the back of affected horses.
Dr. Winan D
Simply stated, breeding horses is a huge investment and losses can take both an emotional and financial toll.
“You want to minimize chances for financial loss,” says Winand. “Beyond the financial issue, there is also the emotional and ethical level. All AQHA or APHA members want to adhere to their breed’s mission statements, to breed healthy horses. We need to understand what we must do to breed healthy horses and recognize that genetic problems are diseases.”
Dr. Carrie Finno, Assistant Professor and Researcher of Population Health and Reproduction at UC-Davis, does genetic research looking for mutations in horses in order to make tests available.
“It’s important for new horse owners to understand, especially in the Quarter Horse world, that even if you are not considering breeding your animal, you should do the 5-panel test as part of a pre-purchase exam because a lot of the muscle diseases can be performancelimiting. They can be managed, but you probably want to know the genetic status of a horse before you purchase—because this is a lifelong management. With genetic diseases, nothing is curative, so all we can do is use this knowledge to manage those horses appropriately. It’s best to go into this with eyes wide open, rather than find out after the fact that the very nice horse you’ve purchased has a problem. Some people don’t do the tests and go ahead and buy the horse, and maybe the horse is doing more work or different work and starts to have problems.”
New owners may not be familiar with some of the genetic diseases that old-timers have learned about, albeit sometimes the hard way.
“Someone could buy a horse and not know what questions to ask, like whether it has been tested,” says Dr. Gary Magdesian, School of Veterinary
////////// LetHAL
WHIte
FOAL sYndrOme
thisfatal genetic disease appears when two copies of the affected gene are inherited, one from each parent (typically two frame overo white paint horses). the white homozygous foals don’t live more than a day or so.
“One thing that many people don’t know about this syndrome is that horses with one copy of the gene are normal and healthy,” said magdesian. “this gene (one copy) is what produces the frame overo pattern. the second thing many people don’t realize is that solidcolored horses can carry that allele without expressing it (no paint color). they think their horse doesn’t carry
It’s important for new horse owners to understand, especially in the Quarter Horse world, that even if you are not considering breeding your animal, you should do the 5-panel test as part of a pre-purchase exam because a lot of the muscle diseases can be performance-limiting.
–Dr. Carrie Finno
it because the horse is solid-colored. today, however, having the test is good because some horses may carry the gene and people wouldn’t suspect it. If you are breeding that solid-colored horse to a frame overo then you’d need to test the solid-colored horse to make sure it doesn’t carry that gene.”
A third thing that many people don’t realize is that not all white foals are lethal white.
“When a white foal is born, they may call their vet to have it put down, but that may not be necessary,” said magdesian. “First off, the parents should be tested, to know to avoid that lethal cross, but if the parents were not tested and you have an all-white foal, you should not automatically assume it’s a lethal white foal—until it starts to colic and have the signs of this disease. these foals can live a couple days, but usually within the first 24 hours they become uncomfortable, colic, and they don’t pass meconium. some people panic when they see a white foal born and want to put it down before it suffers, but you can have an allwhite foal from other gene crosses like splash white to sabino, or splash white to frame or homozygous sabino. these foals are perfectly healthy; not every white foal is OO for lethal white.”
Medicine, UC-Davis. “They might buy a horse that has a disease they didn’t know about. Ask for the test results (or do the test) for any horse you are purchasing, so you know what you are getting into and whether you want to take something on,” says Magdesian.
Magdesian adds that if taken proper care of, some diseases are manageable with diet and exercise, plus medication. If people are informed they at least know if the horse has a disease and can manage it appropriately.
“Testing provides knowledge, and knowledge is power,” he added. “There is a lot to learn, and most horse owners try to learn all they can about their horses, so they can make the best decisions regarding their care and breeding.
Horses with one copy of the gene that produces the frame overo pattern are normal and healthy.
Dr. Mag D esian
pRopeR taCK CaRe
By Dennis Moreland
Keeping leather tack in good condition is critical for safety and it also helps to keep the communication between you and your horse at the top level. Dried and cracking leather does not give the same signal as good, dense, well cared for leather.
It’s a great idea to check your tack for wear or damage before every ride. I recommend wiping it down with saddle soap after every ride and hanging it properly where it has space to hang naturally.
You also want to give your tack a good deep cleaning every few months to help preserve it and keep it at its highest level of performance. If you haven’t used a piece of tack in a while, it’s important to check it over carefully, oil it if needed, and make necessary repairs. Just like your horse, if you don’t ride it, your tack won’t perform as well as when it’s used continuously.
Follow these straightforward steps to deep clean and condition your leather:
1. To properly deep clean and oil a piece of tack you’ll need saddle soap, Neatsfoot oil or a substitute and a couple pieces of sheepskin or clean cloth. I use Neatsfoot oil, but other oils such as olive oil will work. I don’t use leather conditioners or other products that leave a film on the leather.
2. Take the piece of tack completely apart. Check both the leather and hardware for wear and damage. Pay careful attention to the folds in the leather.
3. Spray or rub saddle soap liberally onto a piece of sheepskin, cloth or sponge.
4. Rub each piece of leather until any dirt on the leather is removed. If there’s mold on the leather it can be rubbed with a mixture of 1 part mouthwash to 2 parts water prior to rubbing with saddle soap. It usually takes some elbow grease to get the mold off. Let the leather dry for an hour or two.
5. Wipe the leather down with a clean cloth and liberally apply Neatsfoot oil with a piece of sheepskin or cloth. Be sure to apply to the edges of the leather and inside any loops. Move keepers and apply oil to the leather under the keeper. Let the oil dry for an hour or two. It can be placed in a warm spot while drying, but not in direct sunlight.
6. Buff any excess oil off with a clean cloth. You can use a little bit of saddle soap on the cloth if you like. Replace any worn or damaged parts. Reassemble your tack and you’re ready to ride.
Saddle soap is a product made from mild soap, glycerin or lanolin (sebaceous gland wax of sheep) and often beeswax. Saddle soap is used to clean and protect leather. Neatsfoot oil is a fat rendered from the lower legs of cattle that doesn’t harden when cold. It is used to soften and condition leather. It will darken leather with repeated use.
HA member Dennis m oreland, owner of Dennis moreland tack, has
Dennis moreland provides six simple steps to clean your tack correctly.
SEPTEMBER 20 – OCTOBER 1, 2017 Will Rogers Memorial Center | Fort Worth, Texas SAVE THE DATE!
Tom Neel & Zeze On The Eyes Open 4- & 5-year-old Challenge Champions and winners of $5,760.
• Amateur
• Limited Amateur (Boxing)
• Open (Junior & Senior) Jackpotted Challenge Classes
� Solid Paint-Bred horses with at least one Paint genetic marker now allowed to compete in Challenge Classes!
Enter by August 1 to avoid late penalties.
Entries accepted until 5 p.m. the day before the class.
For more information: apha.com/oawcs • 817.222.8455 For qualifying information, visit apha.com/cowhorse
Photo by Larry Williams
CorporAte pArtners
Platinum Performance is the Official Nutritional Supplementof the NRCHA! Platinum Performance, Inc. is the manufacturer of Platinum Performance Equine Wellness and Performance Formula, a comprehensive supplement rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, bioavailable trace minerals, amino acids and joint protective anti-inflammatory nutrients. This formula is designed to support the immune system, joints, bones, muscles, and provide sustained energy and enhanced performance. It is excellent for performance horses of all ages, broodmares, stallions and foals. Platinum Performance nutritional supplements were originally developed to decrease rehabilitation time after orthopedic surgeries, to speed bone growth and tissue healing, and reduce swelling complications. For more information, visit Platinum Performance at our website at www.PlatinumPerformance. com.
Dennis Moreland of Dennis Moreland Tack started his hand made tack business when he was a young cowboy. He realized there was a need for safe, well made, functional horse tack to be readily available to horsemen & horsewomen. This is Dennis’s 41st anniversary in the handmade tack business! He works closely with professional trainers and horsemen to design and test his equipment for functionality, fit and durability. From bridles to cinches, horse bits to spurs, I work hard to make this the best tack you’ve ever ridden. You can find everything you need for your horse at www.DMTack.com.
Don Rich Custom Saddles are specifically designed for use in the Western performance horse industry with an emphasis on reined cow horse, cutting, ranch horse, and reining events. Choose from our beautiful selection of saddles in stock, or place a custom order. See our inventory and learn more at www.DonRichSaddlery.com.
As the official equine insurance company for the NRCHA, Markel has provided uninterrupted coverage for horses and horse-related risks for over four decades. Sharing your passion for horses and committed to the horse industry, Markel is an experienced company whose associates are horse people first and insurance people second. Their insurance products focus on protecting your horses, home, barn, tack and equipment. Whether you have one horse or an entire stable, board or train horses, Markel can fully protect you. Visit www.horseinsurance.com for more information on Markel’s products.
Scottsdale Western World offers the finest in Western saddles and tack, from reined cow horse, cutting, and reining to ranch riding, Western pleasure and trail. We feature the complete line of Silver Spurs Saddles by AM, a collaboration between Silver Spurs Equine and world renowned saddle designer Andy Maschke. We also offer preowned saddles—plus bits, bridles, pads, horse accessories, apparel and much more. Find us on the web at www.ScottsdaleWesternWorld.com.
PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs. Everything we do is for the love of dogs. As the world’s largest dog food brand, our passion is to make the world a better place for dogs. We champion causes to help dogs find loving homes, and we are dedicated to understanding dogs’ needs to make sure every dog is fed well, because every dog deserves great nutrition. PEDIGREE® products include a wide variety of treats including DENTASTIX®, MARROBONE®, and JUMBONE®. PEDIGREE® brand is proud to be a corporate partner and the Official Pet Food of the National Reined Cow Horse Association. To find out more about PEDIGREE® brand visit www.pedigree.com.
At Standlee Premium Western Forage, we care about your horses! Your horse isn’t just some animal that you look after. It’s a close companion, a helping hand, and a trusted member of your team. Whether your mare is losing her edge after long days of training on cattle and needs a little extra energy, or has developed more sophisticated nutritional needs during pregnancy, feeding Standlee Premium Western Forage® is the perfect way to get your companion back to her top form. It’s also perfect for that well-aged gelding you’ve had in the family for thirty years whose metabolism just isn’t what it used to be. As horse people, we get it. Your horse is much more than just a horse. Standlee lets you care for it as such. Standlee owns over 18,000 acres of carefully managed alfalfa, timothy grass, orchard grass, alfalfa/grass and orchard/alfalfa hay. Our facility in the small town of Eden, Idaho is 142,000 square feet. We have an extensive customer base both domestically and internationally. Standlee is a leader in the forage industry. We continue to market and develop the highest quality products for our loyal customers all year. Our web site, www.StandleeForage.com, is full of helpful resources, including a nutritional calculator, product overview, dealer locator and much more.
The National Reined Cow Horse Association welcomes Shorty’s Hattery as a Corporate Partner in 2017. Shorty’s takes pride in creating custom hats, hand-made with dedication to the true tradition of the Western cowboy. The entire Shorty’s team stands by the value and tradition that defines the spirit of cowboys and cowgirls everywhere. They make cowboy hats the right way: from top-quality materials and loving care in every hat. Find them on the web at ShortysHattery-dot-com.
Nutrena® provides one of the world’s most comprehensive lines of equine nutritional products, including SafeChoice®, Vitality®, Life Design®, Empower® and XTN®. As part of the world’s largest equine nutrition company, Nutrena® offers advanced nutrition research, technology, unmatched resources and decades of experience to its customers. Since 1921, Nutrena® has been providing premier products and services to consumers throughout North America and is proud to be the Official Equine Feed of AQHA, an AAEP Educational Partner as well as the Official Feed of the NRCHA.
Team up with Classic Equine and PLAY TO WIN! Classic Equine is the official horse boot and saddle pad brand of the NRCHA, and there is a reason we are the standard equipment of performance champions. Just ask the professionals. Serious competitors care about their horse’s health and soundness. Classic Equine offers a variety of innovative and protective products including saddle pads, cinches, support boots and bell boots. All products are manufactured to the highest standards for quality and value. After all, the creation of a product line that satisfies the serious competitor’s high expectations of performance is what Classic Equine is all about. With input from many of today’s leading riders, each product is designed and tested for function, fit, durability and value. That is why when it comes to the horse’s protection and comfort for training and competition, champions prefer Classic Equine. For more information visit our website at www.classicequine.com or call 1-800-654-7864.
San Juan Ranch, a Division of Santa Cruz Animal Health, is rapidly becoming an industry leader in the distribution and development of Veterinary and Animal Health Care Products. As the official animal health and breeding supplier of the NRCHA, the company offers a wide range of products for the optimal care of performance horses, livestock and companion animals. The Animal Health product line includes a comprehensive, high-quality, affordable line of UltraCruz™Animal Health Supplements for horses, dogs and cats.
Veterinary Prescription Drugs for a broad range of clinical applications, including antibiotics, anti-fungals, critical care, reproduction and neonatal products, are also available. San Juan Ranch is a top breeder of Performance Horses and Gelbvieh Cattle. Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., the parent company, is a world leader in the development of products for the biomedical research market. Over the past twenty years, the company has focused on the ongoing development of research antibodies, biochemicals, labware and has recently expanded into animal health care products.
DT Horses, “The Elite Brand,” owned and operated by Dean and Leslie Tuftin, is located in beautiful Bend, Oregon. They are proud to be the presenting sponsor of the NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman. Already an established breeding and training program for world champion rope horses, DT Horses has strengthened its reined cow horse industry presence with the addition of NRCHA Champion Hickory Holly Time to its stallion roster in 2016. Under the guidance of DT Horses’ resident trainer, leading NRCHA Professional Kelby Phillips, the DT Horses’ program seeks out the best genetics in the performance horse industry, to create versatile champions for every arena. Find them on the web at www.DTHorses.com.
The Nutro Company is a leading manufacturer of natural pet food products sold exclusively at pet specialty stores, and the Official Pet Food food of the National Reined Cow Horse Association. The company has been making premium pet food for more than 80 years and is dedicated to quality, excellence and innovation in dog and cat nutrition offering healthful formulas for every pet’s life stage, activity level and size. The Nutro Company’s family of brands includes MAX® dog and cat food, NATURAL CHOICE® dog and cat food, and ULTRA™ food for dogs in addition to the GREENIES® brands, which include the #1 veterinary recommended pet specialty dental chews, and PILL POCKETS® and JOINT CARE® treats. For more information, please visit www.thenutrocompany.com and www.greenies.com.
Wear Cinch to Win! It’s the Official Clothing of the NRCHA! Lead...don’t follow and wear the choice of champions - Cinch jeans and shirts. When performance counts, the members of the NRCHA turn to Cinch jeans. Cinch is the brand of choice for some of the world’s best horse trainers like Bob Avila, Teddy Robinson and Todd Bergen. Why? Because Cinch jeans offer the kind of fit and comfort that allow riders to focus on the work at hand. Plus Cinch jeans and shirts always look good. You’ll find Cinch jeans and shirts at your favorite Western store or via catalog. Or, visit www.cinchjeans.com to find the retailer nearest you. “Cinch up” with Cinch jeans and shirts. Wear the choice of champions.
Legendary performance horse breeder and National Reined Cow Horse Association Hall of Fame horsewoman
Carol Rose is the sponsor of the NRCHA’s alliance with the National High School Rodeo Association. Carol has been a longtime supporter of the NRCHA Youth program, and her lifetime commitment to raising versatile performance horses makes her a natural fit as the NRCHA helps the NHSRA develop and implement the cow horse event in High School Rodeo. The Carol Rose Quarter Horses facility in Gainesville, Texas, has produced some of the finest American Quarter Horses to compete in AQHA, NRHA, NRCHA and NCHA events.
DC Cow Horse Gear, the online store for Don Rich Custom Saddles, is located in Alpine, Tennessee. We pride ourselves on offering the highest quality handmade tack, braided rawhide, Les Vogt and Franco Bits, as well as Don Rich Custom Saddles. Our business is mainly web and trade-show based, but feel free to make an appointment to stop in and check out our selection of great products. Find us at www.DCCowHorseGear.com.
Jividen’s is a family owned and operated business in Gallipolis, Ohio, with over 50 years of retail experience with extreme focus on customer satisfaction! Please get in touch with us to see our complete line of clothing, boots, hats, and our very own custom designed, hand-made saddles! Find us on Facebook or visit www.JividensCustoms.com.
American Paint Horse Association - Marked For Greatness! We inspire, nurture, promote and provide meaningful experiences to generations interested in preserving the versatile Paint Horse. The APHA is proud to be an alliance partner of the National Reined Cow Horse Association. Learn more about the breed and the benefits of membership at www.APHA.com.
Complete oral care is important for your dog’s total body health and can add years to their lifespan. GREENIES™ Canine Dental Chews are proven to clean dogs’ teeth by fighting both plaque and tartar buildup, freshening breath, and maintaining healthier teeth and gums. Designed for daily treating, our dental chews are low in fat and nutritionally complete for adult dogs.
The American Quarter Horse Association, located in Amarillo, Texas, is the world’s largest equine breed registry and membership organization. AQHA members share a passion for the American Quarter Horse and the vast lifestyle created by the world’s most popular horse. The AQHA is an alliance partner of the National Reined Cow Horse Association. Explore the AQHA’s many resources on the web at www.AQHA.com.
Gist Silversmiths: Crafting a Legend Piece by Piece - Gist Silversmiths is proud of its partnership with the NRCHA as its “Official Silversmith”. For 40 years, Gist has been considered the industry leader in customized trophy and award buckles for champions of all disciplines. Gist Silversmiths believes there is no substitute for the finest in quality, superior craftsmanship and reliable service. Attention to detail is evident in each of their finely sculpted motifs and logos; quality enhanced by unique buckle designs. An award buckle is presented to commemorate a significant achievement and each recipient should be honored with a buckle reflecting the pride of a champion. For more information, visit the Gist Silversmiths website at www.gistsilversmiths.com.
Discount Tire/America’s Tire, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is the world’s largest tire and wheel retailer, doing business as Discount Tire in most of the U.S. and America’s Tire in Oregon, and parts of Washington and California. The company currently operates more than 875 stores across the country. In 2010, Discount Tire/America’s Tire marked its 50th year in business. Serving more than 40 million customers, the company has built its success on the motto: “Be fair, be truthful, work hard, be there on time and help people.” For more information about Discount Tire/America’s Tire, visit discounttire.com or americastire.com.
Bloomer is the “Official Horse Trailer” of the NRCHA. Bloomer Trailers has raised the bar in the horse trailer industry. “If you can dream it, we can build it,” is the company slogan. Bloomer offers the highest quality standards of any trailer manufacturer and backs it up with a 10 year structural warranty. For information, see your local Bloomer Trailer dealer or visit www.bloomertrailers.com.
Rios of Mercedes, the Official Boot of the National Reined Cow Horse Association, is one of the last truly handmade all leather boots produced in the United States. There is no secret to making top quality boots. All you need is the finest leather and true bootmakers with years of experience and the desire to be the best at their craft. Rios has remained true to its roots by making boots for folks who are involved in performance and working horses, raise livestock and in general make their living outdoors. Rios has never cheapened their product by taking shortcuts, lowering standards or chasing fashion trends. We make boots for people who know what a pair of boots is intended for: all day comfort whether horseback or afoot. Visit www.riosofmercedes.com to see some of the styles we offer through our retailers.
Quarter Horse News is one of the most visible information vehicles in the horse world. Quarter Horse News – the News Magazine of the Performance Horse industry - is the only twice-monthly news magazine dedicated to the Western horse industry. For information visit the website at www.quarterhorsenews.com.
Bob’s Custom Saddles are ridden and endorsed by the best of the best in competitive Western riding sports today. Our superior craftsmanship and attention to detail have made our reining, barrel racing, cutting, roping, ranch, trail and show saddles the preferred choice of professional riders from around the world. Saddle up with us on the web at www.BobsCustomSaddles.com.
Blatant disoBedienCe: tHe KiCK
Learn why deductions for blatant disobedience via kicking during reining runs are frequently reviewed penalties.
By Bill Enk
in the rein work phase of National Reined Cow Horse Association events, a five-point penalty is applied to the horse that exhibits blatant disobedience. Blatant disobedience occurs when a horse is kicking, biting, bucking, rearing, striking, or obviously insubordinate.
In this article we are going to discuss the “kick.” In the National Reining Horse Association rulebook it states that a kick, whether it is a little kick or a big kick, is still a kick, and incurs a five-point penalty. This is a serious, defeating penalty that must be applied correctly.
Most of the time, the kick occurs during the lead change. A kick can be exhibited in different forms. The most obvious kick is when the horse elevates its hips and fires out with one or both hind legs to their rear. Also included in the kick category is when the horse obviously kicks at the rider’s spur. This usually happens when the rider cues the horse to change leads. A less common occurrence is when the horse kicks at the ground during the lead change.
Kicks are a frequently reviewed penalty, and for good reason. Depending on where the judges are seated, whether directly in front, to the side, or behind the horse, they might all have a different perspective on what appeared
to happen. Questions to be answered during the review are: Was it a true, hock-flexing, obviously insubordinate kick? Was it a threat not fully carried out? Or, was it just a slightly elevated, “hop” type lead change? The last two situations present by far the most difficult calls to make for judges.
When a horse threatens to kick but doesn’t fully act on the threat, the question is whether the horse was obviously insubordinate. If the judge cannot make a decision one way or the other, the horse should receive the benefit of the doubt. It is important to remember, in this case, something happened that was not credit earning, so the score for that maneuver has to be affected.
Depending on where the judges are seated, they may all have a different perspective on what appeared to have happened when a kick is suspected.
A less difficult call is the “hop” type, elevated lead change. This appears to be a type of exaggerated lead change with no resentment or attitude involved. The maneuver is probably affected and should be scored accordingly.
Judging fairly and consistently for extended periods of time is not an easy endeavor. Major penalties should not be applied carelessly. It is very important to “get it right.” A good rule of thumb when applying penalties is they should be obvious, and be able to successfully be defended if challenged.
Until next time, Bill Enk NRCHA Director of Judges
Susan S. Abel Lamoille NV
Judges List
as of June 30, 2017
775-753-3120
Andy B. Adams Gerber CA 530-200-2229
Randall D. Alderson Sharpsville IN 765-432-9586
Blue R. Allen Alamosa CO 719-221-6098
Lyn Anderson Madera CA 559-304-0930
Mark A. Anderson Granbury TX 254-396-5104
Ron K. Anderson Calgary AB CANADA 403-249-8215
Karen R. Arlin Escalon CA 209-602-4987
Billy Arthur Okeechobee FL 910-290-3426
Lavert Avent Elbert CO 505-429-7180
David Avery Amarillo TX 806-679-0722
B. J. Avila Temecula CA 580-224-1242
Bob C. Avila Temecula CA 503-784-2513
Jane A. Bagley Dimmitt TX 806-647-8303
ssabel@citlink.net Judge: 1A
eightycutter@yahoo.com Judge: 3A-AQHA-CH
randallald@aol.com Judge: 1A-AQHA
blueallen@gojade.org Judge: 2A
Lsanderson@wildblue.net Judge: 3A-AQHA-CH
markbernie5@yahoo.com Judge: 1A
ron.anderson@hotmail.ca Judge: 1A
karlin.ka49@gmail.com Judge: 1A
billyarthur57@icloud.com Judge: 1A
laperformancehorses@yahoo.com Judge: 1A
dkavery13@gmail.com Judge: 1A-AQHA
norestforthewicked@aol.com Judge: 1A
bobavila@bobavila.net Judge: 3A
bagleyperformancehorses@gmail.com Judge: 1A-AQHA
Lance A. Baker Amarillo TX 806-683-4145 labaker3@suddenlink.net Judge: 1A-AQHA
Ben Baldus Bowie TX bencameronbaldus@hotmail.com Judge: 1A
Margo Lea Ball Fort Collins CO 970-227-8233 margolball@aol.com Judge: 2A-AQHA
Brad W. Barkemeyer Scottsdale AZ 480-620-4759 bbarkemeyer@hotmail.com Judge: 1A
Paul E. Barnes Minden NV 775-267-5852 barnescutting@aol.com Judge: 1A
Francesca Baron Grass Valley CA 559-817-2002 francescabaron@aol.it Judge: 1A
By nomination of a foal crop, offspring of a subscribed stallion from the nominated foal crop are eligible to show in the 1. NRCHA Stakes both as 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds. Offspring from a nominated foal crop of a subscribed stallion are also eligible for consideration for the NRCHA Select Yearling and Select 2-Year-Old Sales. Broodmares in foal to stallions subscribed for the current breeding year (next year’s foal crop) are eligible for consideration for the NRCHA Select Broodmare Sale.Any stallion of any breed may be subscribed to the NRCHA Stakes program, subject to provisions as set forth in these rules and stipulated on the entry form.
Any stallion of any breed may be subscribed to the NRCHA Stakes program, subject to provisions as set forth in these 2. rules and stipulated on the entry form.
Nominations must be postmarked and paid by February 1 of the following year for each calendar year to avoid 3. paying the higher fee of the following year. However, to make yearlings, 2-year-olds, and/or bred mares eligible for consideration for the NRCHA Select Sales, those stallions must be subscribed by June 1 of that particular sale year.
4. Nomination fees will be as follows:
a. Paid during the breeding year (the next year’s foal crop) - $750 (or $2,500 for current breeding year and next four consecutive breeding years)
b. Weanling year - $1,000
c. Yearling year - $1,250
d. 2-year-old year - $1,500
e. 3-year-old year - $1,750
5. 4-year-old year: Nominations received between February 1 of the 4-year-old year and the final entry deadline for that NRCHA Stakes event will be accepted at the rate of $2,500. 5-year-old foal crops that have not been previously subscribed may also be paid in for $2,500.
6. All nominators of stallions must be members in good standing of the NRCHA.
7. In the event the stallion owner or syndicate manager chooses not to enroll the stallion, nominators may be persons other than the owner or syndicate manager of the stallion. In the event that the nominator is someone other than the owner or syndicate manager of the stallion, the nominator represents that they are authorized to nominate the stallion.
8. All subscription fees will be made payable to the NRCHA in US funds or its equivalent.
9. The added purse for the NRCHA Stakes will consist of not less than the total stallion nomination fees received less 20% for NRCHA administration. The remaining 80% will be divided between the Open and Non Pro divisions in accordance with NRCHA Board policy. The NRCHA shall have the right to supplement the added-money purse for the event, but shall be under no obligation to do so. A minimum of 5% of the total purse will be used for the Stallion Nominator Award as described below.
10. There shall be no refunds of the nomination fee paid for any reason, and the fee (less 20% for NRCHA administration as set forth above) will become part of the purse for the NRCHA Stakes.
11. In the event a subscribed stallion changes ownership, any previously paid foal crops will remain eligible under the new owner. Nominator Awards will be paid to the original nominator unless otherwise specified in writing to the NRCHA and signed by both the original nominator and the new owner.
12. Stallion Nominator Award: The nominator of the stallion siring the winners of the NRCHA Stakes will receive a monetary award as set by the NRCHA Board of Directors.
13. A list of subscribed stallions nominated to this program and their eligible foal crops will be posted on the NRCHA website, and will be available upon request from the NRCHA.
14. These rules are subject to change at any time by the NRCHA Board of Directors.
NOMINATION FEES
Nominated
SECTION 1 –
Horse Name:
Breed:
NRCHA STALLION SUBSCRIPTION CONTRACT
(Must be postmarked by February 1 – annually**)
HORSE INFORMATION
Registration #:
Year Foaled: Year of First Foal Crop:
Website:
SECTION 2 – OWNER INFORMATION
Owner Name: Address:
City / State / Zip:
Phone Number / Best Contact:
Email Address:
o Display the above as contact information on the NRCHA website (only one is listed)
SECTION 3 – BREEDING INFORMATION / STANDING LOCATION
Standing At:
Address:
City / State / Zip:
Phone Number / Best Contact:
Website:
o Display the above as contact information on the NRCHA website (only one is listed)
SECTION 4 – NOMINATION INFORMATION / PAYMENT
Name of Nominator (Will Receive Win Checks): Check 1
o Same as Owner o Other Person / Company: Address: City / State / Zip:
Phone Number / Best Contact:
Foal Crop Year(s):
o Enclosed Check/Money Order o Credit Card* Credit Card Number:
Exp. Date: CVC:
$ Amount:
Billing Zip Code:
Payment is made to NRCHA in full on receipt of same by the nominator no later than February 1. Acceptance of payment by NRCHA is not to be considered approval of nomination until contract is complete and all rules are complied with. Traditional payment methods accepted are cash and check. *For your convenience, Visa and MasterCard are also accepted with a 3.5% convenience fee.
I accept this offer to make the above-named stallion eligible to participate in the NRCHA Subscribed Stallion Program and agree to be bound by the conditions of the program.
Nominator Signature:
Printed Name:
NATIONAL REINED COW HORSE ASSOCIATION
2017 Membership Application
Valid from Nov. 16, 2016 - Nov 15, 2017
Name:
Other name(s) shown under:
Ranch Name:
Address: City, State, Zip:
Email:
TypE Of mEmbERSHIp
o 1 Year Open Membership - $75 ($65 before Jan 1)
o 3 Year Open Membership - $210 ($180 before Jan 1)
o 1 Year Non Pro Membership - $75 ($65 before Jan 1)
o 3 Year Non Pro Membership - $210 ($180 before Jan 1)
o 1 Year Owner Only Membership - $75 ($65 before Jan 1)
o 3 Year Owner Only Membership - $210 ($180 before Jan 1)
o 1 Year Youth Membership - $40
o 1 Year Youth w/Non Pro Membership - $75
o 1 Year Youth Upgrade to Non Pro - $35
o 1 Year Associate Membership - $35
Memberships that DO NOT include subscription to Reined Cow Horse News
o Lifetime Membership - $750 ($650 before Jan 1)
o International Membership - $75
Total charges: Membership Reined Cow Horse News (optional) Donation (optional) Total
Renew #
New Member: Date of Birth: Home Phone: Cell Phone: Fax:
Required for Youth and Select
o Check here if you are a TRAINER and want to be listed as such in the online NRCHA Directory.
Please be sure to complete the Non Pro Declaration. A card will not be issued without it!
Youth who wish to compete in the Non Pro MUST complete a Non Pro Declaration.
o 1 Year Canadian Membership - Add $10
o Add Reined Cow Horse News to Lifetime - $25/year
o Add Reined Cow Horse News to International - $85
Do you wish to donate to the NRCH Foundation? (501(c)(3) Donation) o $50 o $10 o $5 o $ Other_________ Apply Donation to o Crisis Fund o Youth Fund o $ Other________________________________
Payment: o Check Enclosed o VISA o MasterCard o Card #________________________________________________________
Billing Address: Exp Date: CVC:
ALL mEmbERS muST SIgN HERE
I, the undersigned, have read and understand the National Reined Cow Horse Association membership eligibility category definitions. I understand that the full responsibility concerning my eligibility rests solely on me. NRCHA, its officers, directors, employees are not held responsible for the burden of proof for my eligibility. Should I be found not eligible for said division after competing, all money, prizes, and points shall be forfeited and returned to the NRCHA office upon notification to me.
Signature:
Date:
NON pRO AppLICATION - Non Pro riders must sign this section and also complete a Non Pro Declaration every year o Non Pro Renewal o New Non Pro
I, the undersigned, have read and understand the National Reined Cow Horse Association Non Pro definitions and rules and will abide by them. I also understand that if there is a change in my status or eligibility that I must inform the National Reined Cow Horse Association within 30 days of that change. I understand that my Non Pro application will be reviewed by the Non Pro Committee and may be reviewed by the NRCHA Board of Directors and their decision shall be final.
Signature:
Date:
NON PRO DECLARATION
Applicant Name (please print): _______________________________________________ Occupation: _____________________________
This form must be completed prior to entering applicant’s first NRCHA Non Pro class. In the case of a youth, the legal custodian must complete the declaration. Before submitting your application, please carefully read and answer the following statements, as well as read and sign the Non Pro Code of Conduct and Ethics.
NOTE: If the following statements are not answered or it is not signed, your declaration will not be accepted and will be returned to you for completion. Non Pro status is extended on a temporary basis and is subject to revocation pending approval by the Non Pro Committee. Non Pro status will be null and void if it is determined that you do not qualify under NRCHA Non Pro conditions, as defined in the NRCHA Rulebook. A Non Pro Card will not be issued until all requirements are satisfied.
1) Have you earned more than $750 in earnings down the fence? (for eligibility)
m Yes
2) Within the past 5 years, have you given lessons for remuneration? m Yes
3) Within the past 5 years, have you shown, trained, or assisted in the training of a horse not owned by you or an immediate family member for remuneration?
4) Within the past 5 years, have you accepted payment of entry fees and/or expenses for horse(s) that you have ridden that was not owned by you or an immediate family member?
5) Do you reside on, work for, are publicly identified with or derive monetary remuneration, directly or indirectly, from a horse training facility or equine science program?
m Yes
m Yes
m Yes
m No
m No
m No
m No
m No
If you answered “yes” to any of the above, please explain below with specific dates as to when you started and/or stopped any of the above. Please use a separate sheet of paper if necessary.
A. Relationship to operation of a horse training facility:
B. Explanation of any statements answered “yes” above:
NON PRO CODE OF CONDUCT & ETHICS
I, the undersigned, agree to act with the utmost of integrity while participating in the sport of Cow Horse and NRCHA events. I understand that an NRCHA Non Pro Card is a privilege and not a right, and that I may be required to submit my card for review of applicability at any time. Furthermore, I understand that so long as I hold a Non Pro card, it is my responsibility to be aware of and abide by the most current Non Pro Conditions set forth in the NRCHA Rulebook. By signing this agreement, I specifically agree to:
• Understand and be bound by all rules of the NRCHA as set forth in the annual NRCHA Rulebook.
• Abide by the show conditions set forth at all NRCHA approved shows.
• Act with honesty and transparency when purchasing horses as well as competing at NRCHA events.
• Ensure the welfare of the horses I show and treat those horses humanely, and with dignity and compassion.
• Refrain from violating the Non Pro Conditions as set forth in the annual NRCHA Rulebook.
• Represent the NRCHA by refraining from any action that discredits the sport, or the association.
• Accept the decisions set forth by the NRCHA Board of Directors.
By signing below, I ACCEPT the rules and regulations relating to Non Pro membership in the NRCHA, and affirm the truth of all statements above. I also affirm that I have read and agree to abide by the Non Pro Code of Conduct and Ethics.
NRCHA membership privileges will be suspended for the second offense of bad checks, per rule 1.1.6.2 and for non payment of debt to NRCHA Show Management or NRCHA Approved Show Management. Additionally, all amounts for advertising in the NRCHA publication, Reined Cow Horse News, are due and payable within 30 days of receipt.
Agricultural Foundation, Fresno, CA
Desert Spring Ranch, Queen Creek, AZ
Keetch Ranch, Waddell, AZ
Del Rey Paint & Qtr Horses/Aneka
Schelbeck, Cotton Wood, CA
Dave Belson, Cave Creek, AZ
Bynum Farms/Blair Bynum, Palm City, FL
Donnie Boyd, Sarasota, FL
Robyn Bush, Visalia, CA
Marcy Campbell, Creston, CA
Pompeo Capezzone, Castrocielo 03030, ITALY
Riccardo Capezzone, Castrocielo 03030, ITALY
Cody Christensen, Heber City, UT
Tom Daughetee, Kemmerer, WY
Shad DeGiorgis, El Dorado Hills, CA
Laura Delfino, Martinez, CA
A finance charge of 1.5% per month (18% APR) will be added to all past due amounts. Membership privileges shall be suspended on accounts greater than 90 days past due and this information will be published in Reined Cow Horse News. There will be a membership reinstatement fee of $75.
Pat Faitz, Lakeland, FL
Robert Frobose, Modesto, CA
Miguel Gonzalez, Miami, FL
Roy Hockensmith, Frankfort, KY
Brian & Cynthia Holthouse,SanJuan Bautista,CA
Babcock Ranch/Jim Babcock, Sanger, TX
Brandon Johnson, Nebraska City, NE
Bridgette Lanham, Eastover, SC
Current as of April 10, 2017
Thera Myers, Oxnard, CA
Steed Training/Rick Steed, Okeechobee, FL
Jill Serena, Castaic, CA
Vernon Smith, Santa Maria, CA
Don Stockman, Dayton, TX
Dream Cross/Susan Ray
Ashley Talbert, Kuna, ID
Lazy T Shamrock Ranch/Terry Malarkey, Star, ID
Elizabeth Winkle, Sarasota, FL
AffiliAtes
Committee diReCtoRY
Committee heads listed serve in 2017, while members of those committees who served in 2016 may change pending updates.
Chairperson: Jim Lane
jwlaneiii@aol.com • 614-354-1384
Co-Chairperson: Frank Prisco Frankanddawnprisco@gmail.com 631-478-7022
Jimmy Flores • jfloresph@aol.com
Edie Petaccio • teampnr29@aol.com
Justin Stanton • justinstanton1992@gmail.com
Tim Unzicker • timunzicker@gmail.com
welfARe
Chairperson: Dr. Joe Carter, DVM jcarterdvm@aol.com • 405-288-6460
etHiCs
Chairperson: Bill Tointon billtointon@msn.com • 303-530-2443
exeCutive Committee
Chairperson: Paul Bailey paulb@cb-trucking.com • 931-260-3909
