PASO ROBLES — For the second straight year, Doug Williamson and Smart Miss Merada won the Open Championship at the National Reined Cow Horse Association Hackamore Classic, held April 25 at the Mid-State Fairgrounds.

The Hackamore Classic is unique among the family of NRCHA Premier Limited Age Events in that it requires an entry to only be shown in the hackamore, while other events also allow for a snaffle. The challenging event celebrates the second stage of the traditional vaquero style of training cow horses.

“It’s really awesome to win this event back-to-back on the same horse,” said Williamson, who co-owns the mare with his wife, Carol, and took home $14,480. “Her heart is as big as can be – she will dig in and get you a win.”

On the first day of competition, Williamson and Smart Miss Merada (Leo Merada x Uno Smart Lady x Smart Little Uno) tied for the lead of the herd work with a 147. That was followed with a 144 in the rein work, and another 147 in the cow work. “She was solid the whole way through. She’s such a great little mare.”

He said the 2005 mare’s performance resembled last year’s winning effort.
“She really likes to have her picture taken!,” he said.

The future appears full for Smart Miss Merada, who was bred by Irene Harris of Lemoore and who went into Classic with Equi-Stat prior earnings of $48,771. Both Willismson and his wife will be show her at the NRCHA Derby in June, Doug in the Open, Carol in the Non Pro.

“We’ll make sure she’s fit as a fiddle before the show,” he said.

The Bakersfield trainer has accumulated more than $827,000 in cutting, reining and reined cow horse earnings since 1985, according to Equi-Stat. The 2006 NRCHA Hall of Fame inductee and throat cancer survivor is a two-time Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion, and the 2010 Reserve World’s Greatest Horseman.

The Hackamore Classic Non-Pro Champion was John Showalter, riding Tangys Classy Chick, a 2005 mare (Tangys Classy Peppy x Crimson Sassychick [PT] x Crimson Three [PT]). The Fresno, Calif., competitor garnered $5,728 for the win, earned with a total score of 421. Showalter also won the Intermediate Non-Pro division, adding another $2,260 to his earnings. Showalter arrived in Paso Robles with $155,000 on his Equi-Stat record.

Idaho horsewoman Annie Reynolds rode her 2009 NRCHA Futurity Non-Pro Champion, 2006 stallion Shiney And Verysmart (Very Smart Remedy x Shirley Shine x Shining Spark), to the Non-Pro Reserve placing and a $4,296 payday.

Along with the Championship check for $14,840, Williamson collected a Bob’s Custom Saddle sponsored by Lacey Livestock, a monogrammed breast collar sponsored by Classic Equine, a full tooled hackamore from Krause Mecates, and a CR Morrison trophy.
Ken Wold won the Open Hackamore Classic Reserve title on Moody Blues Brother with a 434.5 composite. Moody Blues Brother, by Peptoboonsmal out of Lenas Lisette, is owned by Mark Nelson.

Competing in only his third big NRCHA event, Nick Dowers won not only the Intermediate and Limited Open Championship – and also the Limited Open Hackamore Horse Show class. The Dyer, Nevada, trainer piloted JP Royal Boon to a 424.5 composite.

“In the herd work we had a little trouble with the cattle we liked. The first one was one we liked and he ran so I got off of him. The second was a re-run that worked nice, and the third was another one we liked that was another runner,” he said. The herd work resulted in a 138.

Things looked up in the rein work with a 141.5, and the pair finished with a 145 in the cow work. “He was just average in the rein work. He was good but it wasn’t what he was capable of,” Dowers admitted. “But he was great in the fence work. As soon as the cow came out he hooked up and had a great run.”

Dowers, who has been starting colts for different clients and ranches for the past seven years, started showing cow horses in the last couple years, and just missed making the Limited Open finals last year at the Snaffle Bit Futurity.

NRCHA Million Dollar Rider and 2009 Hall of Fame inductee Ted Robinson claimed the Intermediate Non Pro Reserve Championship with Whole Lota Cash. By Shining Spark out of Shesa Lota Cash, Whole Lota Cash won $3,048 for the 422 composite.

Travis Dickinson and One Fine Spark, by Light N Fine out of Spark My Fancy, won $940 for the Limited Open Reserve Championship. One Fine Spark is owned by Bill and Amelia Dickinson.

Ron Ralls won the Open Hackamore Horse Show class on Ima Smokin Mister for owners Shannon and Hershel Reid. The 292.5 total resulted in a $4,260 payday.

“I didn’t get him shown in the herd work of the Hackamore Classic, so we had a bad start there. But he came back really good in the rein work, and in the fence work he was just incredible and was everywhere he needed to be,” Ralls noted.

Regardless of the low herd work score, Ralls and Ima Smokin Mister, by Mister Dual Pep out of Miss Smoking Remedy, managed to also split sixth place in the Hackamore Classic, collecting an additional $4,452.

The Open Hackamore class Reserve Champion was Ron Emmons and his horse, Anuther Mister 505, by Mister Dual Pep out of Anuther Olena. Emmons and Anuther Mister 505 marked a 292, collecting $3,408.

For more results, click here: http://nrcha.com