Oklahoma City, Okla. – Morgan Cromer of Templeton – the only woman in the field at Battle In The Saddle competition July 5-9 – took the reserve championship just one-half point behind winner Matt Budge.

Cromer, who represented the National Reined Cow Horse Association, rode 7-year-old gelding Talkin Prize (Smokums Prize x Talkin Peppy Merada x Meradas Money Talks), owned by Stephen Silva. Their composite score of 578.5 fell just shy of Budge, representing the National Cutting Horse Association, aboard Mr Playinstylish (Playin Stylish x Tari Chick Gay x Doc Tari), a 6-year-old stallion owned by Kit and Charlie Moncrief of Fort Worth, Texas.

“I wanted to win this thing so bad,” Budge said. “Anybody who does anything for a living that’s competitive wants to win. I want to win everything I go to. But I’ve had so much help. Clay Logan and J.D. Yates have helped me so much in the roping. Just everybody here has really helped me.”

Budge and Mr Playinstylish, aka “Gremlin”, competed in a field of eight horse-and-rider teams who showed in cutting, steer stopping, rein work and fence work, using one horse and one bridle. The exhibitors compete in all four events, and the competitor with the highest placed finishes in each event is declared the Shootout winner and is given a paid entry into next year’s World’s Greatest Horseman Championship. The winner is also awarded a 100x cowboy hat from Shorty’s Caboy Hattery.