QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. — Pedigrees of both horse and rider earned mention at the 2012 National Reined Cow Horse Association Stakes, held March 21-25 at the Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Center.

While Heart Of A Remedy (Heart Of A Fox X SPF Remedys Response) took Open Division headlines with an impressive 4.5-point win over reserve Doug Williamson and ARC Sparkin Chics, the family lines of winning rider Jon Roeser of Lemoore earned mention, too. Both he and his brother, Dan, enjoyed major wins, as Dan took Intermediate Open crown on Roosters Rozalena.

“It’s special when we pull something like that off,” said Jon, who left his family’s third-generation horse ranch in Idaho for California in the early 1990s, working for Benny Guitron, Ward Ranch and Jim Putnam before establishing Lemoore-based Jon Roeser Stables 12 years ago. “It’s kind of a testimony to our background, to our father (Jim) who was a horseman and a cowboy who taught us growing up.”

It was the first big win for the 5-year old gelding, who has competed well in each of his competitions to this point. He added $25,188 to his career earnings and pushed his sire’s offspring winnings further beyond $200,000.
Heart Of A Fox is owned by Jon in partnership with Karen Twisselman.

The pair started out with a 219 in the herd work, and followed that with a 219 in the rein work.

“I drew well in the herd,” Jon said. “After that, I just had a feeling about the day. He was so soft and responsive in everything we did.”

When Roeser saw his cow for the fence work, he knew they had a chance to score big.

“I knew it was good,” he said. “We didn’t stay long on the end. We got a good right turn and got out good for another big left turn. The cow still had a little gas so we circled really fast – it was great.”

The judges agreed and rewarded the pair with a 227 – the highest cow work of the event.

It was an emotional day for Williamson, who won the Open Stakes Reserve Championship on ARC Sparkin Chics, owned by Barbara Hastings. Sadly, Hastings, who had been battling breast cancer, succumbed to the disease during the event.

“Barbara gave me the opportunity to ride several great horses,” said Williamson. “She was a wonderful person, friend, and customer. Her absence will leave a void in our barn and hearts.”

The Reserve title’s earnings of $18,560 pushed ARC Sparkin Chics’s lifetime earnings past $75,000.

Dan Roeser and Roosters Rozalena finished with 645.5 composite that earned the Intermediate Open’s top purse of $5,745. After taking the 5-year-old mare to a 211 in herd work and a 211.5 in the reining, a spectacular 223 in the fence work clinched the win.

“I was just trying to stay in there,” he said about his standing after the first two phases. “I drew a really good cow in the fence work and I have a really good fence horse — so I knew my horse could do it if I didn’t screw up!”

Roeser purchased Roosters Rozalena, by Gallo Del Cielo out of Rosezana Lena, as a yearling at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Sales, and then sold her to Rush Creek Ranch LLC.

“She’s done pretty well,” said the Marsing, Idaho, trainer. “As a 3-year-old she didn’t have it all together, but she had a good 4-year-old year and her 5-year-old year just started off well, too!”

Carol Roberts purchased Oaks Dual Rey several years ago sight unseen – and the decision has proven lucrative, as the pair has won over $33,000. On Sunday, March 25, Roberts and the TR Dual Rey gelding, out of Docs Pearly Oak, won the NRCHA Stakes Non-Pro Championship – and supplemented those earnings with an additional $6,802.

“He’s been really consistent for me,” said Roberts, of Ojai. “I plan to keep showing him this year and then start competing in the bridle. He’s not going anywhere soon.”

In the Intermediate Non-Pro and Novice Non-Pro, Scott Gaddy didn’t expect to win a championship at the NRCHA Stakes, then won both.

Gaddy was riding SG Playin The Stars, a stallion he raised by Playin Stylish out of Hickory Starlight. The 5-year-old cow horse was an Intermediate Open finalist at the Snaffle Bit Futurity – but the NRCHA Stakes was only the second time that Gaddy had showed him.

“I’m going to show him some more this year, and then I’ll see if we can get him in the bridle and go on with him,” said Gaddy.

More results: See website http://bit.ly/24B_stakes