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Californians shine in 2014 Cactus Classic

Special to the Horsetrader - April 3rd, 2014 - Cover Story, Show & Event News
Marilyn Scheffers of Riverside and "Tink" kick off their season in winning fashion at the cactus Reining Classic with the Non Pro High Point Championship.

Marilyn Scheffers of Riverside and “Tink” kick off their season in winning fashion at the cactus Reining Classic with the Non Pro High Point Championship.

Waltenberry photo

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Top riders and horses converged on WestWorld March 5-9 to compete and get a glimpse into 2014 at the Cactus Reining Classic, the first of Brumley Management Group’s highly successful trio of annual events.

Californians made their mark, with Cam Essick of Clements trailering home with $9,887 and the lead in the Trifecta Non Pro Reining Chellenge after she took her 5-year-old gelding Who Loves You (Walla Walla Whiz x Love Em N Lena) to the $42,500-added Protect the Harvest Non Pro Derby Level 3 and Prime Time titles as well as a share of the Level 4 reserve championship. Who Loves you is a gelding that Cam bred, raised and shown for almost a year under the guidance of Arno Honstetter at the shows.

“He’s a horse that I keep at home, so my challenge as a Non Pro is to make the time while I’m working to manage a show horse and be competitive on a national level in the aged events,” she said. “That’s a huge challenge for me as I do not ride with a trainer at home. I like that challenge, on the other hand, I’m probably the only one that does that. I have bred every horse I show, so I don’t have the liberty to give up on a horse.”

“It’s easy for me to come and show my horse because I really believe in my horse, and I have a really good coach behind me,” she added. “We marked a 220 at Reining By The Bay last year, and came back to High Roller Reining Classic and had a few challenges and then came back here. It’s a fun challenge for me, and I’m appreciative that I can maintain my horse and go to the shows. This is the third time I’ve gotten help from Arno and we’ve won just under $25,000 at Brumley Management Group shows. To be in good company makes it all the better.”

In Non Pro Derby competition, Cam Essick of Clements and her Who Loves You take the Level 3 and Prime Time titles along with reserve in Level 4.

In Non Pro Derby competition, Cam Essick of Clements and her Who Loves You take the Level 3 and Prime Time titles along with reserve in Level 4.

Waltenberry photo

Another stand-out California Non Pro was Marilyn Scheffers of Riverside, who took first and second, respectively in Circuit Champion standings on a pair of horses she started and trained, with some coaching from trainer Bill Norwood of Temecula. The Non Pro crown came on her mare, This Belles Smokin (Gunner X Genuine Jezebelle), nicknamed “Tink”, and the reserve on her gelding, Chics Sidewinder (Smart Chic Olena X Wind Her Up Doc), aka “Maverick.”

“This was huge for me, especially since I had two horses,” said Scheffers, the club secretary for the California Reining Horse Association. “My goal this year is to get qualified for the AQHA Amateur — I’ve never done that before — and also to show Tink to the maturities throughout the year.”

“She’s going to have a good year,” Norwood said of Scheffers, who has worked with him the last couple years after acquiring Tink as a yearling at the NRHA Futurity. “With the last couple years of hard work she’s put in, she’s starting to get really consistent now and solid with her maneuvers.”

Ollie Galligan of Petaluma, President of the West Coast Reining Horse Association, captured respective Open and Intermediate Open Circuit Champion titles on Lavonne Sturgeon’s California Shines.

There was a cliff-hanger in the $65,500-added Lucas Oil Open Derby Level 4, culminating in a run-off to remember between Franco Bertolani on CFR Centenario Wimpy and Jordan Larson on Show Me The Buckles that had everyone in the Equidome and watching online on the edge of their seats.

Brazilian rider Franco Bertolani and 6-year-old stallion CFR Centenario Wimpy repeated their Open Derby Level 4 winning performance from High Roller Reining Classic 2013 in this year’s $67,500 Added Lucas Oil Open Derby with a run that won’t soon be forgotten.

“I think the West Coast brings me luck,” he said. “I came back here after High Roller and he was really good. Jordan Larson and Show Me The Buckles and I were both 225.5 in our first runs. My horse was a little fresh in the first run and when we came back for the run off he was really good. Much better than the first one and we marked 231.5.”

Sharee Schwartzenberger of Colorado won the Salamander Resort & Spa Novice Horse Level 2 Non Pro Challenge and Level 2 Non Pro High Point Division Champion on Game Day Surprize (Hang Ten Surprize x Dunnit N Continental). Six-year-old Game Day Surprize and Sharee have been together since last year when she bought him as a Derby horse from a client of her fathers.

“When the owner talked about selling him my dad said he thought he’d be a good Non Pro horse so I decided to invest in him as my ‘going to the big shows’ horse. I showed him all last year and did well including winning the Novice Horse Level 2 Affiliate Championship and the Non Pro out in Oklahoma. After Cactus Reining Classic my big show with him this year will be the NRBC. We come every year. It’s a great show, awesome weather, and if you have a solid run you’ll be in the money. I won my check back on both horses”.

Sharee manages her schedule to allow it her to help run her parents Schwartzenberger Equine, LLC business in Longmont, Colorado in addition to working part time for Greeley Hat Works and showing and now she’ll have to make time for her four night stay, daily breakfasts and spa treatments for two at the exclusive Salamander Spa & Resort in Middleburg, Virginia.

Who will be Sharee’s plus one for the Salamander Resort & Spa experience? Her sister who she surprised with the news by phone immediately after the win picture.

“She’s been really busy and deserves some time off. We’re both really excited”.

MORE ONLINE: Http://404A_Rein

2014 Cactus Reining Classic
March 5-9, 2014 – WestWorld, Scottsdale Ariz.

2014 Trifecta Non Pro Reining Challenge Standings – Earnings report by event (as of 3/10/14):
Place/ Horse/ Rider/ Cactus Classic/ RBB/ HRRC/ Total Earnings
1 Who Loves You/ Cam Essick/ 0/ 0/ $9,886.61/ $9,886.61
2 Hot Rockin Spook/ Tish Fappani/ 0/ 0/ $7,811.95/ $7,811.95
3 Nifty Rooster/ George King/ 0/ 0/ $6,015.13/ $6,015.13

High Point Division Champions
OPEN
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
California Shines/ Ollie Galligan/ Lavonne Sturgeon

INTERMEDIATE OPEN
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
California Shines/ Ollie Galligan/ Lavonne Sturgeon

LIMITED OPEN
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Doctor Dually Pep/ Trent Harvey/ Nancy Stillwell

ROOKIE PROFESSIONAL
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Doctor Dually Pep/ Trent Harvey/ Nancy Stillwell

NOVICE HORSE OPEN L1
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Whoz A Whiz/ Elizabeth Rammerstorfer/ Ron & Salle Hoppe

NOVICE HORSE OPEN L2
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Whoz A Whiz/ Elizabeth Rammerstorfer/ Ron & Salle Hoppe

NRHA NON PRO
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
This Belles Smokin/ Marilyn Scheffers/ Marilyn Scheffers

INTERMEDIATE NON PRO
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Smart Like Steady/ Kim Lansidel/ Karl & Marjorie Eilers

LIMITED NON PRO
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Starbucks Finest/ Koby Kemple/ Koby Kempel

PRIME TIME NON PRO
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Nifty Rooster/ George King/ George & Robyn King

MASTERS NON PRO
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Whoz A Whiz/ Salle Hoppe/ Ron & Salle Hoppe

NOVICE HORSE NON PRO L1
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Snow Star Wrangler/ Cori Vokoun/ Buckshot Farms

NOVICE HORSE NON PRO L2
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Game Day Surprize/ Sharee Schwartzenberger/ Sharee Schwartzenberger

ROOKIE 1
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Dealin For Jewels/ Bo Branquinho/ Bo Branquinho

PRIME TIME ROOKIE
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Step To The Bar/ Kim Adamic/ Kim Adamic

ROOKIE 2
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Dealin For Jewels/ Bo Branquinho/ Bo Branquinho

DRHA ROOKIE
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Dealin For Jewels/ Bo Branquinho/ Bo Branquinho

YOUTH 13 & UNDER
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Peppy As Einstein/ Kaylee Naylor/ Kaylee Naylor

YOUTH 14-18
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Dunnit In Wranglers/ Hope Miller/ Hope Miller

YOUTH ROOKIE
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Joses T Chex/ Caroline Buchanan/ Kate Buchanan

GREEN AS GRASS
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Katie Tag/ Jill Pettapiece/ Jill Pettapiece

GREEN REINER
Horse/ Rider/ Owner
Bos Not Foolin/ Steve Todd/ Steve Todd

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