KATY, Texas — Randy Paul, the NRHA Million Dollar Rider and 2009 NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman who returned to Day Creek Ranch in Simi Valley last summer, was California’s top headliner at the 2014 National Reining Breeders Classic, held April 13-19 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center.

Paul, riding Day Creek’s Chics Dream About Me, scored a 223 to take the NRBC Open Prime Time Championship.

“He felt really good,” said Paul, who collected $1,950 in prize money plus a Gist Silversmiths buckle, Rios of Mercedes boots, a WonPad, and a 100 percent beaver custom handmade hat from Lone Star Hatters.

Chics Dream About Me, by Wimpys Little Step out of This Chicsdundreamin, was started and shown as a 3-year-old by Cody Clock, before an injury sidelined him from competition most of his 4-year-old year.

“Cody showed him and did a really good job,” said Paul. “We’ve just really started bringing him back. We’ve only showed at one other show, so he’s just starting his career.”

“He’s one of the better horses I’ve ever rode,” added Paul, who was the 13th reiner to pierce the $1 million mark in 2008. “He’s very talented and really good-minded. He has all the goodies.”

Paul, the head trainer for Day Creek, is enjoying his new base.

“I really love it,” he said. “They have a beautiful place. I thank the Days for believing in me and sending me down the road with their horse. I’m so glad we were able to do well for them.”

Debbie Arballo and A Shining Sidekick tied for the Open Prime Time Reserve title with Brent Wright and Spookaroanie. Each marked a 220.5, collecting $1,350. A Shining Sidekick, owned by Tom and Mandy McCutcheon, is by Smart Spook out of A Shining Starlett, while Wright’s horse, Spookaroanie, is by Smart Spook out of Little Roan Chick.

A pair of one-time California trainers dueled it out for the NRBC Open Level 4 title, with Martin Muehlstaetter pulling out the win by a half-point on Blue Collar Tag over Craig Schmersal and What A Wave.

Muehlstaetter had entered the week expected Blue Collar Tag to have his owner, former Non Pro Champion Shaunda Rai Ruckman, at the reins. But a bobble in the Non Pro prelims kept Ruckman and the 6-year-old gelding out of the finals.

“Shaunda asked me if I wanted to show him, and I said ‘Hell, yeah!'” said Muehlstaetter. In the preliminary round, the pair scored a 222.

“I didn’t feel a lot of pressure about showing him, because his owner was supposed to ride him,” he said. “Then we made the finals, and that was a bonus. I just went for it and everything fell into place. This horse was really good. He ran and stopped great, turned around really good, and circled nice. He ran out of gas just a hair on his last stop, but he gave everything he had.”

In the Open Level 4 finals, Muehlstaetter and Blue Collar Tag scored a 226 – besting Open Level 4 Reserve Champion Schmersal and What A Wave by a scant half-point.

“It feels great to win it – It’s unbelievable!,” he said. “I just hope I don’t wake up tomorrow morning and it was all a dream.”

“I am so thankful to my wife (Kim Muehlstaetter) and Shaunda,” he added, after picking up two checks at the awards ceremony — the $75,000 Level 4 check, and also $24,350 for winning the Level 3 title.

Among other prizes, he was presented with a year’s use of a Featherlite Trailer from Twin Cities Featherlite; a saddle from Continental Saddlery; a saddle from Martin Saddlery; two Gist Silversmiths buckles; two pairs of Rios of Mercedes boots; Whisper Bits from M3 Products; $200 in gift certificates from San Juan Ranch & Santa Cruz Biotechnology; two WonPads; a saddle pad from Yucca Flats; a 100% custom handmade had from Lone Star Hatters; and the signature blue crystal trophies from the NRBC.

Muehlstaetter has ridden Blue Collar Tag, by Whiz N Tag Chex out of Kachina Oak Olena, for three years, and even finished ninth in the NRBC Open in 2013.

“We get along pretty well,” Muehlstaetter said. “I thank my wife, Shaunda, and all my staff. They’ve been working really hard. Also thank you to my sponsors for supporting me. I’m very thankful.”

When asked about the toughness of the finals, he said, “I think there were two Futurity Champions in the finals. There were a bunch of great horses, and I think every horse had a shot to win it. It was about as tough as it could be.”

Although Muehlstaetter isn’t planning to show Blue Collar Tag at the National Reining Horse Association Derby, he does plan to take the gelding to the World Equestrian Games in France to compete for Team Austria.

For nearly two decades, the National Reining Breeders Classic has been the reining industry’s most successful stallion incentive program. It has grown to include upwards of 225 subscribed stallions and in 2013, there were more than 2,100 enrolled foals.

Mandy McCutcheon, Aubrey, Texas, has competed at all but one NRBC since its inception in 1998, missing out in 2000 because she was pregnant with her son Cade. In that time, she won the coveted Championship title five times – a record for the most wins that she shared with fellow National Reining Horse Association Million Dollar Rider Dell Hendricks.

That changed when, as draw 12 in the Non Pro Level 4 finals, she piloted Ms Whiz Dunit to a 220.5. “I thought she did good. It’s a big pen and she’s a little horse, but she worked,”
McCutcheon said of the 4-year-old mare, by Topsail Whiz out of A Bueno Poco Dunit. “It never gets old. I was telling someone the other day that maybe I have a problem, because it’s all a competition, but I do love it. I love what I do so much. It never gets boring or old – it’s always fun.”

McCutcheon received a check for $30,000, one year’s use of a two-horse Featherlite trailer from Twin Cities Featherlite, a saddle from Bob’s Custom Saddles, a Gist Silversmiths buckle, a pair of Rios of Mercedes boots, a Whisper Bit from M3 Products, a WonPad, a saddle pad from Yucca Flats, and a $100 gift certificate from San Juan Ranch and Santa Cruz Biotechnology.

Mandy and her husband, Tom, purchased Ms Whiz Dunit in October of 2013, from breeder Roxanne Koepsell. “Tom had been riding her, and he liked her but she was too small. He just kept telling me how much he liked her, so we bought her,” she said. Soon, Mandy and “Missy” were a winning team, claiming the Non Pro Level 4 title at the Southwest Reining Horse Association and National Reining Horse Association futurities. “My plan and goal is to keep her for a long time and make some babies with her.”

McCutcheon noted that the NRBC is her favorite event. “The show management team is awesome. The goal of this event has always been to take care of both the exhibitors and sponsors,” she explained. “It’s the horse show that takes care of everyone, and it’s well-organized, has great sponsors, and an awesome facility to have an event.”

McCutcheon qualified three horses for the finals. She finished tied for fourth on Customized Gunner (Colonels Smoking Gun x Custom Made Dunit), and eighth on Shiney Enterprize (Smart And Shiney x My Royal Enterprise), collecting an additional $16,500. Both mares are owned by Mandy’s parents, Tim and Colleen McQuay, of McQuay Stables.

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