California dreamin’
Golden State heroics at NRHA Futurity start with Spooks Gotta Whiz winning NRHA Level 4 Open Futurity title
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The 2010 National Reining Horse Association $170,000 added National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Open Futurity Finals brought an exciting end to the NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC) Show at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This year’s riders were mounted on world-class reining horses all aiming for the $125,000 championship purse and their share of NRHA Corporate Partner and Futurity Sponsor awards.
Jordan Larson and Spooks Gotta Whiz were crowned the 2010 Level 4 Open Futurity champions. The duo scored a 227 in the finals and a $125,000 check for the win. The stallion, by Spooks Gotta Gun out of Prettywhizprettydoes, is owned by Michell Anne Kimball of Encinitas.
Yellow Jersey and Fappani win $100,000 added NRHA Shootout
Arcese Quarter Horses USA owns the Wimpys Little Step stallion that recently competed at the 2010 FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games. The six-year-old won the Team Bronze Medal with Stefano Massignan in the saddle and has more than $55,000 in NRHA lifetime earnings. Fappani is a perennial finalist at the NRHA Futurity, NRHA Derby, National Reining Breeder’s Classic and other NRHA major competitions. Fappani became the only European rider to win the NRHA Futurity’s Open Division in 2001.
Tish Fappani, Litn Up Conquistador take NRHA Non Pro Level 4
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Friday’s competition at the NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC) Show featured the $105,000 added 2010 Cinch®/ NRHA Non Pro Futurity Finals. This championship event welcomed back 59 non pros to compete in a clean-slate format for more than $430,000 in cash and prizes, a variety of prizes from NRHA Corporate Partners and the coveted NRHA Futurity titles.
Tish Fappani of San Marcos, California piloted her gelding Litn Up Conquistador to a 221 to claim the Level 4 Non Pro Futurity championship by a decisive, 6.5-point margin. Fappani earned over $43,000 for the win aboard her gelding by NRHA Million Dollar Sire Conquistador Whiz and out of Aleena Starlight. In addition to over $43,000 in prize money, Fappani won the use of a Cimarron trophy trailer, Bob’s Custom Saddle, Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, and a variety of gift certificates from NRHA Corporate Partners.
Season’s fleeting
Bond, Cadett 7 outduel mentor Richard Spooner at L.A. National
BURBANK — The much-anticipated L.A. National Horse Show Nov. 17-21 gave riders the opportunity to end the season on an exciting note, with the $50,000 Grand Prix of Los Angeles, the WCE and Onondarka Medal Finals, the $5,000 Pre-Green Hunter Championship, and more. It also gave riders who do not normally ride inside the chance to ride in the Equidome when the rain caused some fast thinking and schedule juggling on the part of show management.
“While the rain caused us to be creative, our staff acted quickly to move the highest priority classes into the Equidome,” explained Michael Roy Curtis. “We tarped the warm-up arena so the grand prix riders would have a place to warm up, and the other classes warmed up at one end of the Equidome. The riders adapted well, and we were able to put on a great show on Saturday night.”
First Down Dash laid to rest at Vessels Farm
BONSALL – First Down Cash, the top Paternal Grandsire of barrel horses from 2005-2009 who was still in demand as a breeding stallion, passed away Thanksgiving Day at his home on the Vessels Stallion Farm.
The 26-year-old Quarter Horse stallion was quietly eating hay in his stall when observed by ranch manager Kevin Dickson at 1 a.m. on Thanksgiving. Three hours later the night man observed First Down Dash taking his last breath.
“He laid down and went to sleep peacefully. He was missing Scoop and his sunflower seeds,” said Bonnie Vessels, referring to her late husband, Frank “Scoop” Vessels.
Thieves strike Middle Ranch, steal saddles
LAKE VIEW TERRACE — Eighteen high performance saddles were reportedly boldly stolen in the night recently from the Middle Ranch boarding facility in Lake View Terrace.
The saddles, taken after 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 26, were taken from the Meadow Grove Training Stables tack room, and included eight Antares, five Amerigo, one CWD and one Devoucoux saddle.
Rewarding the thought
Next in a series
As we looked with detail at vertical flexion in last issue, we peered into the relationship of “postive gesture-release.”
How can you make it easier for him to learn his rewards from making positive gestures? Timing. To me, timing means release. If someone says a person has really good timing, it could mean they rode well, and their timing in terms of when to pick up a horse was good; but most important is the timing of release, because that’s the horse’s reward. You might still be kind of awkward with your riding, but if you create even an accidental thought or movement, make sure you take credit for it and reward your horse.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Horsetrader staff!
By the time we reach you with the next Horsetrader, we’ll be into a new year with fresh beginnings of what we sincerely hope will be a successful 2011 for all our readers. We take this opportunity to thank you for the confidence, trust and inspiration that you — our readers and advertisers — have given us in the past 12 months. The time has passed faster than a galloping horse.