articles | 2008 Spring Fling
2008 Spring Fling
Jun 3 2008
Author: Tracy Lewis
The Washington State Reining Horse Association holds their first show every spring in Wenatchee at the Appleatchee Arena. The weather in spring is usually nice and this weekend was no different. Spring is a season of growth and new things and the overwhelming theme this weekend was firsts. When I interviewed people and laid out the details, I was amazed at how many first time winners there were at this show. Reining is a very precise event with a lot of elements that have to be put together just so and I heartily congratulate all those winners who managed to get everything packaged up just right for our judges. Judge Robyn Schiller joined us from Australia, I would say that she wins the farthest distance to travel award! And judge Bub Poplin joined us from Colorado.
2007 awards party
To start of the show festivities, Thursday night was the 2007 year end awards party. We had pizza while our president, Judy Caton, called out the year end winners. I enjoyed this year’s presentation because all the awards were in the back of a dually out in the arena. Winners had to walk up to center stage to receive their prize. It gave ample time for cheers as the winners paraded out to get their “loot”. First place was a custom framed picture from our photographer Cheryl James. Second place was an embroidered cooler and third were embroidered director/camp chairs. For winners of multiple first place prizes, nice wool pads were given out.
Derbies
The Derbies were held on Friday and Saturday evening, with the open riders competing the first night and the non-pros the second night. For the open, Sean McBurney and Shawn Church tied with 144. Hail N Jose is a 2003 Shine Like Hail gelding owned by Rhodes River Ranch. ”Jose” was raised at the ranch and Sean took a “shine” to the 5 year old sorrel gelding over the winter, and decided the gelding was ready to show in some Derbies. This was the first time that Sean has shown Jose in a big class and he was very impressed with how good he was in the show pen. The horse is a big stopper and if their success continues, Sean would like to take him to the NRBC next year. For the tie, Shawn Church rode a 5-year-old bay Bueno Chexinic gelding, Bueno Sixty Six, for owner Shelie Hartman Gibbs. The two flipped for the prizes, divvying up a Lawson, a Bob Berg custom buckle and a Cowhorse Equipment pad. The two split the money, each winning $910. Shawn Church scored a 143.50 on Top Dun Cody Rose, for third in the open, earning $640 for owner Cindy Woodley. The limited open had a tie for second place with Sean on Hail N Jose and Lori Stancik on Blackberry Juice, a 2003 mare. The two flipped for the second and third place prizes and split the pot earning $303 each.
The limited open and the non-pro derbies both crowned first time derby winners! Meaghan Shea scored a 144 ½ in the limited open. She showed Smart Like Jazz, a 6 year old sorrel stallion owned by Pat and Theresa Shea. She plussed her stops and remarked that “Blue” stopped great and he tried hard, she always looks forward to riding him. The two won a Morrison, a Bob Berg buckle and $438. The other first time Derby win went to 15-year-old Ryann McKinzie, a Wenatchee resident. She stayed home to show in the Derby with her 4-year-old gelding Almond Bark Chic, a Chocolate Chic Olena son. Her family had left the day before for the NRBC and they waited in Houston for an update on her go. She commented that she was pleased to get high marks in her turnarounds after incurring penalties in Arizona. Her score put her on top of both divisions and a derby high score of 146. She believes that Bark is a very special horse because he is very giving and tries hard. She earned over $1200, a Morrison, two Bob Berg buckles and a plaque. Cathy Martin earned a 143.5 for second place on Dealer’s Showdown, her sorrel 6-year-old Dealin Dirty gelding. She earned just under $1000 and two Cowhorse Equipment pads.
Ancillary Classes
The show started with the open classes and Darren Stancik rode Parnelli Chic Olena for owner Judy Caton to a win in both divisions. Parnelli is Judy’s breeding stallion out of Smart Chic Olena and she has been showing him for many years with great success. This year Darren and Judy had agreed if the two meshed well, he would show Parnelli in the Open this year. I would say it is a good match. The two weeks of training was all it took and Darren won the first go with a 72.5 and cranked it up for the show high score of 74 in the second go. The talented 12-year-old chestnut stallion is a long time competitor and Darren commented that his honesty in the show pen is phenomenal. Darren also remarked that for the second run, it was not his intention to put up the 74, but when Parnelli kept responding, Darren could not help but ask for more. Judy always receives high marks with Parnelli and continued her winning ways with a 72.5 win in the WRHA Non Pro Prime Time class. Judy confessed that she had not ridden Parnelli since the affiliate finals in November; that they just warmed up and went in the class. Darren commented that perhaps that should always be the plan since it worked out so well.
Like father, like son so the saying goes. Darren’s 11 year old son DJ started his show weekend off with a 68 for a win in the 13 and under on his trusty 17 year old bay gelding Hob Nob Kip. Something clicked with those two because for his rookie go the pair ended up in second place and earned their first over 70 score with a 70.5. Well, that just was not good enough for DJ because he then went out in the second 13 and under class of the weekend and had a beautiful run for a 71.5! I watched DJ jump off his horse and give his dad a huge hug. DJ said that he had FUN. Furthermore he let me know that Hobbs likes cookies, tuna fish sandwiches and is a good horse. Darren was very proud, saying that DJ is always a good student as well as a good sport but that this weekend DJ concentrated on the feel and finesse, focusing on proper warmup. This is DJ’s second show season with Hobbs. I think the two are going to be a formidable pair!
The Pacific Northwest is home to very talented horses and riders and Shelby St. Hilaire is one of our young riders that have proven herself many times over. She won the 2007 AQHYA Reining World Champion riding her mom’s horse NQH Little Jac. For this show, Molly, Shelby’s mom was unable to come to the show so Shelby had another opportunity to put 9-year-old Little Jac through his paces. This Jac Daniels Neat gelding is as consistent as they come. Shelby swept the Non Pro classes both times, marking a 73.5 the first go and a 72.5 for her second run. The pair won a Morrison, pewter, two plaques and over $1200 in earnings. Shelby says that for her first go she was very happy with his stops and that she was able to really make him turn strong. She plussed one a set of circles and the left turnaround in that first go. For the second go she pushed him hard in the circles. Another tidbit is that Little Jac does not wear front shoes and has a big personality.
Folks cannot help but notice the horses with the big, long manes and Barbara Feitl’s 2002 palomino mare, Dunit Chic, is gorgeous with that huge creamy mane that makes you look twice. Barbara came down from Canada to show with us and she won the novice horse non pro with a 71. She had high marks in her turnarounds, said that “Marilyn” loves spa treatments and that the run was a very fun! Trainer Shawn McBurney says that the two work very hard. Another Shawn McBurney student, Sandy Henderson won the WRHA aged horse non pro on her jet black 7 year old gelding, Tall Dark N Shiney. Shawn says that “Blackie” is getting very broke and has been working very well for Sandy. The WRHA novice horse non pro winner was also from Canada, Heather McFarlane and Kilos Lucky Day. “Lucky” is a seven year old bay Todaysmyluckyday gelding and Heather laughed as she reported that what she most liked about her ride was that she stayed on pattern. They scored well in their stops and Heather loves that Lucky puts up with her. Terry Hunter won the WRHA novice horse prime time non pro on her six year old russet colored gelding, Chocolate Hustler. She was very pleased to incur no penalties and said that “Stanley” is known as a barn potato. Poor thing... he cannot be that much of a potato if he has the energy to run a 71!
Rookie had 24 entries and the winner was yet another first time class winner, showing for her first time at an NRHA show. Shawna Porter bought Great Sailin Cody last year and she did go to one practice show, but learned right away there was more to reining and she came home with zeros. After a winter of riding and help from Darren Stancik, she started out this year with a great show. She first scored a 69 with a 2 point penalty in her first class then for beginner rider she marked a 70 for the win. She says she is so green that she does not have the schedule down or understand many of the nuances but she was thrilled with her score. For Rookie, she and Cody put together a fabulous run for the win with a 71.5, she came out of the pen crying and Darren reports that her husband Bill had tears in his eyes too. It is funny how reining is supposed to be fun, but it makes people cry. I am sure they were tears of joy and elation. As I interviewed Shawna and Bill at their barn after the show, it was very fulfilling to see their enthusiasm for the sport. About Cody, she says he is a big stopper and he has really taught her how to sit a horse. Second place in the beginner rider class was a tie between Ashlee Farrar and Stefanie Church. Both of their horses are 7 years old. This was Ashlee’s second time showing her palomino stallion Sir Cadillac Playboy. She said the go felt awesome and that “Playboy” is a big puppy dog.
The Green Reiner horse had nine entries and two tied for top billing with 70.5. Cory Hutchings rode Enjoy Olena for owner Babe Watson. It was her first time shown and Cory was very pleased that four year old “Jody” was good. Tied with Cory was Matt Livengood riding Dealin Pay Chex for owner and wife Alayne Blickle. “Felix” is a four year old sorrel gelding and Matt says that he liked the circles because Felix was totally listening to him. Matt also says that Felix loves to go on trail rides.
Doug Stroud won the novice horse open on Little Too Chexy for long time client, Twenty Eights, LLC, Tina Peterson. When I spoke with Doug about his go, he wanted to thank Tina for her support of him because last winter Doug won his first world title, 2007 NRCHA World Champion Limited Open Bridle Cow Horse on another gelding he trains for her, San Man’s Image. What a huge accomplishment, Grats Doug! He then continued to talk about “Goose” and his class win, stating that the 7-year-old palomino gelding is a huge stopper and is very consistent. The limited open resulted in a tie. Lori Stancik showed for the first time in eight years and won on a 4-year-old sorrel mare, Chex R Neat. She had ridden the mare for less than a month and thought that owner Camille Connelly had done a great job with “Nita”. They had decided to go to the show at the last minute and Nita just kept getting better and better. Tied with Lori was Inger Helsen on Pepochic, a 2000 Sorrel gelding owned by John Hartigan. Inger said her go was easy and fun. She went on to say that “Harley” is a blast to ride, he loves attention and nickers when you walk by his stall. Then for a final comment, she snuck in that, “Harley” has the best horse owner EVER. Though lots of classes had the same winners for both gos, it was not the case with the youth 14-18 class, this class was all about swapping and sharing. For the first go, Megan Woodley won on her gelding Little Devil Whiz with Jenna Nedzelski taking second on her 5-year-old chestnut gelding, Cal’s Martini Bar. The two shared first place for the second go, flipping for first and second place prizes.
Thanks and Sponsors
Janet Hurlburt was without the help of show manager Caroline Schaefer who became very ill the week of the show. So, I want to give a HUGE thank you to Janet who ran the show with smooth efficiency. Her husband Ken was seen buzzing around helping out as well. Thank you also to our announcer Bob Garrett, Joelle Dawson-Barker our gate gal, Cathy Martin our stall wrangler, Appleatchee facility manager and member Brian Huber, Matt Livengood our NRHA representative and Jeff Lansidel our Show Secretary and club Treasurer. New for this year in the position of Sponsor Chairperson is Dave McKimm who we also much appreciate. Sue Muir put together great prizes as always and her organization was great, ensuring everyone received what they won. For this show Sue also gathered up a huge selection of door prizes that were given out to “Lucky Reiners” in each class. There were enough prizes to have 3 lucky reiners in each class! Jeanine Kern our newsletter editor and WRHA board member is always a huge help in gathering facts and figures for the Reiner articles.
Our sponsorship program accommodates all levels of participation. The support of our sponsors add depth to our shows that we would not have without them. Our highest level of sponsorship is Diamond. Diamond Level: Continental Dirt Contractors, Inc and Caton Ranches. Platinum Level: McKinzie Quarter Horses/The McKinzie Family, Cheryl James Photography, Cheryl McLean, John L. Scott Real Estate/KMS, The Joshua Green Family, Fleek Quarter Horses, Joli Farms Quarter Horses Inc., RV Town, Twenty Eights LLC. Gold Level: St. Hilaire Quarter Horses, Timberland Homes, Inc. Silver Level: Mike Helsen Non-Pro's, Del-Bet Printing, The Chap Lady, Shawn Church, E & H Construction/Lyell & Susan Ernst, Stancik Quarter Horses, Lucky Eagle Casino. Bronze Level: Reber Ranch, JD Designs, Julie Daviscourt. Club Level: Brackett Creek Quarter Horses. Purina/NRHA Affiliate Circuit Series Sponsors: Purina, Rockies, Markel Insurance Company, Classic Equine, Smith Brothers, Anderson Bean Boot Company, Elite Trailers.
Shameless plug
The WRHA will be hosting the Northwest Regional Affiliate Finals in conjunction with the Fall Spectacular in Wenatchee on October 10 through 12th, 2008. Mark your calendars, you won’t want to miss it! For more information about WRHA and its activities in the Pacific Northwest, visit the website at http://www.wrha.net