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PHOTOS BY DAWN BAXSTROM<br />

{ O P E N D I V I S I O N }<br />

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF THE NATIONAL REINING HORSE ASSOCIATION AND NRHA REINERVOLUME 33, ISSUE 11.


2012NRHA OPEN FUTURITY CHAMPIONS<br />

Americasnextgunmodel<br />

Casey<br />

<strong>Deary</strong><br />

NRHA PROFESSIONAL CASEY<br />

DEARY HAD THE RIDE OF HIS<br />

LIFE ON AMERICASNEXTGUN-<br />

MODEL.<br />

BY GAVIN EHRINGER<br />

ON THE MORNING OF THE 2012<br />

NRHA Futurity Open finals<br />

Casey <strong>Deary</strong> passed by fivetime<br />

Futurity champion<br />

Shawn Flarida. <strong>Deary</strong>’s mare,<br />

Americasnextgunmodel,<br />

and Flarida’s stallion, Yankee<br />

Gun, were tied for the highest composite<br />

score—447 points—after two qualifying gorounds,<br />

making them favorites going in<strong>to</strong> the<br />

clean-slate finals later in the day.<br />

“What do you think about scratching your<br />

horse?” <strong>Deary</strong> jokingly said <strong>to</strong> Flarida.<br />

“You don’t need me <strong>to</strong> scratch,” said Flarida<br />

earnestly.<br />

Boy was Flarida ever right. That evening during<br />

the second section of the open finals,<br />

<strong>Deary</strong>, an NRHA Professional from Weatherford,<br />

Texas, made the ride of his career on Americasnextgunmodel<br />

(Gunner x Cee Dun It Do It<br />

by Hollywood Dun It). From the first big sliding<br />

s<strong>to</strong>p <strong>to</strong> the break-neck speed of their large<br />

circles <strong>to</strong> the perfectly timed lead changes at center<br />

<strong>to</strong> the even bigger slides <strong>to</strong> end their run, the<br />

two gave a textbook demonstration of flawless<br />

execution. Their efforts drew thunderous


WALTENBERRY<br />

Casey <strong>Deary</strong> and Americasnextgunmodel<br />

MARTINA CICELOVA<br />

applause from the crowd at the Jim Norick Arena at Oklahoma<br />

State Fair Park, the Futurity’s home in Oklahoma City from<br />

November 22 through Saturday’s finale on December 1.<br />

Their score of 228 from a hither<strong>to</strong> stingy panel of judges<br />

pushed the pair <strong>to</strong> a 4.5 point lead over frontrunner NRHA Professional<br />

Ruben Vandorp, Aubrey, Texas, and his ride Legacy In<br />

Lights (Hit The Lights x Doc Berry Miss). As <strong>Deary</strong> cooled his<br />

horse in the warm-up pen, he was mobbed by well-wishers that<br />

included a veritable who’s who of <strong>to</strong>p NRHA Professionals and<br />

former Futurity winners. Like Flarida earlier, they seemed <strong>to</strong><br />

Dana Conrad and fiancé Gary Case<br />

DAWN BAXSTROM<br />

MARTINA CICELOVA


WALTENBERRY<br />

sense that <strong>Deary</strong> was about<br />

<strong>to</strong> be anointed.<br />

As the remaining seven<br />

riders flew through the<br />

pattern in the waning half<br />

hour of the competition,<br />

only one rider, Tim<br />

McQuay of Tioga, Texas,<br />

and the stallion Gunners<br />

Tinsel<strong>to</strong>wn (Gunner x<br />

Miss Tinsel<strong>to</strong>wn), even<br />

came close <strong>to</strong> challenging<br />

<strong>Deary</strong>. With a score of 225<br />

points, even McQuay, an<br />

Whitney Conrad<br />

NRHA Hall of Famer had<br />

<strong>to</strong> bow <strong>to</strong> the 31-year-old <strong>Deary</strong> and white-masked, mare who<br />

<strong>Deary</strong> affectionately calls “Lily.”<br />

OPEN FINALIST NOMINATORS<br />

Two nomina<strong>to</strong>rs had three or more horses in the finals:<br />

MARTINA CICELOVA<br />

CINDER LAKES RANCH (4)<br />

CHEXAWALLA: ridden by Cody Clock, owned by Day Creek Ranch LLC<br />

REF BLACK MAMBA: ridden by Jordan Larson, owned by Rancho El Fortin<br />

GOTTA GOLD CHAIN: ridden by Cody Sapergia, owned by Jac Point QH<br />

STEPPIN ON SPARKS: ridden by Andrea Fappani, owned by HDC Quarter<br />

<strong>Horses</strong><br />

BOB LOOMIS (3)<br />

WEST COAST RANEE: ridden by Mathieu Bu<strong>to</strong>n, owned by Bob Loomis<br />

WHIZZER WHIZ: ridden by Thiago Boechat, owned by Xtra Quarter<br />

<strong>Horses</strong>, LLC<br />

HOT CHIC WHIZ: ridden by Mathieu Bu<strong>to</strong>n, owned by Bob Loomis<br />

Tim McQuay and Gunners Tinsel<strong>to</strong>wn<br />

WALTENBERRY<br />

WALTENBERRY


MARTINA CICELOVA<br />

WALTENBERRY<br />

NRHA Million Dollar Sire<br />

In a career punctuated with many honors, Bill and Dawn<br />

Pohl’s Whizard Jac, was honored for becoming an NRHA Million<br />

Dollar Sire.<br />

DAWN BAXSTROM<br />

Tim McQuay<br />

“I had a lot of confidence in the mare the whole time,” said<br />

<strong>Deary</strong> as he looked back over the grueling 10-day-long competition.<br />

“On Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 10, my wife (Nicole) was doing her daily<br />

Bible study. She got a picture in her<br />

mind that I would win this and she<br />

wrote that down. She didn’t share<br />

that with me until the night we left<br />

for Oklahoma City. It gave me confidence.<br />

I had a lot of faith in what<br />

my wife said.”<br />

In a twist of fate, both Lily and<br />

McQuay’s reserve champion horse<br />

Gunners Tinsel<strong>to</strong>wn got their start in<br />

life at Silva Reining <strong>Horses</strong>, the<br />

breeding farm of McQuay’s longtime<br />

client, friend, and new NRHA<br />

Million Dollar Owner, David Silva Sr.<br />

and his wife, Bonnie. Silva kept the<br />

colt, slotting it in<strong>to</strong> McQuay’s training<br />

program as one of his own candidates<br />

for the 2012 Futurity.<br />

Prime Time Open Champions and Level 4 Open Reserve<br />

Champion, Gunners Tinsel<strong>to</strong>wn and Three Million Dollar<br />

Rider Tim McQuay, helped push David Silva, Sr. (holding<br />

trophy) in<strong>to</strong> the NRHA Million Dollar Owner club.<br />

MARTINA CICELOVA


MARTINA CICELOVA<br />

WALTENBERRY<br />

WALTENBERRY<br />

Level 4 Open 4th place:<br />

Jordan Larson and Ref<br />

Black Mamba.<br />

Level 4 Open<br />

5th place tie:<br />

Yankee Gun and<br />

Shawn Flarida.<br />

WALTENBERRY<br />

DAWN BAXSTROM<br />

Ruben Vandorp<br />

Level 4<br />

Open 5th<br />

place tie:<br />

Dos Smart<br />

San<strong>to</strong>s and<br />

Randy<br />

Paul.<br />

Level 4 Open 3rd<br />

place and Level 3<br />

Open Champions<br />

Ruben Vandorp<br />

and Legacy In<br />

Lights.<br />

Level 4 Open 5th<br />

place tie, Level 3<br />

Reserve Champion:<br />

Wimpys High Bid<br />

and Jason<br />

Vanlandingham.<br />

Meanwhile, the filly was started at Silva’s facility in Pilot<br />

Point, Texas, under trainer Alain Calbrix and then passed<br />

<strong>to</strong> another resident trainer, NRHA Professional Brad<br />

Giesbrecht, <strong>to</strong> prepare for sale. Silva offered her up for sale<br />

at the 2011 NRHA/Markel Insurance Futurity Prospect Sale,<br />

but she was withdrawn from the sale when she failed <strong>to</strong><br />

bring Silva’s minimum price.<br />

WALTENBERRY<br />

WALTENBERRY


WALTENBERRY<br />

“She was very broke, a special horse, and I was surprised when<br />

she didn’t sell,” remembers Silva. After the sale, <strong>Deary</strong> approached<br />

Silva and struck a private deal for his client Dana Conrad of<br />

Weatherford, Texas. He felt that the horse would be ideal for<br />

his program and hungered <strong>to</strong> take a chance on the mare that<br />

other potential buyers overlooked. Rather than be dissuaded<br />

by her gender, as many trainers might have been, <strong>Deary</strong> felt he<br />

could make a winner out of her.<br />

“Typically, stud colts sell for the highest prices but I get along<br />

better with mares,” <strong>Deary</strong> said. “She was my pick of the 2-yearolds<br />

at the sale. She is obviously a very attractive mare and her<br />

pedigree is a highly-successful cross.”<br />

Indeed, it’s hard <strong>to</strong> imagine a more prestigious and impressive<br />

pedigree—on both sides. Gunner is an NRHA Four Million<br />

Dollar Sire while Hollywood Dun It, the sire of Lily’s dam<br />

OPEN FINALIST NOMINATOR PAYOUTS<br />

NRHA Nomina<strong>to</strong>r Program nomina<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong>ok home five percent of a nominated<br />

horse’s earnings, regardless of whether or not they were the current<br />

owner. Here are a few nomina<strong>to</strong>rs who <strong>to</strong>ok home an impressive check.<br />

DAVID SILVA, SR • $15,423<br />

AMERICASNEXTGUNMODEL: ridden by Casey <strong>Deary</strong>, owned by Dana D.<br />

Conrad and Arcese Quarter <strong>Horses</strong> USA<br />

GUNNERS TINSELTOWN:ridden by Tim McQuay, owned by David Silva, Sr.<br />

JANET L. BENSON • $6,939<br />

LEGACY IN LIGHTS: ridden by Ruben Vandorp, owned by Janet Benson<br />

CINDER LAKES RANCH • $6,249<br />

REF BLACK MAMBA: ridden by Jordan Larson, owned by Rancho El Fortin<br />

GOTTA GOLD CHAIN: ridden by Cody Sapergia, owned by Jac Point QH<br />

STEPPIN ON SPARKS: ridden by Andrea Fappani, owned by HDC Quarter<br />

<strong>Horses</strong><br />

CHEXAWALLA: ridden by Cody Clock, owned by Day Creek Ranch LLC<br />

Level 4 Open<br />

8th place:<br />

Shawn<br />

Flarida and<br />

Spooks Sugar<br />

Rose.<br />

WALTENBERRY<br />

Cee Dun It Do It, is second on the all-time leading sire list and<br />

is an NRHA Six Million Dollar Sire.<br />

“The mare is extremely talented and she has a lot of feel. She<br />

is also a little quirky but she’s always been great at the hard things.<br />

She taught me a lot about patience. I had <strong>to</strong> challenge her at<br />

her own pace,” <strong>Deary</strong> said.<br />

Earlier in the year, <strong>Deary</strong> and the mare stepped out for the<br />

first time at the NRHA Cow<strong>to</strong>wn Classic in Fort Worth, Texas,<br />

where they marked 222 points. Despite a poorly-executed lead<br />

change, the score was still good for third place in the Level 4<br />

Open. Then, in September, the pair triumphed at the High Roller<br />

Reining Classic Futurity in Las Vegas, Nevada, claiming the Level<br />

4 Open win with a score of 226.5. The vic<strong>to</strong>ry at the predictive<br />

event positioned Lily as one of the favorites going in<strong>to</strong> the<br />

NRHA Open Futurity, reining’s richest competition.<br />

NRHA Million Dollar Rider<br />

NRHA Professional Bernard Fonck had a successful 2012<br />

highlighted by achieving NRHA Million Dollar Rider status for<br />

which he was honored at the NRHA Futurity.<br />

Level 4<br />

Open 9th<br />

place:<br />

Mike<br />

McEntire<br />

and<br />

Wimpys<br />

Flashy Jac.<br />

Level 4<br />

Open 10th<br />

place:<br />

Gotta Gold<br />

Chain and<br />

Cody<br />

Sapergia.<br />

WALTENBERRY<br />

WALTENBERRY


Though Dana Conrad’s name showed up as the owner in the<br />

NRHA Futurity’s The Score and The Draw publications, on the<br />

evening prior <strong>to</strong> the finals, <strong>Deary</strong> made a handshake deal on<br />

Conrad’s behalf <strong>to</strong> sell part of the mare <strong>to</strong> Arcese Quarter <strong>Horses</strong><br />

USA. Therefore the Arcese family, NRHA Million Dollar Owners<br />

and the all-time leading owner of NRHA Futurity winners<br />

from 2007–2011, had an interest in both of the leading horses<br />

going in<strong>to</strong> the Saturday finale. Ultimately, the gambit<br />

played out well for both Conrad and Arcese Quarter <strong>Horses</strong> USA<br />

who share owner recognition for Americasnextgunmodel. The<br />

mare was awarded $165,000 for the Level 4 Open win.<br />

While the <strong>Deary</strong>s counted their blessings, runner-up Tim<br />

McQuay felt mightily blessed <strong>to</strong>o. <strong>Deary</strong>’s win further burnished<br />

the reputation of the late Hollywood Dun It, a stallion forever<br />

associated with the McQuay name, as well as the reputation<br />

of Gunner, the McQuay’s NRHA Hall of Fame sire. That alone<br />

would have been a great outcome for McQuay and his family—but<br />

it was only the beginning.<br />

The $143,373 check McQuay earned for the reserve championship<br />

on Gunners Tinsel<strong>to</strong>wn officially pushed him past the<br />

NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider mark, putting him in the rare<br />

company of only two other riders: Shawn Flarida, Springfield,<br />

Ohio, and Andrea Fappani of Scottsdale, Arizona. McQuay’s finish<br />

also helped Silva, who has been with the McQuays for roughly<br />

three decades, cross the NRHA Million Dollar Owner mark,<br />

becoming the sixth NRHA member so honored.<br />

McQuay also earned praise as the winner of the NRHA Futurity<br />

Prime Time Open division where he rode three of the <strong>to</strong>p<br />

ten horses (all owned by Silva). McQuay bagged the prime time<br />

open win for his ride aboard Gunners Tinsel<strong>to</strong>wn and also cashed<br />

checks on Nuthin But Hollywood (Hollywoodstinsel<strong>to</strong>wn x<br />

TRISTAN DARK<br />

Gunner<br />

2012 NRHA FUTURITY<br />

SIRE & DAM<br />

AWARDS<br />

L E V E L 4 O P E N D I V I S I O N S I R E<br />

SIRE OWNER AWARD<br />

1. Gunner McQuay Stables Inc $15,292.43<br />

2. Gunner McQuay Stables Inc $9,175.46<br />

3. Jacs Electric Spark Troy Heikes $6,116.97<br />

L E V E L 3 O P E N D I V I S I O N S I R E<br />

SIRE OWNER<br />

1. Wimpys Little Step Xtra Quarter <strong>Horses</strong> Lawson Trophy<br />

S I R E & D A M O F F S P R I N G A W A R D S<br />

HORSE<br />

OPEN<br />

RIDER OWNER<br />

One Night Whiz<br />

NON PRO<br />

Todd Martin Todd Martin<br />

Mighty Miss Gee Whiz Lindsey McCutcheon Scott & Kathy<br />

McCutcheon<br />

Nuthin Chic by Smart Chic Olena) and Chex From Tinsel<strong>to</strong>wn<br />

(Hollywoodstinsel<strong>to</strong>wn x Lenas Ruby Chex by Smart Peppy Lena).<br />

The day before the open finals, McQuay’s daughter NRHA<br />

Million Dollar Rider Mandy McCutcheon Aubrey, Texas,<br />

shared a co-championship in the Level 4 Non Pro division with<br />

Jesse Asmussen, Andrew, Iowa. As if that weren’t enough <strong>to</strong> celebrate,<br />

Cade McCutcheon, the 12-year-old son of Mandy and<br />

her husband Tom (NRHA Futurity finalist and NRHA Million<br />

Dollar Rider), placed in all four divisions of the Cinch NRHA<br />

Non Pro Futurity.<br />

Cade scored 213 points in the finals <strong>to</strong> claim the youth non<br />

pro division title and the Level 2 and Level 1 Non Pro reserve<br />

championships aboard Dually With A Star, owned by his dad.<br />

Cade’s take during the competition exceeded $41,000. Remarkably,<br />

Cade also became the youngest rider <strong>to</strong> qualify for the finals<br />

of the Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity, an honor formerly<br />

held by his mom who qualified for the 1989 NRHA Non Pro<br />

Futurity at age 13.<br />

“Well, the whole week has been unbelievable,” said McQuay<br />

as he recounted all the gifts of a Christmas that seemingly came<br />

24 days early. “These are dreams come true, the kind you lay<br />

in bed imagining.”<br />

OPEN FINALIST OWNERS<br />

Several owners had multiple horses in the Levels 1–4 Open finals:<br />

BOB LOOMIS (2)<br />

HOT CHIC WHIZ: ridden by Mathieu Bu<strong>to</strong>n<br />

WEST COAST RANEE: ridden by Mathieu Bu<strong>to</strong>n<br />

DAY CREEK RANCH LLC (2)<br />

CHEXAWALLA: ridden by Cody Clock<br />

CHICS DREAM ABOUT ME: ridden by Cody Clock<br />

VAUGHN ZIMMERMAN (2)<br />

WIND HER UP PEPPY: ridden by Bobby Avila Jr<br />

WIMPYS HIGH BID: ridden by Jason Vanlandingham<br />

NRHA Million Dollar Rider<br />

During 2012, NRHA Hall of Famer Rocky Dare achieved his<br />

goal of reaching NRHA Million Dollar Rider status.<br />

WALTENBERRY


DAWN BAXSTROM<br />

WALTENBERRY<br />

Despite seeing his dreams of winning the NRHA Futurity Level<br />

4 Open division fade as he was overtaken on the leader board<br />

by <strong>Deary</strong> and McQuay, NRHA Professional Ruben Vandorp never<br />

let his <strong>to</strong>othy smile fade. In fact, he seemed downright ecstatic<br />

about his ride and even rushed <strong>to</strong> embrace <strong>Deary</strong> following<br />

his run, in spite of the fact that it had cost him his own position.<br />

“To me, this competition is about being as good as you can<br />

be. Tonight, I was 100 percent pleased with my horse and myself.<br />

And happy. I feel very fortunate,” said Vandorp as he reviewed<br />

his 223.5 point run on Legacy In Lights, owned by Janet<br />

Benson of Valley View, Texas. “It was fun. I’ve never been that<br />

relaxed in my life.”<br />

Vandorp, who was raised in The Netherlands, still had plenty<br />

<strong>to</strong> be pleased about. He and the stallion he calls “Trinity”<br />

clinched the Level 3 Open championship and held on <strong>to</strong> their<br />

Level 2 Open Reserve<br />

Champion: Whimpys<br />

Golden Gun and Sam<br />

Schaffhauser.<br />

Pedro Baiao<br />

Level 1 Open Reserve<br />

Champion: Hot Chic Whiz<br />

and Mathieu Bu<strong>to</strong>n.<br />

NRHA Million Dollar Sire<br />

NRHA Million Dollar Sire Jacs Electric Spark was honored in a<br />

ceremony celebrating the miles<strong>to</strong>ne.<br />

WALTENBERRY<br />

Levels 1 and 2 Open<br />

Champion: Wimpys<br />

Cable Lena and<br />

Pedro Baiao.<br />

WALTENBERRY<br />

third-place position in the Level 4,<br />

ultimately resulting in earnings of<br />

$138,785.<br />

Trailing Vandorp in the final<br />

standings of the level 4 open was<br />

2010 NRHA Futurity winner and<br />

NRHA Professional Jordan Larson<br />

of Whitesboro, Texas. The NRHA<br />

Million Dollar Rider captured<br />

fourth place with a score of 222.5<br />

aboard the stallion REF Black<br />

Mamba (Jacs Electric Spark x<br />

Metermaid To Order), on behalf of<br />

Rancho El Fortín (the Ramon<br />

family).<br />

REF Black Mamba was one of<br />

WALTENBERRY


four horses in the Open Futurity finals sired by Jacs Electric<br />

Spark, the latest horse <strong>to</strong> earn the distinction of becoming an<br />

NRHA Million Dollar Sire.<br />

“Black Mamba” was a little drowned rat when he was born,<br />

a bunch of spare parts,” recalled NRHA Professional Troy Heikes,<br />

owner of Jacs Electric Spark who was honored in a ceremony<br />

that preceded the evening’s competition. “My wife <strong>to</strong>ld me at<br />

the time, ‘that’s my pick for the Futurity.’ And I said, ‘You always<br />

hunt for the underdog. Which must be why you married me.’”<br />

In the end, Heikes admitted that his wife’s intuition proved<br />

accurate. Black Mamba placed highest among the four Jacs Electric<br />

Spark offspring. For the fourth-place finish, Larson earned<br />

$69,756 on behalf of Rancho El Fortín.<br />

Filling out the <strong>to</strong>p five were Flarida and Yankee Gun (Rowdy<br />

Yankee x Snow Gun), fresh from vic<strong>to</strong>ry at the 2012 All American<br />

Quarter Horse Congress Futurity. Owned by Arcese Quarter<br />

<strong>Horses</strong> USA, the stallion had yet another tie <strong>to</strong> McQuay Stables<br />

Inc. His dam, Snow Gun, was one of Gunner’s offspring<br />

who had an outstanding NRHA Futurity career, finishing third<br />

in the open division in 2002. For Yankee Gun’s finish, Flarida<br />

and Arcese Quarter <strong>Horses</strong> USA banked $51,052.<br />

OPEN FINALIST SIRES<br />

Several sires were represented by three or more offspring in the Levels 1–4 Open finals:<br />

WIMPYS LITTLE STEP (10) OWNED BY XTRA QUARTER HORSES LLC<br />

WOUND UP WIMP: ridden by Matthew Armenta, owned by Carl Lambert<br />

WHIMPYS GOLDEN GUN: ridden by Sam Schaffhauser, owned by Claude Lindsey<br />

WIMPYS LIL TWO STEP: ridden by Yonathan Baruch, owned by Sherry and<br />

Tom Dean<br />

WLS TINSELTOWN: ridden by Robin Schoeller, owned by B. Elizabeth Himes<br />

CHICS DREAM ABOUT ME: ridden by Cody Clock, owned by Day Creek Ranch LLC<br />

WIMPYS FLASHY JAC: ridden by Michael McEntire, owned by Stanley Coats<br />

WIMPYS CABLE LENA: ridden by Pedro Baiao, owned by Robert Anderson<br />

WIMPYS HIGH BID: ridden by Jason Vanlandingham, owned by Vaughn C.<br />

Zimmerman<br />

STEPPIN IN DIAMONDS: ridden by Marco Ricotta, owned by Rancho Oso Rio LLC<br />

STEPPIN ON SPARKS: ridden by Andrea Fappani, owned by HDC Quarter <strong>Horses</strong><br />

GUNNER (8) OWNED BY MCQUAY STABLES, INC.<br />

A SON OFA GUNNER: ridden by Fernando Salgado, owned by Heather Gates<br />

GUNSMOKES TNT: ridden by Sebastian Petroll, owned by Mary Jansma<br />

COOL N DUN GUNNER: ridden by Casey <strong>Deary</strong>, owned by Trojan Holdings Inc.<br />

GUNNIN FOR CHICKS: ridden by Nathan Piper, owned by Mark Bradford<br />

BROTHER GUN: ridden by Jordan Larson, owned by Sammy Graham<br />

AMERICASNEXTGUNMODEL: ridden by Casey <strong>Deary</strong>, owned by Dana D.<br />

Conrad and Arcese Quarter <strong>Horses</strong> USA<br />

MY CHICS GOT GUNS: ridden by Craig Schmersal, owned by KC <strong>Performance</strong><br />

<strong>Horses</strong>, LLC<br />

GUNNERS TINSELTOWN: ridden by Tim McQuay, owned by David Silva, Sr.<br />

TOPSAIL WHIZ (7) OWNED BY BOB LOOMIS<br />

CJ WHIZ: ridden by Fredrik Thomsson, owned by Euro-Vets Inc<br />

HOT CHIC WHIZ: ridden by Mathieu Bu<strong>to</strong>n, owned by Bob Loomis<br />

WHIZ STARBRITE: ridden by Stefano Calcagnini, owned by Amabile & Strusiner<br />

USS WHIZ: ridden by Patrice St-Onge, owned by St-Onge Reining <strong>Horses</strong> Inc<br />

NRHA Million Dollar Sire<br />

NRHA Million Dollar Sire Whiz N Tag Chex owned by NRHA<br />

Million Dollar Owner Lance Griffin was one of several sires so<br />

honored at the NRHA Futurity.<br />

TOPSAIL WHIZ (7) OWNED BY BOB LOOMIS (continued)<br />

CC CHICA WHIZ: ridden by Brent Loseke, owned by Brent Loseke<br />

WHIZEN STARLIGHT: ridden by Jackson A Porath, owned by Robert Peterson<br />

WHIZZER WHIZ: ridden by Thiago Boechat, owned by Xtra Quarter <strong>Horses</strong>, LLC<br />

JACS ELECTRIC SPARK (5) OWNED BY TROY HEIKES<br />

SHOCK STAR GROUPIE: ridden by Joel (Jody) Brainard, owned by Mary Beth Sellers<br />

REF BLACK MAMBA: ridden by Jordan Larson, owned by Rancho El Fortin<br />

GOTTA GOLD CHAIN: ridden by Cody Sapergia, owned by Jac Point QH<br />

ELECTRIC JAC: ridden by Tom McCutcheon, owned by Turnabout Farm Inc<br />

STEPPIN ON SPARKS: ridden by Andrea Fappani, owned by HDC Quarter <strong>Horses</strong><br />

MASTER SNAPPER (3) OWNED BY IMPRESA AGRICOLA CUOGHI<br />

DUNNIT LIKE A MASTER: ridden by Bobby Barko, owned by Impresa Agricola Cuoghi<br />

ZEN MASTER: ridden by Robin Schoeller, owned by Robert A Rosenfeld<br />

SNAP DUN THE BASES: ridden by Justin W Mathison, owned by Lewisville Development,<br />

LP<br />

WALLA WALLA WHIZ (3) OWNED BY ARCESE QUARTER HORSES USA<br />

CHEXAWALLA: ridden by Cody Clock, owned by Day Creek Ranch LLC<br />

WALLA WALLA SMARTS: ridden by William Bowen, owned by Southern Trace<br />

Reining<br />

WHATA WHATA WHIZ: ridden by Matthew Hudson, owned by Equine Plus<br />

SMART SPOOK (3) OWNED BY ROSANNE STERNBERG<br />

RUFF SPOOK: ridden by Brad Giesbrecht, owned by Don M Byrne<br />

SPOOKS QUESTION: ridden by Rebecca Adkins, owned by Clark Reining<br />

<strong>Horses</strong>, LLC<br />

SPOOKS SUGAR ROSE: ridden by Shawn W Flarida, owned by Robert Santagata<br />

WALTENBERRY


In the Level 3 Open, NRHA Professional Jason Vanlandingham<br />

of Whitesboro, Texas, claimed the reserve championship<br />

aboard Wimpys High Bid (Wimpys Little Step x Lucky Little<br />

Jewel), owned by Vaughn Zimmerman. The pair finished one<br />

point behind the division winner, Vandorp and Legacy In Lights,<br />

and earned $24,432 for the performance. The win doubled the<br />

stallion’s NRHA Lifetime Earnings.<br />

“He was my best horse, by far, going in<strong>to</strong> the Futurity. I knew<br />

he was gonna give me a chance. He is just so trustworthy that<br />

he built my confidence all year and I knew coming in that he<br />

would be a hard horse for the others <strong>to</strong> get around,” said Vanlandingham.<br />

“He was the first horse I would get on every morning. He’s<br />

just kind of a special horse around the place,” he concluded.<br />

Splitting third place in the Level 3 Open with matching scores<br />

of 218.5 points was NRHA Professional Brad Giesbrecht, formerly<br />

of Canada, and Pedro Baiao, who began his career in Brazil.<br />

Giesbrecht of Pilot Point, Texas, rode Ruff Spook (Smart Spook<br />

x Ruffle Me Up by Lil Ruf Peppy) for owner Don Byrne. The<br />

horse was nominated for the Futurity by NRHA Million Dollar<br />

Owner Rosanne Sternberg who bred the stallion.<br />

Giesbrecht scored 218.5 in the preliminary round and felt confident<br />

that his horse would be a contender in the finals. He went<br />

in on Saturday and matched that score, but in his mind, the stallion<br />

had made an even better effort than in the prelims.<br />

“This horse is good-minded, willing and a big s<strong>to</strong>pper. In the<br />

end, he had the guts <strong>to</strong> pull out the best run of the week for<br />

me. We had a disappointing result in round two, but I trusted<br />

my horse and my training <strong>to</strong> get it done in the finals,” he said.<br />

Baiao, making his debut NRHA Futurity Finals appearance<br />

on Wimpys Cable Lena (Wimpys Little Step x Miffs Cablelena<br />

by Mifillena), captured the Open Level 1 and Level 2 championships<br />

for his ride and was 12th overall in the Level 4. All<br />

<strong>to</strong>ld, the rider picked up a check for $72,570 for owner and<br />

breeder Robert Anderson of Flanders, New Jersey.<br />

“I was just flabbergasted,” said Anderson following the wins.<br />

“This is a feeling I will never forget. I am 70 and I may never<br />

get this feeling again. But I sure want <strong>to</strong> try.”<br />

Anderson said that the march <strong>to</strong> vic<strong>to</strong>ry began way back in<br />

1987, when he bought the mare Cable Connection from NRHA<br />

Hall of Fame inductee and Million Dollar Rider Bill Horn and<br />

his wife, Kimberly. Her first foal was Miffs Cablelena.<br />

“At the time, Bill and Kim lived in Cable, Ohio. That’s where<br />

the ‘Cable’ name came from and I use it in all my horses now.<br />

Anything I breed has the name Cable in it,” he said. “Though<br />

Bill passed away, Kim was at the show and saw the horse do<br />

well, so that was really wonderful.”<br />

Asked what the Level 1 and Level 2 Open division wins meant<br />

for him, Baiao replied, “It is life-changing.” Prior <strong>to</strong> the Futurity,<br />

Baiao had NRHA Lifetime Earnings of $19,761; with the<br />

win, his career <strong>to</strong>tal now stands at more than $90,000.<br />

“This is my first time competing in the Futurity. I’ve been doing<br />

all the work with this horse since the time he was a baby.<br />

I was the first person <strong>to</strong> put a saddle on and the first <strong>to</strong> ride him,”<br />

said Baiao.<br />

Baiao said that he was so focused during Saturday’s ride that,<br />

“I was not even aware of all the Brazilians watching me— and<br />

they cheer for us tremendously. I know they were shouting and<br />

whistling, but I could not even hear them!”<br />

The raucous applause at the end of his run drowned out the<br />

sound of the announcer calling Baiao’s score. As the only Level<br />

1 and Level 2 Open rider in the second section of finalists,<br />

he clinched those vic<strong>to</strong>ries with the 218.5 mark. Not that it mattered<br />

<strong>to</strong> Baiao, who said that he’d dreamed of competing in the<br />

Futurity since he began riding reining horses in Brazil at the<br />

age of 15.<br />

“I could not hear the announcer; I didn’t know that I had won!<br />

But I knew that I would make lots of money!” he said, with obvious<br />

delight. “Bob [Anderson] was so excited. It was really a<br />

dream come true for us.” ✦<br />

NRHA Million Dollar Sire<br />

NRHA Million Dollar Owner Rosanne Sternberg’s Smart Spook<br />

was honored for achieving NRHA Million Dollar Sire status.

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