hess photo
Working Western
at Scottsdale
The Best Reining Show by Far
by Cindy Reich
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the Arabian 13 and under and 14-17 classes in Reining and Reining Seat Equitation. In the Arabian Horse Reining Championship 14-17 she had four riders in the Top Ten. Olivia Pakula won the Half-Arabian/AA Reining Championship JTR 13 and Under on Rootin Tootin Cowboy (Rum Squall x TA
here was a time when the idea of Arabian reining horses was a bit of a joke in the reining world, although there were notable exceptions (think Sheila Varian and Ronteza winning the Reined Cow Horse at the Cow Palace in 1961). Even within the reining horse community in the Arabian breed, back in the day, horses that failed at western or halter or something else were perhaps put into a Stock Horse class. Not any more. Arabians are smart, agile, powerful, and love having a job to do. Reining seems to be just the ticket for those athletic (and pretty) horses that get bored easily and like a challenge. However, the horse does not call the shots. In the “Rules for Judging” in the NRHA (National Reining Horse Association) handbook, the most important pointer is A. General: “To rein a horse is not only to guide him, but also to control his every movement. The best reined horse should be willingly guided or controlled with little or no apparent resistance and dictated to completely.” Crystal McNutt is the face of Arabian reining to the NRHA and to the rest of the world as well. “I love what I do,” said Crystal, who trains out of her performance barn in Scottsdale. She has won close to $150,000 in lifetime earnings in ARHA futurities and close to $200,000 in NRHA earnings. Not only does she love what she does, but she is darn good at it! At the Scottsdale show, her junior riders virtually swept
First Place Reining Futurity Classic ATR Final TA Mozart (*Kordelas x Marieta), owned by Kimberly K. Tillman, Tioga, Texas, and ridden by John O’Hara. “TA Mozart is the best purebred stallion I have ever ridden,” says John. “His mind and his talent amaze me every day.” “I knew TA Mozart was going to be something special the first time I saw him at Toskhara Arabians,” says Kimberly Tillman. “He possesses the ‘it’ factor.”
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hess photo
Working Western
at Scottsdale
The Best Reining Show by Far
by Cindy Reich
T
the Arabian 13 and under and 14-17 classes in Reining and Reining Seat Equitation. In the Arabian Horse Reining Championship 14-17 she had four riders in the Top Ten. Olivia Pakula won the Half-Arabian/AA Reining Championship JTR 13 and Under on Rootin Tootin Cowboy (Rum Squall x TA
here was a time when the idea of Arabian reining horses was a bit of a joke in the reining world, although there were notable exceptions (think Sheila Varian and Ronteza winning the Reined Cow Horse at the Cow Palace in 1961). Even within the reining horse community in the Arabian breed, back in the day, horses that failed at western or halter or something else were perhaps put into a Stock Horse class. Not any more. Arabians are smart, agile, powerful, and love having a job to do. Reining seems to be just the ticket for those athletic (and pretty) horses that get bored easily and like a challenge. However, the horse does not call the shots. In the “Rules for Judging” in the NRHA (National Reining Horse Association) handbook, the most important pointer is A. General: “To rein a horse is not only to guide him, but also to control his every movement. The best reined horse should be willingly guided or controlled with little or no apparent resistance and dictated to completely.” Crystal McNutt is the face of Arabian reining to the NRHA and to the rest of the world as well. “I love what I do,” said Crystal, who trains out of her performance barn in Scottsdale. She has won close to $150,000 in lifetime earnings in ARHA futurities and close to $200,000 in NRHA earnings. Not only does she love what she does, but she is darn good at it! At the Scottsdale show, her junior riders virtually swept
First Place Reining Futurity Classic ATR Final TA Mozart (*Kordelas x Marieta), owned by Kimberly K. Tillman, Tioga, Texas, and ridden by John O’Hara. “TA Mozart is the best purebred stallion I have ever ridden,” says John. “His mind and his talent amaze me every day.” “I knew TA Mozart was going to be something special the first time I saw him at Toskhara Arabians,” says Kimberly Tillman. “He possesses the ‘it’ factor.”
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Scottsdale2011 Half-Arabian Reining Futurity Classic ATR winner JSN Whizzen (Jumping Jack Whiz x Everything Xen), owned by Jensen Arabians, Inc., Blair, Nebraska, and ridden by Crystal McNutt-Brock.
Champion Reining Horse Im The Real Deal (MHR Muscateal x Kheyarraberribeyv), owned by Audrey M. Zinke, West Covina, California, and ridden by Crystal McNutt-Brock.
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Osteen/Schatzberg Photo
Chantilly) and Danielle Rosenbaum won the Half-Arabian/ AA Reining Championship 14-17 on Khaarga Escobar Slik (Kharga Asal Sukkar x Beckie). Crystal’s adult amateur owner riders did equally well, with several Top Tens and two Reserve Championships (Cotton McNutt on Lone Star Desperado [RR Star x Lolita V] ) in the Half-Arabian Reining Horse Championship for AAOTR 18-44 and Joe Betten on Chaos Reins [Hickorys Aftershock x Musk Be Fancy] in the AAOTR Half-Arabian Reining Horse Championship. Crystal’s favorite win for herself at Scottsdale was on JSN Whizzen (Jumping Jack Whiz x Everything Xen) who won the very competitive HA/AA Reining Futurity Classic. “This little horse is really cool,” Crystal said. “She is just bitty, but she showed really well. She is a really game horse who is very fun to ride. The Half-Arabian Junior Horse Futurity was also a really good class — it was very tough and very competitive.” Crystal won it on the great mare Jackie O Whiz (Jumping Jack Whiz x C-L Rafika) who was the Non-Pro Champion for Kevin Rosenbaum in the Half-Arabian Futurity Classic. “Scottsdale is the best reining show we have by far,” Crystal said. “They really cater to the reiners — we have lots of different classes, good classes for amateurs, and we are starting some youth classes as well. Several of the NRHA judges have told me that this is one of their favorite shows to judge, which is high praise. They really appreciate how well organized the show is, and they are treated very well as judges.
“The Celebrity Reining has been a great draw, and has introduced lots of new people within the Arabian breed to the sport of reining. Some people think that we should be drawing our new people from the Quarter Horse world, but that isn’t going to happen. We need to bring them in from within our own breed. When those trainers got off their reining horses at the celebrity class, every one of them said, ‘Wow — that was so cool! Everyone should try it!’ There is nothing like a stop in a reining horse class — it is an amazing feeling. These horses are great at what they do. I love Arabians. I grew up riding them and I love to show people what they can do.” Crystal is not only showing and teaching the Arabian riders how to do it, but she is opening up more than a few eyes to what Arabians and Half-Arabians can do and has earned the respect of the NRHA fraternity as well.
Veteran Reining Judge Scores First Arabian Show by Cindy Reich
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ete Kyle is a five-time USEF gold medal winner in freestyle reining as well as a member of the USA team that won the silver medal in 2009 at the FEI World Reining Championships in Italy. Additionally, he is chairman of the USEF High Performance Reining Committee and is on the board of directors for both the AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association) and the NRBC (National Reining Breeders Classic). As one of the reining judges at Scottsdale, Pete was judging exclusively Arabians and Half-Arabians for the first time. I asked him if he had any preconceived notions about what he expected to see at the show. “I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of depth in both the purebred and Half-Arabian reining classes,” Kyle said. “We had scores of 2½s and 3½s and 4s (above 70), which would have been the same score they would have received if it had been an NRHA (National Reining Horse Association) show. You never know what you are going to see when you do a show and I had never really watched an Arabian reining show before.” Were there any horses that really stood out in your mind, I inquired. “There was a boy, Jim Anderson, who showed a chestnut Half-Arabian horse (Dellwoods Jude) that went off pattern in the Half-Arabian Reining Futurity Classic finals — that was a really good horse. Also, John O’Hara had two purebreds that he showed that did really well. I saw a lot of good horses that were really broke. Every breed can have one or two really nice horses in reining, but when a breed has the depth of quality I saw at this show it says a lot! It tells me that this breed is really working harder and becoming more specialized — they are breeding more for reining horses now and there is no doubt that they have really raised the level of quality of horses competing. “The Arabian and Half-Arabian breed is heading in the right direction,” Kyle continued. “In fact, judging the quality of horses at this show has made me want to show here! We all really enjoyed judging this show — we were all treated really well and this show is extremely professional and extremely well run. It was nothing but a good experience!” So might we see you in the arena next year as a competitor, I asked? “Absolutely!”
Top Right: Allison Mostowich of Calgary, Alberta, pictured with her two winners, Champion Half-Arabian Reining Horse AAOTR 18-44, CA Just Plain Fancy (DA Napitov x Fancy Kip), and Champion Reining Horse AAOTR 18-44, VLQ Friendly Fire (Forelock’s Petja x Polka Jane) pictured on right. Below: Champion Reining Horse AAOTR 45 & Over, HF General Grant (Sonseray x Pokhana), owned by Wesley W. Hiser, Casper, Wyoming and ridden by Velvet Hiser.
Champion Reining Horse Limit Rider AATR SBR Crocket (SV Olympic Gold x Kiss-A-Fix), owned and ridden by Ginny J. Johnson, Kirkland, Washington.
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Osteen/Schatzberg Photo
Scottsdal e 2011 Working Western Left: Champion Half-Arabian Reining Horse Limit Rider AATR Sugarplum Starlight (Plum Masterful x Sonjia), owned by Auriel Overall-Isaman, Tucson, Arizona.
Right: Champion Half-Arabian Reining Horse JTR 13 & Under Rootin Tootin Cowboy (Rum Squall x TA Chantilly), owned by Olivia Pakula, Scottsdale, Arizona.
Left: Champion Working Cow Horse ATR Traddition (*SR Nadom x Nafire), owned and ridden by Stephen Grove, Wessington Springs, South Dakota, “The main thing about Steve’s win on Traddition is the fact that the horse is 28 years old this year,” says Don Ulmer. Bottom left: Champion Half-Arabian Working Cow Horse Open and ATR Coco Polene (Shahcolate Bey MA x Hema), owned by Madelena L. Camacho, Nipomo, California, and ridden by Andy Camacho. Bottom right: Champion Half-Arabian Working Cow Horse Hackamore/Snaffle Bit RCC Remedys Playmate (Remedys Chic Mate x Doliera), owned by Stephen Grove, and pictured with rider Don Ulmer. “RCC Remedys Playmate is one of the more capable young horses to come along for some time,” says Don.
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1. Champion Half-Arabian Reined Cow Horse Play In Color (Tucknicolor x Khabreah), owned by Stephen Grove, Wessington Spring, South Dakota, ridden by Don Ulmer. 2. Champion Reined Cow Horse Limit Horse Aantonina SF (Aabsolute x EE Karmel) owned by Sharon Davis, Rogersville, Missouri, ridden by Jennifer Murrell. 3. Champion Reined Cow, Reserve Champion Reined Cow Horse ATR, and Reserve Champion Reining Horse Limit Rider AATR Zee Tuffy (Zee Impressive x Zee Princess), pictured with owner Kenna L. West, Amity, Oregon. 4. Champion Trail, Champion Trail ATR, and Champion Trail AOTR Serannada (Robby x Serana) pictured on left, and Champion Half-Arabian Trail and Reserve Champion Half-Arabian Trail ATR Handsome Hotrodder (Hot Roddin Zippo x Serannada), both owned by Alice Jackson and Sandy Robinson, El Cajon, California, and ridden by Kathy Bast. Right: Champion Half-Arabian Trail ATR Stars And Stripes SF (Allionces Knight x Starry Spumoni) owned by Rancho Sonado LLC, Sahuarita, Arizona, pictured on left. “Rancho Sonado is thrilled to have earned two National championships and six National top tens in Tulsa; and two championships at Scottsdale with Stars And Stripes SF and pictured on right, Agracie Girl V (Sundance Kid V x Amazing Grace V). Add to this six top tens, and a top five at Scottsdale — we couldn’t be happier!” says Nan Stockholm Walden.“We are so grateful for our trainers Courtney Spicer and Ali Brady and our wonderful horses with heart.”
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