2022 NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes

OPEN SUPER STAKES

CO-CHAMPION: REYBELS CAUSE & BEAU GALYEAN OWNER: JACKPOT RANCH WEATHERFORD

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

Winning a title at an NCHA Triple Crown event, particularly in the Open, is a feat achieved by few. Getting to share that honor with a brother is an even rarer accomplishment, one that has likely never been done before. That is, until the 2022 NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes, held March 24 through April 16 in Fort Worth, Texas.

It was no April Fool’s joke on Friday, April 1, when Beau Galyean rode Reybels Cause to a 229 - a score that held through the first set and most of the second, until his brother, Wesley Galyean, marked the same score aboard Third Edge. When the finals ended soon after, the brothers had tied for the Open Super Stakes championship, each winning $51,485.

“This is something that’s just forever,” Beau said of their tie. “Two brothers tied to win the second-largest show that we’ve ever had. We got to share a moment, and each have incredible runs.”

“It’s so special,” Wesley said. “When we started back in our early 20s, it was just me, Beau, and our dad at the house. Beau would video us every day. We just constantly craved to work harder and get better. We were extremely hard on each other, and we pushed each other. It’s just great when you see this come together. We're just super thankful and blessed to be in this position and have this opportunity.”

Both horses come from storied pedigrees with much relevance to the Galyean brothers. Reybels Cause and Third Edge are both sired by Metallic Rebel, who Beau rode to the 2017 NCHA Open Horse of the Year, amongst other titles.

“This is something that’s just forever.”

— Beau Galyean

Beau Galyean’s hard work paid off with a 229 for the Open Super Stakes co-championship.

OPEN SUPER STAKES

CO-CHAMPION: THIRD EDGE & WESLEY GALYEAN OWNER: SMF CUTTING HORSES LLC

Reybels Cause is out of Twice As Reycy (by Dual Rey), who was ridden by the Galyean’s brother-in-law, Lloyd Cox, to the 2003 NCHA Open Futurity reserve championship. Third Edge’s dam, Lil Rattler (by Dual Rey), carried Wesley and owner, Steven Feiner, to earnings of more than $338,000.

Beau originally purchased Reybels Cause, who was bred by the Double Dove Ranch, in partnership with Terry Green to promote Metallic Rebel as a stallion. When it became clear Reybels Cause wasn’t going to make a

It was Third Edge’s style, confidence, grit and talent that helped him match Reybels Cause in score and share the co-championship.

“We were extremely hard on each other, and we pushed each other. It’s just great when you see this come together.”

— Wesley Galyean

stud prospect, Beau gelded the horse and sold his half to Green’s Jackpot Ranch Weatherford.

“For this horse to turn out so cool and end up doing something like this, it was just way above anything I ever expected,” Beau said. “There’s just a class of horses that I didn’t really think he was in, so for him to be in the finals and have a good run…it was really unexpected.”

Third Edge, a homebred stallion that is owned by Feiner’s SMF Cutting Horses LLC, is extra-special to his owners, because he was named after Feiner’s friend, Greg Harms, who operated Third Edge Heli and passed away in 2021. Wesley knew there were a lot of people rooting for the horse, and he didn’t want to let them down.

“It's not about me; it's about that horse and what a great horse he is,” Wesley said. “Tonight, for me to chase that 229, it was almost a God-thing. That has so much to do with it…I knew it was going to be tough. I just had faith and believed we could do it, and [Third Edge] was just sensational tonight. I’m tremendously blessed to get to ride this horse. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of horse.” ★

INTERMEDIATE OPEN SUPER STAKES

CHAMPION: REY VON HICAPOO & CASS TATUM OWNER: LIBBY ELLIOTT

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

Agood takeaway from the Intermediate Open Super Stakes is to keep at your dreams, even when they don’t seem to be coming together. One day, everything could finally fall into place. That was the case for Rey Von Hicapoo and Cass Tatum, who, after months of narrowly missing the finals at multiple events, finally landed finals qualifications in two different classes at the 2022 NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes, and an Intermediate Open Super Stakes championship.

“I’ve been showing her all year and missing finals by a half-point everywhere,” Tatum said. “It finally connected. I just wanted a clean run [in the Intermediate Open], because I also made the Open finals on her.”

The pair marked a 212 in the Open finals to tie for 17th, banking $12,717, but the 225 they scored in the Intermediate Open brought home the win and another $12,285 for owner Libby Elliott. Elliott, who has been a long-time customer of Tatum’s father-in-law, Merritt Wilson, was advised by Wilson to send her mare to Tatum, as he believed the two could be successful together.

“[Wilson] said she was a very nice horse, and he thought I could do a good job with her,” Tatum said. “She’s been pretty good. She’s really cowy… and she’s a thinker. She’s a smaller horse, but she tries, and she has a lot of heart.”

After her finals qualifications and championship at the Super Stakes, Rey Von Hicapoo (Stevie Rey Von x SDP Hydriven Hicapoo x Hydrive Cat) boasts lifetime earnings of more than $29,000. Tatum plans to keep showing the mare, who was bred by Chris and Tracy Brengard.

Hopefully, those plans include a run at another title in Fort Worth, Texas, later this year. The Will Rogers Coliseum is Tatum’s favorite pen to show in, no matter what time of year it is. Still, the Oklahoman added he appreciates when he can be home, as it allows him the opportunity to give his horses a chance to relax.

“I like consistency,” Tatum said. “I’ll ride them outside and stuff like that…I like to turn them out a lot and let them go free their minds. They’re like us; they need a break, too.”

Tatum thanked his help, including Nate Gribble, Clay Johnson, Casey Green and Matt Miller. He also thanked his wife, Chelsea, for all the support she provides.

“She’s always behind me, and she does all the work behind the scenes that nobody gets to see,” Tatum said.

Four points behind Rey Von Hicapoo were My Sly Playgirl (Dual Smart Rey x Sly Playgirl x That Sly Cat) and Dylan Meyer, whose 221 landed the Intermediate Open Super Stakes reserve championship. The pair collected $11,210 for owner Ron Woodhouse. My Sly Playgirl was bred by Rocking L Cutting Horses LLC. ★

“I like to turn them out a lot and let them go free their minds. They’re like us; they need a break, too.”

— Cass Tatum

After months of narrowly missing the finals at different shows, Rey Von Hicapoo and Cass Tatum landed the Intermediate Open Super Stakes title at the Super Stakes.

LIMITED OPEN SUPER STAKES

CHAMPION: DAMM IT BILL & BLAZE CRESS OWNER: T/K CUTTING HORSES

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

As an up-and-coming trainer, getting experience in the show pen is a necessity, though it’s not always easy to do. Finding work under a supportive trainer is one of the best ways to make that happen.

This strategy has been successful for Blaze Cress. Through his employer, Tatum and Kylie Rice’s T/K Cutting Horses, Cress has had several opportunities to show horses through the Rice family. He piloted Sly Criminal, owned by Kylie’s parents, Kevin and Sydney Knight, to the 2021 NCHA Summer Spectacular Limited Open Classic/Challenge championship. Then, at the 2022 NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes, he rode T/K Cutting Horsesowned Damm It Bill (Catty Hawk x Lil Pretty Richochet x Smart Lil Ricochet) to a 222, winning the Limited Open Super Stakes title and $7,750.

“I’m kind of in awe of both [championship titles],” Cress said. “I’m tickled to death right now. [Damm It Bill] has been fun, and he’s really athletic.”

According to Cress, the gelding can be a little tricky to cut on, especially since he’s so young. Cress’ game plan at the Super Stakes was to handle his cattle smoothly, drive them up as much as he could, and keep them calm and under control.

“He’s really cowy,” Cress said of Damm It Bill, who was bred by Kevin and Sydney Knight. “Sometimes you want him to settle down a little, but when a cow goes somewhere, he sure enough wants to go with it.”

Cress appreciates the Super Stakes, because it provides a venue for the 4-year-olds to overcome some challenges. He said it was fun to watch them figure things out throughout the weeks before the finals.

“It’s the first big show we take the 4-year-olds to, and it seems like a lot of people are watching them,” Cress said. “You learn a lot about your horses here.”

A former saddle bronc rider, Cress switched to cutting horses about five years ago. He spent some time in California training under Eric Wisehart, then moved to Texas to work with Russ Westfall. He’s been training with Tatum for about three years.

On why he gave up saddle bronc riding for cutters, Cress said he has always just enjoyed horses. The whole time he was rodeoing, it seemed like he was always missing the younger horse(s) he had at home.

“I was wanting to stay at home more than go down the road and rodeo,” Cress said. “I wanted to kind of give this a shot and see how I liked it for a year, and I fell in love with it.”

Cress thanked the Rices for encouraging him throughout his time riding Damm It Bill. He also thanked his girlfriend, Tawni Stoneburner, for getting the gelding ready.

With a 219, Dont Look For Troubl and Dalton Vicar scored the Limited Open Super Stakes reserve championship and $6,995 for owner Circle Y Ranch. The gelding (Meteles Cat x Dont Look Twice x High Brow Cat) was bred by Waco Bend Ranch Ltd. ★

“You learn a lot about your horses here.”

— Blaze Cress

A little bit of encouragement from Damm It Bill’s owners helped give Blaze Cress the confidence he needed to pilot the gelding to the Limited Open Super Stakes title.

NON-PRO SUPER STAKES

CHAMPION: KELSEY JOHNSON & CALL SIGNN OWNER: CURTIS & BRENDA WEEKS

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

During her 15 years of NCHA limited-aged event competition, Kelsey Johnson has collected two Amateur championships in Will Rogers Coliseum, but a Non-Pro title has eluded her. She qualified two horses for the NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Non-Pro Super Stakes finals, where she rode Call Signn to a 218, finally landing her Non-Pro championship in “the big pen.”

“It’s a dream come true,” Johnson said. “It has always been a goal to win the Non-Pro here, and it finally came together on such an awesome horse. He tries his guts out every time, and he’s so much fun. You walk down there with confidence, because you know he’s going to try.”

Showing two horses in one finals can be tough, but Johnson was able to focus on them one at a time. She rode Call Signn from the fourth draw, leaving her time to prepare her second horse, homebred mare Rosalitta. Johnson and Rosalitta marked 206 and finished 15th.

“They’re both such good horses,” Johnson said. “[Call Signn] is a really big athlete, and [Rosalitta] is so smart and has such eye appeal. They have different styles, but they’re both so fun to show. I didn’t do my job on her, but she tried really hard. I’m fortunate to get to show two that are [a high] caliber of horse.”

Johnson’s parents, Curtis and Brenda Weeks, purchased Call Signn (Dual Smart Rey x This Cats Smilen x WR This Cats Smart) in August 2021 from James and Nadine Payne. They gelded the horse, as he was meant to be a fun show mount for Johnson. Since then, he’s progressed to an Open-caliber horse fit for Johnson’s husband, Clay.

Call Signn, or “Goose,” who was bred by John Bishop, was injured in January, and had to take some time off. The Johnsons only started working him again the week before the Super Stakes started. Kelsey said he’s gotten more confident with each run he’s made at the show.

“He picked up where he left off and didn’t forget much,” Kelsey said. “James did a great job training him, and Clay has done a great job progressing him. It was a really good blend of two trainers.”

Altogether, Kelsey collected $42,213 from the finals – $31,684 for first place, and another $10,529 with Rosalitta (Metallic Cat x GS Counting On Kitty x Im Countin Checks). She thanked Clay, Kory Pounds, Lloyd Cox and Michael Cooper, along with her parents for purchasing Goose for her to ride.

“They were here today, and they always support us in everything we do,” Kelsey said. “They’re just the most amazing, supportive parents.”

Ty Moore piloted Windsomcash (Reyzin The Cash x Windsemal x Bodee Boonsmal), bred by Julie Christensen and John McBurney, to a 217.5 for the reserve championship. Owner, Kathleen Moore, collected $28,335. ★

After qualifying two horses for the Non-Pro Super Stakes finals, Kelsey Johnson piloted Call Signn to the championship.

INTERMEDIATE NON-PRO SUPER STAKES

CHAMPION: CAITLIN RICE &PEARL JAMM OWNER: SCOTTY RICE

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

The NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes was a big show for Caitlin Rice, who made the finals in four different classes on two separate horses. Aboard Pearl Jamm, she qualified for the Intermediate Non-Pro Super Stakes and Non-Pro Super Stakes finals, which were held the same day. Rice secured the Intermediate Non-Pro championship with a score of 220.5.

“It’s pretty unbelievable,” Rice said. “It still hasn’t really set in yet.”

Everything set up how it needed to during her winning run with “Pearl.” She stayed calm and collected, and the cows she picked all worked out.

“I was patient, listened to my help and drove [the cows] out there,” Rice said. “She kind of took over and did her job. She was smart and tried her guts out.”

Pearl has that “all or nothing” attitude in common with her older full sister, Champayne Dreams, a mare also owned by Rice and her husband. When Champayne Dreams was three years old, Pearl, a then-yearling, came up for sale. Believing Champayne Dreams had a lot of promise, the couple decided to purchase her sister, too.

“They both have a lot of grit and love their jobs,” Caitlin said of the full-sibling mares, who were both bred by Fults Ranch. “They don’t know how to give half. They give it their all every time. [Pearl] has gotten better the whole time and become a true show horse. She is just really confident in what she does, and she’s smart.”

“I was patient, listened to my help and drove [the cows] out there. She kind of took over and did her job. She was smart and tried her guts out.”

— Caitlin Rice

Pearl Jamm has lived up to her potential, carrying Caitlin Rice to the Intermediate Non-Pro Super Stakes championship.

LIMITED NON-PRO SUPER STAKES

CHAMPION: DANIEL SUMMERS & WISPER TOO ME OWNER: DANIEL SUMMERS

The $7,653 check Caitlin and Pearl collected boosted the mare’s lifetime earnings to more than $23,000. The Rices hope to pull some embryos from her at some point like they have with her older sister. In the meantime, they plan to keep showing her throughout the year.

“I’m lucky I have really good herd and turnback help,” Caitlin said. “My husband keeps me pretty focused on what I’m doing, too, and keeps me calm.”

A 218.5 gave Katie Fonsen Young and Hott Shots the Intermediate Non-Pro Super Stakes reserve championship. The gelding (Hottish x Smooth As I Can x Smooth As A Cat), who was bred by Janice Eaton, garnered $7,330 in lifetime earnings. ★

SETH PETIT PHOTOGRAPHY The Limited Non-Pro Super Stakes champion was decided after the first round, and it was Daniel Summers and Wisper Too Me who went home with the title.

After the first round of the Limited Non-Pro Super Stakes, Daniel Summers and Wisper Too Me (Stevie Rey Von x Wisper Sweetnothings x Smart Little Lena) scored a 215.5 to top the leaderboard for the championship. Summers and the mare, who was bred by Ty Moore, received a check worth $5,643.

“It means a lot, especially for people who understand how much work goes into it,” Summers said. “It’s kind of a long process to get your horse to that stage. Sometimes, it all pays off, and sometimes, it doesn’t. It’s pretty special when it all works in your favor.”

Summers has owned Wisper Too Me since the mare was 3 years old. He and Glynn Whitman finished her, and Summers said she’s been a nice horse from the beginning. He called her “the little engine that could.” Though she started off little, she gained confidence as she grew up. Now bigger and stronger, the mare tries hard and stays consistent. She ties it all together with her sweet demeanor.

Reserve champion of the Limited Non-Pro Super Stakes was Chance Cerny and Guitars N Catilacs (Kit Kat Sugar x Ms Rey Cat x Little Dulces Rey), who was bred by Lonnie and Barbara Allsup. The pair marked a 213 and banked $4,232. ★

MCALISTER ASSETS AMATEUR SUPER STAKES

CHAMPION: REAGAN GLENN & BOONTOWN DANCER OWNER: REAGAN GLENN

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

Prior to the NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes, Reagan Glenn had been having a little tough luck with Boontown Dancer (Once in a Blu Boon x Duals Dancer x Reys Dual Badger). It seemed like every time they showed, one little thing would happen here or there to keep them out of the finals by a point or so. The pair was finally able to put together a big run during the McAlister Assets Amateur Super Stakes finals, where they marked a 221 to take home the title and $13,396 to Paso Robles, California.

“It’s one of the best feelings, especially on this mare,” said Glenn. “I definitely didn’t come into the Super Stakes with a ton of confidence on her. It’s kind of surreal, because you hear about everyone winning in that pen. It’s just a feeling you can’t really describe.”

Glenn said the cattle had been tough throughout the show, so her goal in each run was to keep things slow. The duo marked a 216 in both the first round and the semifinals.

“Every round, she was so good and so mature for me,” Glenn said. “You can tell she loves her job, and I think that’s a really hard thing to find in horses now. She’s so cowy, and she tries her hardest every run.”

Glenn purchased Boontown Dancer, or “Willow,” as a 3-year-old through the mare’s breeder, Judy Siebel, of Bitterroot Springs Ranch. Glenn’s trainer, Morgan Cromer, has trained Willow since she was two years old. Cromer also trained and showed Willow’s dam, Duals Dancer (by Reys Dual Badger).

“I was around when [Duals Dancer] was showing, and she was such a nice mare,” Glenn said. “I think a lot of her aspects came through in [Willow].”

Along with her other horses, Glenn hopes to show her mare a few more times in preparation for a lengthy fall run of shows, with the goal of keeping her happy and healthy along the way.

The 15-year-old high school sophomore noted that it’s difficult to balance school with riding, and it doesn’t leave her any time for other hobbies. She was grateful to be able to take her schoolwork on the road with her during the Super Stakes.

“It’s definitely challenging - leaving school for three weeks,” Glenn said. “My grades are super important to me, but… I think some of the life experiences that cutting has taught me are irreplaceable.”

She thanked Cromer, Cromer’s assistant trainer, Jake Pinheiro, her help, and her parents, Jaime and Jason, saying none of it would have been possible without them.

With a 216.5, Jessica Banuelos Feiner and Hot And Phat picked up the McAlister Assets Amateur Super Stakes reserve championship. Feiner and the homebred mare (Spots Hot x Lil Rattler x Dual Rey) collected $10,532. ★

After some disappointment earlier in the year, things came together for Reagan Glenn and Boontown Dancer, who won the McAlister Assets Amateur Super Stakes.

RIOS OF MERCEDES INTERMEDIATE AMATEUR SUPER STAKES

CHAMPION: HARRISON PERRIN & REYZIN A WINNER OWNER: HARRISON PERRIN

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

When Harry Perrin named his homebred filly Reyzin A Winner, it’s clear he saw big things for the mare’s future. His daughter, Harrison Perrin, delivered on those expectations when she rode Reyzin A Winner to a 216 in the Rios of Mercedes Intermediate Amateur Super Stakes championship. The mare picked up her first finals and collected her first paycheck, worth $7,261.

“Ever since I first showed in [Fort Worth, Texas], it was a dream of mine to win an event there,” Harrison said. “This is my first title. In the first round, my 218 was the highest score I’ve marked in Will Rogers [Coliseum]. We had a lot of firsts this week.”

Harrison credited Kathy Daughn, who trains out of the Perrin’s property in Brenham, Texas, for much of their success at the event. Harrison had taken Reyzin A Winner, or “Cora,” to Daughn shortly before the NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes to get some help building her own confidence.

“I felt like we were right there, but I just couldn’t quite get us there, and I was in my head a lot,” Harrison said. “She had me work her in the practice pen before I showed in the first round, so I was really confident in my ability, but I knew the cows were pretty testy at this show. I just wanted to get my horse shown. I was over the moon with the [218] we marked, but I was just proud that I got her shown in some tough cows.”

In addition to helping her get through the preliminary rounds, Daughn offered some helpful advice before the finals when Harrison asked if she thought they had a chance to win.

“[Daughn] said, ‘Yeah, you’ve been up there in the first round and the semifinals, but don’t worry about that. Just go show like you have been, be accurate. If it works out, great, but don’t try to force it,’” Harrison said. “It just really shaped up. The cows we wanted were there, and I felt like with each turn, my horse was just getting better and better.”

Winning on a homebred horse made the title extra special. Reyzin A Winner (by Reyzin The Cash) is out of Win A Kitty (by High Brow Cat), who is one of the foundation mares in the Perrin’s breeding program. Cora was born 11 days before Harrison’s mom, Martha, passed away, making her success even more meaningful.

Harrison was grateful to have her dad and her step-mom, Cathy, along with J.B. and Ginny McLamb, in attendance to watch her show. She thanked Reese Collins, Cora’s loper, for doing a great job getting her ready.

“I’m a big believer in getting your own horses ready, but this mare takes a lot of riding,” Harrison said. “I have back pain, and being able to watch cows is a big deal, so I couldn’t have done it without [Collins]. She was an integral part of the program, for sure.”

Robert Masterson’s homebred mare Tha Girl Next Door (WR This Cats Smart x Too Smart Toodie x Smart Mate) carried him to a 214.5 for the reserve title. The pair collected $6,830. ★

Harrison Perrin was excited to see Reyzin A Winner become a money-earner after the duo collected the Rios of Mercedes Intermediate Amateur Super Stakes championship - Perrin’s first title in Will Rogers Coliseum.

LIMITED AMATEUR SUPER STAKES

CHAMPION: LANE COOPER & REDDISH BLU OWNER: MICHAEL & JENNIFER COOPER

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

Almost six years ago, Lane Cooper set the Will Rogers Coliseum arena record with a 233 during the 2016 NCHA Foundation Scholarship Cutting Senior Youth finals. Cooper later began to grow tired of the sport, and decided to take a step away from cutting horses.

Cooper hadn’t been on a cutting horse since his 2016 win, but shortly before the 2022 NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes, his dad, $4 million trainer Michael Cooper, asked Lane if he would show Reddish Blu, owned by Michael and his wife, Jennifer. Lane agreed, only practicing horseback twice before piloting the mare in the first round. From there, they advanced to the Limited Amateur Super Stakes finals, where they marked a 219 to win the championship.

“I never thought I’d come back in the show pen or even cut again,” Lane said. “I grew up doing it so much, and it was so much more of a job, that I kind of forgot how much fun it was and the adrenaline rush. I always thought this was no big deal, but being back...realizing how hard it actually is, and how much effort they put into it, it means a lot.”

Lane’s partner in the show pen, Reddish Blu (Once In A Blu Boon x Blush Of Red x Smart Lil Ricochet), helped him out where she could. Though he hadn’t ridden the Dale Koller-bred mare prior to the show, the pair was able to get through the first round with a 209.

“She was really cowy and easy to cut [on],” Lane said. “She hooked up good. You can ride her pretty hard, which is good for me because, in roping, we go a lot faster. It was fun. I didn’t think I’d have this much fun.”

With another win and a $2,000 paycheck under his belt, Lane thinks he might have been sucked back into the cutting world. The 23-year-old, who sells real estate, hopes to show again, and he thanked the whole crew at Cooper Cutting Horses for being supportive, including his younger brother, Lance, who followed in their dad’s footsteps as a trainer.

“When I left, [Lance] and I were kind of even and showed the same, but six or seven years later, he’s an Open rider,” Lane said. “It’s pretty cool to watch the stuff he’s accomplished. It was really humbling seeing how good he is. He’s very good at teaching and really communicating to whatever level you need.”

Joseph Bergeron rode Boot Me Out The Door (Mandalay Rey x Sassy Lil Sue x High Brow CD), who was bred by Blakley Simoneaux, to a 212 for the reserve championship. Bergeron collected $1,840 with the gelding, who he owns with his wife, Meridith. ★

After a nearly six-year hiatus from the cutting pen, Lane Cooper returned to ride Reddish Blu to the Limited Amateur Super Stakes championship.

OPEN SUPER STAKES CLASSIC

CHAMPION: COUNTESS CATRINA & CADE SHEPARD OWNER: RHEIN & AMANDA STANDISH

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

In 2021, Cade Shepard won the NonPro Derby championship at the NCHA Summer Spectacular. Shortly after, he turned in his Non-Pro card and began training horses for the public.

Four months later, Shepard won the Limited Open at the NCHA Futurity, his first major Open title. That was quite the accomplishment so early in his career, but he managed to top it at the 2022 NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes, nabbing the Open Super Stakes Classic championship aboard Countess Catrina. The pair marked a 225.5 and banked $26,234.

“It’s pretty crazy – I wasn’t expecting it,” Shepard said. “I think [my previous riding experience] helped me a lot. I’ve been showing since I was little bitty in the Youth, and I think that taught me how to show a horse. Then, when I started showing in the Non-Pro, it was a little trickier to show an aged-event horse. I think it’s all just kind of built up to this.”

Having that experience behind him certainly helped Shepard keep his cool when a freak accident almost took him out of the cutting. While the pair were working in the practice pen before the first round, the D-ring on Shepard’s saddle broke. He fell off, and the saddle fell beneath the mare.

“I was already nervous, because I had to come in here and show as the second horse of the day,” Shepard said. “She stopped when it happened; she’s a very smart horse. I swapped saddles, worked a couple of cows to make sure it didn’t freak her out too much, then came in here and showed. She’s been great.”

Countess Catrina (Im Countin Checks x Catrina Starlight x High Brow Cat) has been in a training program with Austin Shepard, Cade’s dad, since she was a 2-year-old. Austin showed her at the 2019 NCHA Futurity and tied for fifth, and she’s secured many paychecks with him since. She’s also carried her owner and breeder, Amanda Standish, to titles over the years.

“She was one of the first horses I got to show when I started showing in the Open,” Cade said. “Amanda and Rhein have been customers of my dad’s for years now, and they’re awesome. Not many people would give you that opportunity to go show such a good horse, when my dad could also still show her. They’ve believed in me.”

He thanked the Standishes, his herd help (Kory Pounds, Sean Flynn, Clay Johnson and Austin), his mom, Stacy, his girlfriend, Kamryn Clark, Bill Riddle for helping him pick cows, and his sister, Caylee, who is the only person to ever get Countess Catrina ready.

Taking reserve in the Open Super Stakes Classic was Reyckoning, ridden by Adan Banuelos. The 5-year-old gelding (Reyzin The Cash x That Catomine x High Brow Cat), who was bred by the Glover/Galyean Partnership, marked a 224 and garnered a $23,028 check for owners John and Barbara Gaughan. ★

“I think it’s all just kind of built up to this.”

— Cade Shepard

Countess Catrina carried Cade Shepard to the Open title when they marked a 225.5 to win the Open Super Stakes Classic championship.

INTERMEDIATE OPEN SUPER STAKES CLASSIC

CHAMPION: THATZ THE RUMOR & BRADEY DAVIS OWNER: KELLI BURBA

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

He has more than $529,267 in lifetime earnings, but until the 2022 NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes, Bradey Davis had never won a title in Will Rogers Coliseum. He’d been close, but a Triple Crown event championship had eluded him for years. That all changed this year when he piloted Thatz The Rumor to a 222, winning the Intermediate Open Super Stakes Classic.

“Trying to win in Fort Worth is so hard, and when it finally comes together, it’s pretty special,” Davis said. “We all get up early in the morning to work horses with the goal of winning in Fort Worth [, Texas], so that was really cool.”

The Super Stakes is Davis’ favorite of the three Fort Worth events, making his championship even more special.

“The weather is always nicer here,” Davis said. “The Futurity is kind of cold and rainy, and the [Summer Spectacular] is so miserably hot. Plus, this time of year, it’s still kind of fresh. The 4-yearolds are still getting seasoned. I think that’s why I like the Super Stakes the most.”

Thatz The Rumor, or “Mitch” (Sigala Rey x Dualdoseokitty x High Brow Cat), who was bred by Jose Ignacio Sigala, is six, but Davis didn’t get the gelding into his program until the middle of his 4-year-old year. Mitch was still fairly green when owner Kelli Burba bought him, so he didn’t get shown much that year.

“I don’t want to call him a ‘project horse,’ because he was nicer than that, but it just took a little while to get him seasoned enough to have consistently good runs on him,” Davis said. “By the time he turned five, I felt like he was pretty consistent. He’s definitely one of the horses I can count on to be good for me most of the time.”

Davis explained that Mitch is cowy and longnecked, and when he traps a cow in the middle of the pen, he has a pretty look. The gelding’s strength and sweet temperament enable him to go back and forth between Davis in the Open classes and Burba in the Amateur.

The $8,424 check increased Mitch’s lifetime earnings to $53,633.65. Davis plans to go to most of the limited-aged events in the area with the gelding for the rest of the year, hoping to add more money to his lifetime earnings. He expressed his appreciation to Burba and her husband, David, for the chance to ride their horses.

“They’ve given me a lot of opportunities to show horses for them,” Davis said. “They kind of gave me an opportunity when I was starting out, then another one on this horse. I now have some 3-year-olds for them. They’re very nice people.”

Bohemiann Rhapsody and Lance Cooper took reserve in the Intermediate Open Super Stakes Classic with their score of 220. The gelding (Metallic Cat x Sly Playgirl x That Sly Cat), who was bred by Rocking L Cutting Horses LLC, banked $8,100 for his owner, Keith Mesker. ★

“We all get up early in the morning to work horses with the goal of winning in Fort Worth.”

— Bradey Davis

He may have started off green when he entered Bradey Davis’ program, but Thatz The Rumor made up for lost time by carrying Davis to the Intermediate Open Super Stakes Classic championship.

LIMITED OPEN SUPER STAKES CLASSIC

CO-CHAMPION: PRINCESS N THE PEA & TRAVIS JENSEN OWNER: JEFF BARNES

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

Friday, April 1, was the day for co-champions at the NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes. The big news of the day was the Galyean brothers taking home the Open Super Stakes co-championship, but the day also started with a co-champion pair. Both Travis Jensen, on Princess N The Pea, and Thomas Bray, riding Trash Talkin, went home as co-champions of the Limited Open Super Stakes Classic, each marking a 223 and collecting a check worth $5,422.

It was Jensen’s first time to show in Fort Worth, Texas, and he certainly made it memorable. An assistant trainer for Brent Erickson, he had only showed Princess N The Pea a handful of times before taking her to the pen at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum.

“I didn’t get as nervous as I thought I was going to get, so it meant a lot,” Jensen said. “The first cow we wanted to cut was right there on the edge, so I knew exactly where I was going from the start. Every time I quit a cow, I’d turn around, and we knew where my next cow was. That just helped out a lot.”

Princess N The Pea (Metallic Cat x Spookys Got Cash x Miss N Cash) was bred on owner Jeff Barnes’ ranch in Wilton, California. The mare’s paycheck pushed her lifetime earnings to more than $46,000.

“I like what everybody likes about her – she’s pretty,” Jensen said. “She’s just a big mover, has a big stop to her, has a lot of talent, and is really cowy.”

Jensen thanked Jeff and Kay Barnes, along with Erickson for giving him the opportunity to show the mare. Jensen and his girlfriend, Niki, who is also Barnes’ daughter, celebrated locally after his big win.

Travis Jensen made his first trip to WRMC a memorable experience by riding Princess N The Pea to the Limited Open Super Stakes Classic co-championship.

LIMITED OPEN SUPER STAKES CLASSIC

CO-CHAMPION: TRASH TALKIN & THOMAS BRAY OWNER: KEN HANSON

The Super Stakes was Bray’s last ride on Trash Talkin (Smooth Talkin Style x Tapt Twice x Dual Pep). The gelding sold a couple of months before the show, and moved to trainer Casey Green’s program. Since Bray had paid the entry fee before the horse sold, he was still able to compete with him, and he was thrilled to go out with a bang.

“He’s a good horse,” Bray said. “He’s strong, and he reads a cow really well – way better than I do. He’s just really smart, and when he is in a bind, he gets himself out of it because of the way he tries.”

Ken Hanson, of Weatherford, Texas, now owns the gelding, who was bred by Waco Bend Ranch Ltd. Trash Talkin’s lifetime earnings were elevated to nearly $30,000.

Bray, who trains in Fulshear, Texas, said even though he has to deal with the construction traffic in Waco, Texas, the drive to Fort Worth is always worth it.

“I think this pen is the easiest to cut in – there’s not a feeling in the world like it,” Bray said. “The only difficulty is, when you get north of Waco, the competition gets really tough. It’s tough where we live, but it’s way tougher here.”

He thanked his wife, Liz, first and foremost for her support. He also thanked his vet, Clayton Smith, his herd help (Justin White, R.L. Chartier, Craig Thompson and Jonathan Rogers), and Green, for letting him ride Trash Talkin. ★

SETH PETIT PHOTOGRAPHY It may have been Thomas Bray’s last ride on Trash Talkin, but winning the Limited Open Super Stakes Classic co-championship sends them out on a high note.

NON-PRO SUPER STAKES CLASSIC

CO-CHAMPION: MEGAN MILLER & HIT THA FLO OWNER: MATT & MEGAN MILLER

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

The NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes Non-Pro Classic finals were competitive, with 32 capable horses and riders going through the pen. In the first set, Megan Miller and Hit Tha Flo scored a 220.5 from the second-to-last draw, putting the pair soundly in first place going into the second half of the class. As rider after rider missed the bar Miller had set, it seemed like her score would hold, but Ryan Rapp and Next Stopp Cowtown put on their own performance from the 29th hole, marking another 220.5 for the co-champion.

“I love the Rapp family so much,” Miller said. “Ryan is an incredible showman, and he had a great run. I was really proud to be there with him.”

“Megan is really cool, and she’s an excellent showman,” Rapp said. “I was so happy that I got to tie with her.”

Each pair collected $19,064, boosting the earnings of Hit Tha Flo, who the Millers stand at Brazos Valley Stallion Station, to more than $172,000.

“Any time you win in [Fort Worth, Texas], it’s a huge deal,” said Miller. “It’s so hard to do and a lot of work. It’s pretty special to win with [Hit Tha Flo]. We’ve thought a lot of him the whole time. I was really proud to get a win for him in Fort Worth.”

Miller thanked her husband, herd help, and Sheridan Clark, who works for the Millers.

The Millers purchased Hit Tha Flo (Dual Smart Rey x Miss Woody Two Shoes x High Brow Cat) as a weanling, and he’s blossomed ever since. Megan’s husband, Matt, trained him and has ridden him to various titles such as the 2020 Bonanza Open Derby championship. Megan and the horse also won the Non-Pro Special 5 at the 2021 Breeder’s Invitational.

“He has the most amazing demeanor for a stud,” Megan said. “He’s very relaxed and chill; he doesn’t mind

Megan Miller and Hit Tha Flo have accomplished a lot together, but the Non-Pro Super Stakes Classic champion is looking toward the stallion’s next venture – his 2022 foal crop.

NON-PRO SUPER STAKES CLASSIC

CO-CHAMPION: RYAN RAPP & NEXT STOPP COWTOWN OWNER: PHIL & MARY ANN RAPP

being around other horses. He’s very trainable and easy-going. We think he’ll cross amazingly on a lot of different mares.”

Prior to the Super Stakes, Rapp hadn’t won a major Non-Pro title in Fort Worth. Though he has come close with his Limited Non-Pro Derby championship at the 2016 NCHA Summer Spectacular, and his 2021 NCHA Summer Spectacular Non-Pro Derby reserve championship.

“It’s good to finally win one in here,” Rapp said. “I feel like in kind of the last year, I’ve had the horses that could do it. It’s just nice to go in there knowing I had the horse and thinking I had the cows to execute it and do well. It’s rewarding.”

Riding from the bottom of the last set to try and topple the high score might be daunting for some, but Rapp was happy with his place in the draw. He specifically planned to cut three black cows, because he had noticed the other cows were a little wilder earlier in the set. Since Next Stopp Cowtown (Dont Stopp Believin x Manytimes x One Time Pepto), who was bred by Waco Bend Ranch Ltd., can steal points in the middle of the pen, he didn’t want to get him running too much.

“That horse is crazy, but he’s super talented,” said Rapp, who is currently a student at Texas Tech University. “He’s a really special horse; he just needed to mentally get it all put together.”

Rapp plans to keep showing Next Stopp Cowtown this year, then will hand over the reins to his mom, Mary Ann, so she can haul him in hopes of a Non-Pro World championship in 2023. ★

After a lot of work together, Ryan Rapp and Next Stopp Cowtown laid down a big run at the Super Stakes, scoring the Non-Pro Super Stakes Classic co-championship.

INTERMEDIATE NON-PRO SUPER STAKES CLASSIC

CHAMPION: CAITLIN RICE & CHIQUITA TICKET OWNER: SCOTTY RICE

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

Caitlin Rice has twice the reason to celebrate – topping the Intermediate Non-Pro in both the NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes and Super Stakes Classic. Rice marked a 218 in the Super Stakes Classic, winning $5,410. She won the Intermediate Non-Pro Super Stakes the following day.

“It’s definitely special,” Rice said. “Winning on a home-raised horse made it even more neat.”

Rice’s goal during the finals was to have a good, clean run on Chiquita Ticket, or “Shrimp,” who was named because of how tiny he was as a foal. She cut cattle that were picked by her help, and despite a small bobble on the first cow, her horse picked up the slack and recovered nicely.

“I kind of sent my horse a little harder than I needed to at one point,” Rice said. “He handled it really well; we just had maybe a little bit of a miss. After that, I tried to soften up, and I just let him settle in and take over…and he was excellent.”

Their third cow let the gelding show off his moves, earning points from the judges. When all was said and done, the winning check elevated Shrimp’s earnings to $39,233, and Rice’s reached more than $401,611.

Rice and her husband, Scotty, purchased Shrimp’s dam, PRF Reys Eticket (by Dual Rey) as a 5-year-old. Scotty’s brother, Tag, trained Shrimp’s sire, Chiquita Cat. Tag also trained Chiquita Cat’s dam, Chiquita Pistol, one of only four horses in history to win the NCHA Triple Crown. Caitlin believes that Shrimp possesses the best qualities from his sire and dam.

“He’s definitely got some Dual Rey qualities, like how he stretches out in the stops, and he’s really sweet like his dam,” Caitlin said. “All the Chiquita Cats we’ve had are really pretty, and he’s built like them.”

After their successful performance in Fort Worth, Texas, Caitlin was looking forward to showing Shrimp throughout the spring and summer in an effort to prove the horse’s dam. She thanked Scotty for always supporting her, Tag, and her father-in-law, Ronnie, for their help every day at the ranch in Godley, Texas.

Caitlin also thanked Scotty’s mom, Theresa, for everything she does behind the scenes, as well as her own parents, Nancy and Lee Enright. She thanked her herd help, all her friends and family, and everyone who has congratulated her or been supportive. With two new titles under her belt, she isn’t planning to slow down any time soon.

“I want to keep trying to be consistent and making finals,” Caitlin said. “It would be awesome to have another championship here, but that’s hard to do. I think it’s on everyone’s goal list to get another one of those.”

With a 217.5, Gavin Callahan and Boons Stylin (Once In A Blu Boon x Smart Stylish Cat x WR This Cats Smart), who was bred by Matt and Megan Miller, scooped up the reserve championship. The pair collected $5,210.★

Winning the Intermediate Non-Pro Super Stakes Classic on a homebred horse made this title even more special to Caitlin Rice.

LIMITED NON-PRO SUPER STAKES CLASSIC

RIDER: WEST HENDERSON & ULTRA BROW TIME OWNER: WEST HENDERSON

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

The NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes Limited Non-Pro Classic finals was a class full of talent. When the last horse and rider duo, West Henderson aboard Ultra Brow Time, entered the pen, the score to beat was a 218. Henderson and the mare did that and then some, marking a 221 to win the championship and $5,871.

“It meant so much,” Henderson said. “So much hard work went into that, and I’m just happy that it all finally came together.”

Henderson added that, with the long history of the Super Stakes, it was amazing to see his name added to the list of champions before him.

Henderson, 23, has been to Fort Worth, Texas, many times as show help, but this was his first time to make the finals at the Super Stakes. The Limited Non-Pro Super Stakes Classic championship is the first aged-event title he has ever won.

“This was all just a big first,” Henderson said. “It’s really cool that I finally got to have my own buckle…and win something here. It’s just awesome.”

Henderson purchased Ultra Brow Time (High Brow CD x Ultra Time x One Time Pepto) from her breeder, Austin Shepard, in mid-2020. The pair quickly clicked.

“When I bought her, we were both green,” Henderson said. “We’ve just worked really hard and made a lot of practice runs. She’s pretty easy to ride and get worked and everything. She can be a little wild sometimes, but that just makes her super feisty, and I like that about her.”

As a freelancer for different trainers, Henderson said he’s learned a lot by attending and helping at so many shows. He mostly helps Craig Thompson, who trains Ultra Brow Time.

“Thanks to Craig and Sasha Thompson for doing a lot for me, and Craig for working my horse and training her,” Henderson said. “Also, thanks to Austin Shepard for selling her to me, and the whole Shepard family.”

Henderson added that, if he can get more wins on his record, he might like to become a professional trainer one day. In the meantime, he looked forward to showing Ultra Brow Time at the Summer Spectacular later this year, and said he would decide from there where to go next with the mare.

Alyssa Dvorak rode Bet On Scotch (Metallic Cat x Purdy Bet x Bet On Me 498), bred by Andrew Viola, to a 218, taking home the Limited Non-Pro Super Stakes Classic reserve championship. Dvorak and the gelding banked a check worth $5,168.★

West Henderson made the most of his first Super Stakes finals by riding Ultra Brow Time to the Limited Non-Pro Super Stakes Classic championship.

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

MCALISTER ASSETS AMATEUR SUPER STAKES CLASSIC

CHAMPION: R AGENT SCULLY & MICHELLE REICHART OWNER: GARY & MICHELLE REICHART

For Michelle Reichart, winning the McAlister Assets Amateur Super Stakes Classic championship with R Agent Scully was a huge honor. She had been trying to click with the homebred mare for a long time, and the title was proof that their hard work was paying off. She was even more excited to have had three consistent rounds throughout the show, all with scores of 220 or above.

The duo marked a 221 in the first round, and a 220 to win the semifinal round. The pair won the championsip with a 222. Reichart and R Agent Scully, or “Scully,” who was named after a character from “The X-Files,” banked $12,344.

“When her and I [marked] that score in the [220s], that was pretty special,” Reichart said. “I was just ecstatic over the consistency of my scores.”

Reichart’s main goal any time she competes is to, first and foremost, improve as a horsewoman. She attributed her win to her own development as a rider, saying she knew Scully, who carried Paul Hansma to the Open finals at the 2020 NCHA Futurity, already had what it took.

“I’ve been trying to get with this mare,” Reichart said. “I knew she was a good mare, I just had to become…a better rider. I think I found the feel that I needed to be more accurate in my showmanship.”

She and her husband, Gary, who also competed in the finals and tied for fourth with a 217, share the same dream of becoming the best showmen they can be. In fact, that desire to improve led the Indiana-based couple to purchase a second home in Weatherford, Texas, so they could take lessons with Hansma when they were in town.

Michelle plans to keep showing Scully (High Brow Cat x CD To The Max x CD Olena), and hopes to breed her in the future. She expressed her appreciation to Hansma and his whole team, saying she was grateful for the opportunity to work with him.

“I was really fortunate to run into Julie [Hansma] at a show, and I was sharing my feelings that I wanted to be a better rider,” Michelle said. “Julie [told me] Paul gives private lessons. I jumped in with both feet to be able to take that next step up.”

She thanked her husband for his support and for being a great fellow competitor, as well as her friends. Finally, she thanked God, saying her win was fitting as it happened the day before Easter Sunday.

“I thank God for allowing me to be able to do this physically,” Michelle said. “I’m just very blessed.”

With a 221.5, Bridget Trenary and Sugar Smak (Kit Kat Sugar x Mates Pretty Special x Smart Mate) collected the reserve championship, along with $9,525. The 6-year-old mare was bred by Chet Burrows.★

After winning each of the rounds leading up to the finals, Michelle Reichart and R Agent Scully continued their streak, winning the McAlister Assets Amateur Super Stakes Classic.

RIOS OF MERCEDES INTERMEDIATE AMATEUR SUPER STAKES CLASSIC

CHAMPION: GWYNETH GAUGHAN & REYCKONING OWNER: JOHN & BARBARA GAUGHAN

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

One year ago, Gwyneth Gaughan stepped into Will Rogers Coliseum as a competitor for the first time. The 18-year-old has continued to practice hard, juggling school with riding. That hard work paid off at the 2022 NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes, when she rode Reyckoning (Reyzin The Cash x That Catomine x High Brow Cat) to a 222, winning the Rios of Mercedes Intermediate Amateur Super Stakes Classic championship and $6,166. The gelding also carried trainer Adan Banuelos to the Open Super Stakes Classic reserve championship collecting $23,028.

“I never thought in a million years I would ever be here right now,” Gaughan said. “It’s really special that it’s only been one year. I am very fortunate to mark a score like that – I’ve never marked anything close to it. I almost fell off just looking at the score.”

Gaughan, whose extended family owns the Rocking K Arena and South Point Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, has been cutting for a couple of years. She was introduced to the sport by her aunt and uncle, Katie and Cookie Banuelos, back home in Las Vegas. She mostly rode with them until the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. At that point, her parents sent her to Texas to work with Adan and Ascension Banuelos.

“Ascension really took me under his wing,” Gaughan said. “I can’t thank my parents enough. As soon as we could get on airplanes again, they let me come [to Texas], and I pretty much never went home until school [was no longer virtual].”

Gaughan’s parents purchased Reyckoning, or “Topo,” about eight months ago for Gaughan to show. The gelding, who was bred by the Glover/ Galyean Partnership, had carried his former owner, Kristen Galyean, to the Non-Pro Derby co-championship at the 2021 El Rancho Futurity.

“When we got the opportunity to purchase him, I was the happiest girl in the world,” Gaughan said. “I’ve never had a horse on that level. I still can’t even believe that I own him. I thank my mom and dad every single day for buying him for me. He is so special.”

Starting this fall, Gaughan will get to spend more time with the gelding. She was recently accepted into Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, where she plans to study criminal justice and ranch management. Her goal is to own her own ranch, where Topo will live forever.

In addition to her parents, grandparents and the Banuelos family, Gaughan thanked her help, including Jesse Lennox, Clay Johnson and Kody Porterfield. She also mentioned Jessica Feiner, who is one of her favorite people to see at the Triple Crown events. Above all, she thanked Topo for being kind and working so hard to please.

“He really has made all of my dreams come true,” Gaughan said. “I’ve never felt a connection like I do with this horse…I’m so lucky to have him.”

Fernando Loza rode Gotachangeurevilways (Kit Kat Sugar x Wicked Wanda Rey x Dual Rey) to a 219 for the reserve title. Loza and the mare, who was bred by Rose Valley Ranch, collected $5,787. ★

Winning the Rios of Mercedes Intermediate Amateur Super Stakes Classic championship with her favorite horse, Reyckoning, was a dream come true for Gwyneth Gaughan.

LIMITED AMATEUR SUPER STAKES CLASSIC

CO-CHAMPION: BRAD KARL & A SHOOT N STAR OWNER: THE STAMPEDE RANCH

BY: KRISTIN PITZER

The Limited Amateur Super Stakes Classic finals kicked off the last day of competition at the 2022 NCHA Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes, and Parker Johnson started things off on a high note by piloting Smooth Serenity to a 216. Six horses later, Brad Karl rode A Shoot N Star to the same score. The two riders waited out the remaining 11 exhibitors before concluding the night as co-champions. Each collected $1,869.

“I can’t even explain the words,” Johnson said. “To just start at the beginning and work your way through was incredible. There was a build all the way through, and that mare just kept getting better and better. By the Limited [finals], she was on fire, and she knocked it out of the park.”

The mare’s progression started even before the Super Stakes, Johnson recalls. Over the last few months, he’s seen her blossom and gain confidence in herself and in him.

“Her stops have become something that is magical,” Johnson said. “She hits that stop, and it’s unbelievable.”

Smooth Serenity (Smooth As A Cat x Hisstereya x Dual Rey), was bred by Jennifer and Jeffrey Foland, and is owned by VP Cutting Horses LLC, who purchased her at the end of her yearling-year. Jimmy Annoot started her, and Bryant Slaughter took her from there.

“It takes a team to make that score happen,” Johnson said. “I couldn’t be more honored to have the greatest group that helps me, whether it’s in the pen, outside the pen or training the horse. The best part of this is that my wife and my family support this 100 percent, and my wife and kids show as well.”

Johnson went on to thank his help: Slaughter, Jonathan Rogers, Bubba Matlock and Craig Thompson.

To Karl, getting to attend the Super Stakes was a dream come true. The Canadian horseman had only been cutting for about a year before he

Smooth Serenity got better in each round, ultimately carrying Parker Johnson to the Limited Amateur Super Stakes Classic co-championship.

LIMITED AMATEUR SUPER STAKES CLASSIC

CO-CHAMPION: PARKER JOHNSON & SMOOTH SERENITY OWNER: VP CUTTING HORSES LLC

made the 26-hour drive to Fort Worth, Texas, to enter his first Triple Crown event. Coming away with the co-championship was more than he expected.

“The first few days were super stressful,” Karl said. “Some of the greatest cutters of all time are in the same pen as you. After I got out of my head, it turned out pretty good!”

Karl, whose family owns the Stampede Ranch in Alberta, Canada, has ridden and ranched his whole life, but getting on a cutting horse was a mind-blowing experience. He was introduced to the sport by trainer Keith Stewart, and immediately fell in love. About eight months later, he purchased A Shoot N Star (Smooth Talkin Style x SG Catty Starlight x WR This Cats Smart), who was bred by Bobby and Dottie Hill and trained by Austin Adams.

“He has taught me a lot,” Karl said. “He was trained really well, but he’s younger compared to [the horses] I rode back in Canada, and a little more athletic. He’s been a good teacher and works really hard.”

Karl was grateful to Stewart and Adams, who trains some of Karl’s horses in Texas, for working with him. He also thanked his wife, Taylor, and added that he can’t wait to get back into the pen at Will Rogers [Coliseum] soon.

“Hopefully by then, all my jitters will be out, but maybe not,” Karl said. ★

SETH PETIT PHOTOGRAPHY

After winning the Limited Amateur Super Stakes Classic co-championship on A Shoot N Star, Brad Karl can’t wait to come back to Texas for another chance to show in the “Big Pen.”