High Stakes

For more than two decades the NRCHA Stallion Stakes has delivered memorable achievements thanks to dynamic horse and rider partnerships.

By Bonnie Wheatley

Since its inception more than two decades ago, the National Reined Cow Horse Association Stallion Stakes and its accompanying NRCHA Subscribed Stallion program have enhanced the business of owning and breeding NRCHA Stallion Stakes-eligible horses. The first NRCHA Stallion Stakes was held in the spring of 2000 in Scottsdale, Arizona, and through venue and date changes, the Stakes program has grown and maintained success.

“There were some smaller stallion stakes programs that had been developed through reined cow horse clubs and smaller associations, but when the NRCHA decided to create its own subscribed stallion program the goal was to help provide more incentive for breeders and stallion owners,” said Dan Roeser, an NRCHA Hall of Fame inductee who has served several terms on the NRCHA board of directors through the years. “It’s grown to be very strong and it’s a big part of the reined cow horse industry. The [NRCHA] Stallion Stakes program is a very attractive incentive to owners and breeders.”

Subscribed stallion owners pay a fee every year, and their 4- and 5-year-old horses are the only horses eligible to show at the Stakes. Typically held in the spring, the event is one of five NRCHA premier events and has grown to annually award payouts of approximately $300,000. Stakes entries are shown in a snaffle bit or hackamore, competing in herd work, rein work and cow work.

Besides paying lucrative checks to the Stakes winners, the NRCHA also presents a monetary award to the nominator of the Stakes champion’s sire in each division.

“Once it started gaining popularity, which took a few years, it’s been a really good program for the association,” Roeser said. “I think one big benefit of the Stallion Stakes program is that it’s drawn some stallion owners from other areas. Some of the cutting stallion owners looked at it and got involved, and as a consequence, that has drawn more people to get involved with NRCHA.”

Roeser cites the prominent sire One Time Pepto (Peptoboonsmal x One Time Soon x Smart Little Lena) as an example of a stallion that crossed over from cutting to become just as prolific of a sire in reined cow horse world as he was in the cutting arena.

The earliest Stallion Stakes shows were held in Arizona before relocating to Nampa, Idaho, and eventually to the event’s present-day home at the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Nampa had a new facility that was an outstanding place to host a show,” Roeser recalled. “Plus, Nampa had great local support from so many people involved in the reined cow horse industry welcoming a show like the Stallion Stakes, so that was a big reason for the move from Arizona.”

Roeser worked to secure sponsors and awards, as well as on other aspects integral to the success of the Stallion Stakes in Nampa. Eventually, however, warmer springtime temperatures drew the Stakes back to Arizona where it was held for one year in Queen Creek before the temperature-controlled, all-inclusive South Point became an option.

“The Gaughan family [owners of South Point] are great supporters of the performance horse industry, as well as the entire Western lifestyle,” Roeser said. “It’s been an ideal location.”

The NRCHA Stallion Stakes Timeline

No. 1 — March 2000 Scottsdale, Arizona

Forty-nine Open and 23 Non Pro entrants participated in the inaugural event, which was then referred to as the Snaffl e Bit Stakes. Tang N Tecate (Tangys Classy Peppy x Mandos Chex Appeal x Bueno Chex JR), ridden by Todd Crawford for owner Pam Crawford, left as the Stakes Open champions. Scores of 216.5 out of the herd, 223 in the reined work and 214.5 on the cow yielded a 654, which paid $30,000. The Stakes win was a prelude to great things to come for Tang N Tecate, who won the NRCHA River Front Farms Derby Open in 2001 to earn $50,000. No. 2 — March 2001 Scottsdale, Arizona

The show returned to WestWorld Horse Park in Scottsdale, Arizona, and drew 57 Open entries and 33 Non Pros, plus added Limited Non Pro (not to be confused with Non Pro Limited), Limited Open and Amateur divisions. Nic It In The Bud (Reminic x Genuine Redbud x Genuine Doc), ridden by Todd Bergen for Arcese Quarter Horses USA, took the Stakes Open win and $30,000 with a 670 (H:220/R:227/C:223).

No. 3 — March 2002 Scottsdale, Arizona

According to NRCHA show records, the Snaffl e Bit Stakes and Hackamore Stakes added a variety of divisions to the format in 2002, such as the $50,000 Non Pro Snaffl e Bit and $50,000 Non Pro Hackamore. The largest check went to Stallion Stakes Open Champion Shine By The Bay (Shining Spark x Metermaid To Order x Doc Olena), ridden by Bob Avila for Schroeder and Gregg, with earnings of $20,000. Shine By The Bay later fi nished reserve at the 2008 NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman with the late Robbie Schroeder.

No. 4 — March 2003 Scottsdale, Arizona

Following the format of Snaffl e Bit and Hackamore Stakes classes set in 2002, the 2003 event once again awarded a $20,000 paycheck to the Open Snaffl e Bit Champion. Bob Avila became a back-to-back champion, this time riding Light N Fine (Grays Starlight x Lenas Fine Freckle x Doc Olena), owned by Rhodes River Ranch. Light N Fine went on to win the 2007 World’s Greatest Horseman with Avila. Dema Paul, riding Primos Bob Acre (Teninas First x Bob Acre Angelina x Bob Acre Doc), won the Non Pro Snaffl e Bit Stakes with earnings of $8,536. No. 5 — March 2004 Scottsdale, Arizona

Dema Paul and Primos Bob Acre returned to claim back-to-back Non Pro Snaffl e Bit Stakes titles and $4,800. The 1999 gelding, owned by NRCHA Hall of Fame couple Jim and Dema Paul, earned $164,313 in his lifetime in the NRCHA. Todd Crawford returned to the Open Snaffl e Bit Stakes winner’s circle riding The Love Man (Meradas Money Talks x Lovie Lena x Doc Olena), owned by Gary and Kathy Benton, to a 662.5 (H:218.5/R:220.5/C:223.5) worth $20,025.

No. 6 — 2005 Tucson, Arizona

Relocated from Scottsdale, Arizona, to the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tucson, Arizona, the NRCHA Stakes was held March 30 through April 5, 2005. The Stakes found its home in Tucson for one year. Bob Avila took the Open Stakes win and $25,204 riding Chics Magic Potion (Smart Chic Olena x Remedys Magic Potion x Remedys Reply), owned by Kenneth Banks. Earning distinction from the start of his career to the end, Chics Magic Potion was the 2003 NRCHA Snaffl e Bit Futurity® Champion, earned $250,000 in the NRCHA and in 2016 was inducted into the NRCHA Hall of Fame. No. 7 — 2006 Nampa, Idaho

Making the move to Idaho Horse Park in Nampa, the 2006 NRCHA Stakes concluded on April 2 with Todd Crawford riding Billy Rank Cogdell’s Im Smartly Colored (Color Me Smart x Martina Cee x Peppys Boy 895) to the $31,635 fi rst-place payday. Atascadero, California, horsewoman Jo Anne Carollo won the Non Pro and $11,838 riding ARC Hollys Chicadee (Chic Please x Hickorys Holly Cee x Docs Hickory).

The NRCHA Stallion Stakes Timeline

No. 8 — 2007 Nampa, Idaho

A repeat win was in the cards for defending Non Pro Stakes champion Jo Anne Carollo with Repeat Plan (A Master Plan x Lenas Solana x Docs Hi Lena), owned and bred by Jo Anne and her husband, Jim. The win paid $11,800. CC Spin Cycle (Ray Gay Quixote x Lenas Peppy Cutter x Smart Peppy Lena), ridden by Corey Cushing for owner Cathy Corrigan Frank, earned $45,000 with a 656 (H:212/R:220/C:224) that topped both the Stakes Open and Intermediate Open. No. 9 — 2008 Nampa, Idaho

The fi eld of entries swelled to 96 in the Open, all taking aim at the $72,000 added money in Nampa. Tucker Robinson and Days anolena (Smart anolena x Chex Out This Day x Peppys Badger Chex), owned by Matt Day, won both the Stakes Open and Intermediate Open with a 656.5 to earn a combined $42,822. By all indications, the Stakes program continued its growth tra ectory with 196 entries across all divisions. Winning the $21,000-added Non Pro Futurity Stakes was Marc Bourdet riding CD Precious Peppy (CD Olena x Splash A Lil Cash x Nu Cash) to a 647.5 worth $12,317.

No. 12 — 2011 Nampa, Idaho

The $64,000-added Stallion Stakes Open champion, earning $27,683, was Smart Luck ( ery Smart Remedy x Gunna Be Lucky Gunna Smoke), ridden by Todd Bergen for Cable Creek Ranch LLC. In his lifetime, Smart Luck has $190,155 in NRCHA earnings. It was a good show for ery Smart Remedy, sire of the Open Stakes winner, as well as the Intermediate Open and Limited Open Champion Shiney And erySmart ( ery Smart Remedy x Shirley Shine x Shining Spark), ridden by Nick Dowers for Anne Reynolds. Also, noting the great broodmare power behind those champions, Reynolds’ Shirley Shine, out of Shirley McLain, went on to produce earners of $352,843 in the NRCHA. Gunna Be Lucky, also out of Shirley McLain, produced $247,469 in the NRCHA. No. 13 — 2012 Queen Creek, Arizona

In 2012, the Stallion Stakes relocated to Horseman’s Park and Event Center in Queen Creek, Arizona. Representing their reined cow horse legacy well, brothers Jon and Dan Roeser both cashed big checks. Jon rode Heart Of A Remedy (Heart Of A Fox x SPD Remedys Response x Smart Peppy Doc) for Sprig Haven Farms to a 665 (H:219/R:219/C:227) worth $25,188. Dan fi nished fi rst in the $12,000-added Stallion Stakes Intermediate Open with Roosters Rozalena (Gallo Del Cielo x Rosezana Lena x Doc Olena) for Rush Creek Ranch LLC, to earn $5,746.

No. 16 — 2015 Las Vegas, Nevada

The South Point Arena E uestrian Center welcomed 111 Stakes Open entries with Aaron Ranch’s Blind Sided (Peptoboonsmal x Lil Miss Shiney Chex x Shining Spark) coming out on top with a 668 (H:220/R:220.5/C:227.5) to earn $31,047 with rider Jay McLaughlin. egas was good to McLaughlin, who won the Open Bridle Spectacular riding CD Dee ee Dee (CD Lights x Shiners Missy Jay x Shining Spark), owned by Jay and his wife, Wendy, to a 661 (H:219/R:220.5/C:221.5) for $5,460.

No. 20 — 2019 Las Vegas, Nevada

The dream team of Scooter Kat (Kit Kat Sugar x Scooters Daisy Dukes x Dual Smart Rey) and Justin Wright bested 131 Open entries to earn $37,150. Scooter Kat’s owner, Eric Freitas, also won the Non Pro aboard CR Tu Tornado (Woody Be Tu x CR Shes Uh Secret x Peptoboonsmal) to earn $7,593. No. 17 — 2016 Las Vegas, Nevada

Corey Cushing took the 2016 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open win riding SJR Diamond Rey (Dual Rey x Shiners Diamond Girl x Shining Spark), a 2012 gelding bred and owned by San Juan Ranch. Cushing and Dugan earned the $36,452 paycheck by a 6.5-point margin, scoring 665.5 (H:219/R:221/C:225.5). The $3,500 sire award went to Linda Holmes on behalf of NRCHA Subscribed Stallion Dual Rey.

No. 21 — 2020 Las Vegas, Nevada

In 2020—the year that turned the world on its ear—the Stallion Stakes stayed in Las egas, but was rescheduled from March amid CO ID-19 pandemic-related shutdowns to August 22-30. For 2020 only, the NRCHA Stakes included a 3-year-old Pre-Futurity, which drew 105 Open entries vying for a piece of the $10,800 added money. Winning the $57,600-added Open Stakes was Eric Freitas’s Scooter Kat ridden by Justin Wright to a 668.5 (H:223/R:224.5/C:221). The return champions added $30,839 to their total earning, bringing their NRCHA lifetime earnings to $261,023.

The NRCHA Stallion Stakes Timeline continued

No. 10 — 2009 Nampa, Idaho

That CD Rocks (CD Lights x Shiney Tari x Shining Spark) became the highestearning Stallion Stakes horse in the history of the show up to that time when Ed Robertson rode him for owner Robbie Ann Humphreys to the top of both the Stakes Open and Intermediate Open for $55,358. Mike Miller rode Bucks Genuine Fever (Playboys Buck Fever x Nu And Genuine x Genuine Doc), owned by him and his wife, Tara, to the Non Pro win worth $10,650.

No. 14 — 2013 Las Vegas, Nevada

The NRCHA Stallion Stakes found a home in 2013 at South Arena & Equestrian Center, where it has remained an annual staple. The move yielded increased entries with 104 vying for the Stakes Open title. Coming out on top was the unstoppable team of Travelin Jonez (Smart Chic Olena x Travelin With Sass x Travalena) with owner and rider Chris Dawson. The 2008 stallion amassed a string of fi rst-place fi nishes at the ma or derbies in 2013, which contributed signifi cantly to his $187,786 in NRCHA lifetime earnings. No. 11 — 2010 Nampa, Idaho

Cashing the biggest check to that point in his indelible career, CD Dee Vee Dee (CD Lights x Shiners Missy Jay x Shining Spark) was ridden by Ron Ralls for owners Shannon and Hershel Reid to the top of the Stallion Stakes Open with a 666 worth $29,250. Ralls won fi rst, second and fourth in the Stakes Open division for $64,506. Ralls’ reserve honors came aboard Solano Cat, also owned by the Reids. Solano Cat (High Brow Cat x Smartest Solano x Smart Little Lena), now an earner of more than $108,271, was Patty Ralls’ 2021 DT Horses & Hashtags’ World’s Greatest Horseman mount.

No. 15 — 2014 Las Vegas, Nevada

For the second consecutive year, Tammy Jo Hays rode her 2009 mare, Two Kitties (Smooth As A Cat x Sr Jaguar x Doc O Lena), to a Stallion Stakes win in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2013 this team earned the Non Pro Stallion Stakes Derby title for $6,474, and added $7,114 in 2014 as the Stallion Stakes Non Pro champions. Todd Bergen rode This One Time (One Time Pepto x Katie Starlight Grays Starlight) to the Open win for owner Pam Bailey, earning $29,107. Bergen’s 228 down the fence cinched the win with a 664 (H:218/R:218).

No. 18 — 2017 Las Vegas, Nevada

An unforgettable 230-point fence run cinched both the Stallion Stakes Open and Intermediate Open titles for Brady Weaver riding SJR Reygun (Dual Rey x Playguns King Badger x Playgun) to a 662 (H:215/R:217) for owner Gary Ewell. With $74,000 added in the Open and $17,000 added in the Intermediate, SJR Reygun and Weaver banked $43,292. Dominating the Non Pro, Hope Miller rode Dare To Sioux (A Shiner Named Sioux x Tari Darlin x Taris Catalyst) to the top of the Stakes Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Novice Non Pro divisions for total earnings of $13,534. No. 19 — 2018 Las Vegas, Nevada

Metallic Train (Metallic Cat x Sparking Train x Shining Spark) and Clayton Edsall earned the 2018 Open and Intermediate Open Stallion Stakes wins. Edsall guided the 2013 mare to a 656.5 (H:215/R:214.5/C:227) for owner Beverly Vaughn to earn $46,309. Edsall had four horses in the Open and Intermediate fi nals and added more than $94,000.00 in Limited Aged Event earnings to his career tally at the Stakes.

No. 22 — 2021 Las Vegas, Nevada

The NRCHA Stallion Stakes returns to its traditional dates the end of March and its home at the South Point Hotel and Casino. The best 4- and 5-year-old horses sired by NRCHA subscribed stallions will gun for Stakes championships. The event also o ers a complete set of classes and several three-event spectaculars.