13 minute read
Hail to the Chief
2021 NRCHA NON PRO SNAFFLE BIT FUTURITY® TOP TEN
Fort Worth, Texas, October 7-29 Horse/Rider/Pedigree/Owner/Score/Money 1. TRR Dual Smart Olena; Abbie Phillips; 18S (Dual Smart Rey x TRR Ms Pepcid Olena x Pepcid); Abbie Phillips; 647.5 (H:213.5/R:218/C:216); $25,000 2. Boon Boon Ur Dead; Parke Greeson; 18G (Once In A Blu Boon x Boons Coffee x Boon Too Suen; Sacro Creek Ranch; 644.5 (H:213/R:215.5/C:216); $20,000 3. Lil Purple Rein; Trail Townsend; 18G (Once In A Blu Boon x Lil Red Firecat x High Brow Cat); Tripp or Hope Townsend; 644 (H:215/R:217/C:212); $15,463.08 4-5. Bet Shes Wright; Debbie Crafton; 18M (Bet Hesa Cat x Just Wright Lilly x Hes Wright On); Debbie Crafton; 643 (H:211/R:213.5/C:218.5); $11,275.17 4-5. SJR Sumkindarockstar; Debbie Crafton; 18S (Smooth As A Cat x Sumkinda Pinkcadilac x Peptoboonsmal); Debbie Crafton; 643 (H:211/R:218/C:214); $11,275.17 6-8. Meredith Gray; Eric Freitas; 18M (Dual Smart Rey x Cattahoochie x High Brow Cat); Eric Freitas; 642.5 (H:214/ R:215/C:213.5); $6,442.95 6-8. Boon Doxx; Stefanie Wagley; 18G (Sannman x Docs Stylish Liz x Docs Stylish Oak); 642.5 (H:213/R: 217/C:212.5); $6442.95 6-8. Rok N Roll; Pam Myers; 18G (Sannman x Peek Of Faith x Peeka Pep); 642.5 (H:215/R:216.5/C:211); $6,442.95 9. Indelible Style; William Lewis; 18M (Mr Playinstylish x Lil Sally Cat x High Brow Cat); 642 (H:210/R:211.5/C:220.5); $3,865.77 10. CP Metallic Dual; Kathy Wilson; 18G (Metallic Cat x KD Sweet Corn x Dual Pep); Kathy 636 (H:208/R:214/C:214); $3,865.77
AIL TO THE CHIEFH
Abbie Phillips and TRR Dual Smart Olena focused on consistency on their way to the Non Pro Champion title.
By Abigail Boatwright Photos by Primo Morales
Abbie Phillips took command of the 2021 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity® Non Pro after putting in three solid performances in the Finals with TRR Dual Smart Olena. The Weatherford, Texas, resident and her 2018 sorrel stallion (Dual Smart Rey x TRR Ms Pepcid Olena x Pepcid) were rewarded handsomely for their winning performance, taking home $25,000 of the $130,046.97 total purse in the Non Pro division.
Phillips has been with “Chief,” who was bred by Tongue River Ranch in Paducah, Texas, since the beginning of his 2-year-old year. He’s a full brother to Duals Lucky Charm, the horse her husband, NRCHA Million Dollar Rider Kelby Phillips, won the 2016 Snaffle Bit Futurity and the World’s Greatest Horseman riding. The Phillipses carefully brought along the stallion prior to the Futurity, and Abbie says her strategy walking into the competition was aiming for consistency.
“In the cutting, we drew last,” Abbie said. “I had great herd help: Corey Cushing, Phillip Ralls, Brandon Buttars and my husband. They all picked phenomenal cows for me and I didn’t lose any—so that was good! We were consistent there. The reining, he was really good today. I feel like I could have gotten him stopped a little bit better, but he turned around really fast and we had good circles as well. Cow work was a lot of fun; he was just on it! He always is. He’s a great fence horse. It was just a fun ride.”
The pair’s 213.5 in the herd work, 218 in the rein work and a 216 in the cow work placed them high enough to be crowned champions with their 647.5 composite score.
Abbie Phillips guided TRR Dual Smart Olena to the top of the Non Pro Futurity, winning the championship and $25,000 cash.
Abbie Phillips was all smiles after winning the Non Pro Futurity Champion title.
Trail Townsend and 2018 red roan gelding Lil Purple Rein went home with the Intermediate Non Pro, Novice Non Pro and Amateur Futurity Champion titles, as well as more than $22,425.
“This was a goal that I’ve had for a long time, and it’s really special to do it on that horse,” she said.
In addition to the overall Non Pro win, Phillips also rode the high-scoring horse bred by an American Quarter Horse Association Ranching Heritage Breeder. TRR Dual Smart Olena’s preliminary 651.5 earned the Non Pro Ranching Heritage Award.
Parke Greeson and Sarco Creek Ranch’s Boon Boon Ur Dead placed second in the Non Pro Futurity (H:213/R:215.5/C:216) for a composite score of 644.5. Greeson, of Goliad, Texas, and the 2018 chestnut gelding (Once In A Blue Boon x Boons Coffee x Boon Too Suen), bred by Thad and Theresa Cox, pocketed $20,000.
AMATEUR, INTERMEDIATE NON PRO, NOVICE NON PRO,
Trail Townsend skyrocketed to the top of the class to handily collect the Amateur Futurity title aboard Lil Purple Rein. The 19-year-old high school senior from Earth, Texas, and the 2018 red roan gelding (Once In A Blu Boon x Lil Red Firecat x High Brow Cat), scored a composite of 649.5—13.5 points ahead of the Reserve Champion. Of the $27,859 awarded to the Amateur class, Townsend and “LP,” bred by Bettina Jary-Mathis, took home $6,962.50.
“It feels awesome—this is the first time I’ve ever done well at the Futurity,” Townsend said. “It’s been a goal of mine for a long time, so it feels great.”
Going into the show, Townsend aimed for middle of the pack with LP, a gelding owned by his parents, Hope and Tripp Townsend. In winning the Amateur class, he also qualified for the Non Pro Finals that were held later on in the week.
“I just wanted to stay calm, it’s got to be clean,” Townsend said. “I didn’t have to be anything huge—I didn’t have to set the world on fire to make the Finals. Our plan was just kind of go in and be smooth, yet aggressive at the same time.”
That strategy worked for the duo, with a 214.5 winning the herd work, a 217.5 tying for first in the rein work and a 217.5 to win the cow work.
“The cutting was good—I usually struggle with the cutting, so I was kind of nervous going into that one,” Townsend said. “I am really confident in the reining—I could have ran him a little bit harder, but now I know what to do for the Finals. And the cow work was perfect. I mean, there’s always room for improvement, but I can’t complain about anything.”
Townsend then went on to give an excellent Non Pro Finals performance, capturing not only the Intermediate Non Pro title, but also the Novice Non Pro Championship.
“I always get nervous with the cutting, and then when I showed him in the cutting in the Finals, it went great and I was really pumped for that,” Townsend said. “In the reining, I went for it pretty hard, and just had a few things that weren’t
quite as smooth as they were supposed to be. We still came out with a great score and I’m happy with that.”
With a herd work score of 215, a rein work score of 217 and a 212 in the cow work, Townsend and LP were given a composite score of 644. They received $15,463.08—pushing their prize money to more than $22,425.
“I’m really happy with how tonight worked out,” Townsend said. “There are a few things I wished could have gone just a little bit better, but I’m happy with it. I couldn’t ask for anything else.”
Townsend thanked his family for their support and his trainer, Jordan Williams, for training LP and coaching him.
Garrell Reilly Williams and Bet Shesa Playmate finished Reserve Champions in the Amateur Futurity with a composite score of 636 (H:214/R:214.5/C:207.5), earning $5,570. The 2018 sorrel mare (Bet Hesa Cat x Very Smart Playmate x Very Smart Remedy) was bred by Yellow Creek Ranch and is owned by Preston Williams.
Stefani Wagley, of Abilene, Texas, and Boon Doxx tied for the Reserve Intermediate Non Pro and Reserve Novice Non Pro Champions thanks to a composite score of 642.5. (H:213/ R:217/C:212.5). The 2018 red roan gelding (Sannman x Docs Stylish Liz x Docs Stylish Oak) was bred by Jeff Schieber. Wagley won $6,442.95.
Pam Myers of Parma, Idaho, and her 2018 sorrel gelding, Rok N Roll (Sannman x Peek Of Faith x Peeka Pep), bred by Dee Gragg, tied for the Reserve Intermediate Non Pro and Reserve Intermediate Novice Non Pro with a composite score of 642.5 (H:215/R:216.5/C:211). They earned $6,442.95.
NON PRO LIMITED
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, native Kelsey Delaplaine Fulmer competed at the Snaffle Bit Futurity for the first time in 2020, but her real triumph came her second trip to the show, in 2021. This time, aboard 2018 sorrel mare Lookalittlesister (Stevie Rey Von x Smart Playing Chic x Smart Chic Olena), the now-Cleburne, Texas, resident with a distinctive turquoise-hued ponytail was ecstatic to achieve her goal. The pair was crowned the Non Pro Limited Champions.
“It hasn’t even completely sunk in yet,” Fulmer said. “I knew that my horse could do it. It’s been a really good year. I’ve only been showing in the cow horse for two years now—I’ve been riding ever
Kelsey Delaplaine Fulmer and LookAtLittleSister earned the Non Pro Limited Futurity title and $6,675 after receiving a composite score of 638.5. since I was little, and I’ve always been super competitive. But I’ve never really got that big win. I feel like cow horse is where I’m meant to be, and it’s so cool to show a horse that’s as special as her.”
“Sister” was bred by Liz Armenta and trained by Danielle Lybbert. With Fulmer at the reins, the horse scored a 208 in the herd work, and in the reined work—their best event—they scored a 215.
“Going into the cow work, I knew I was leading it, but I was nervous because earlier this week I showed my bridle horse, and I lost my cow—I was pretty down in the dumps about that,” Fulmer said. “I was really worried that was going to happen again, so I was a little conservative at first. But when I really felt Sister take a hold of the cow, I knew I was all right, and I started being a little more aggressive.”
After a stellar boxing performance in the cow work, Fulmer and Sister scored a 215.5 for a composite score of 638.5 (H:208/R:215/C:215.5). Their efforts earned $6,675 of the $22,250 purse.
Fulmer has a multifaceted day job as an outside sales rep, graphic designer, photographer and owner of an equine therapy business. She gave a shoutout to her husband, Brett, her trainers the Lybberts, reining trainer Trey Pool, her parents and dear friends.
“I just thank God for allowing me to do this sport surrounded by so many awesome people,” Fulmer said. “I don’t want to say the stars are aligning, because we both put the work in and my horse is super talented. This win means a lot to me. It’s really a dream come true.”
Reserve Champion Lori FramptonCrafton rode One Smart N Timely, a 2018 red roan mare (One Time Pepto x Ima Smart Response x Smart Little Lena) owned by Debbie Crafton and bred by Sprig Haven Farms. Their composite score of 637 (H:208/R:209.5/C:219.5) earned them $5,340.
NON PRO RESERVE CHAMPION
Parke Greeson and 2018 chestnut gelding Boon Boon Ur Dead were the Reserve Champions in the Non Pro Futurity with a composite score of 644.5, worth $20,000.
Pam Myers and 2018 sorrel gelding Rok N Roll tied for the Reserve Intermediate Non Pro and Reserve Novice Non Pro title after scoring a 642.5, taking home $6,442.95. Earning $2,728, Rok N Roll was also the high-scoring prelim gelding in the Non Pro division, claiming the Non Pro Gelding Incentive.
Riding 2018 red roan gelding Boon Doxx, Stefanie Wagley was the Reserve Intermediate Non Pro and Reserve Novice Non Pro Champion with a composite score of 642.5, winning $6,442.95.
AMATEUR FUTURITY RESERVE CHAMPION
Garrell Reilly Williams and 2018 sorrel mare Bet Shesa Playmate were the reserve champions in the Amateur Futurity with a composite score of 636, earning $5,570.
NON PRO LIMITED RESERVE CHAMPION
Lori Frampton-Crafton and One Smart N Timely won Non Pro Limited Reserve Champion title with a composite score of 637 and $5,340.
CHROME CASH — NON PRO LIMITED
Smooth Smoke N Cat (Real Smooth Cat x Smoke N Jet Surprise x Doc N Smoke ), a 2018 mare owned and bred by Glenn and Sandy Kaplan and shown by Sandy Kaplan earned the high score of 588 in the American Paint Horse Association Chrome Cash Incentive prelim. The incentive paid $350 in the Non Pro Limited and was sponsored by McSpyder Ranch.
CHROME CASH — NON PRO
The American Paint Horse Association Chrome Cash Incentive goes to exhibitors with registered Paint Horses. Sponsored by McSpyder Ranch, the incentive paid $900 to winner OverthelegallimitRAB (One Time Royalty x Billie Travis x Continental Fly), a 2018 gelding bred and owned by Rob A. Brown, and shown to a 643 by Myles Brown.
RANCHING HERITAGE BRED — NON PRO LIMITED
In the Non Pro Limited Ranching Heritage high scoring horse was Smart Cutting, a 2018 mare bred by Ted or Deborah Zieman and ridden by Lane Birkenfeld to a 621 for owner Keith Birkenfeld.
WESTERN BLOODSTOCK SALE INCENTIVE — NON PRO
Hickory Smoked Ham (Hickory Holly Time x Smokum Chicy x Smart Chic Olena), owned by Brittany Factor and bred by the Dom Conicelli Estate, was the high-scoring preliminary horse eligible for the Western Bloodstock Sale Incentive, for horses that went through the NRCHA Western Bloodstock Futurity Sales®. The incentive paid $11,946.
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