///////// 2022 WORLD’S GREATEST HORSEMAN
B
By Kate Bradley Byars Photos by Primo Morales
EYOND BLESSED
TOP 15 WORLD’S GREATEST HORSEMAN Rider/Horse/Pedigree/Owner/Score/Money
1. Corey Cushing; Hott Rod; 15S (Hottish x Sugars Smart Kitty x High Brow Cat); Lynne Wurzer; 893; $100,000 2. Phillip Ralls; Call Me Mitch; 11S (Metallic Cat x Miss Hickory Hill x Docs Hickory); Estelle Roitblat Living Trust; 889; $50,000 3. Zane Davis; Rubys Radar; 10S (One Time Pepto x Ruby Bagonia x Peppy San Badger); C Ranches Inc; 879; $35,000 4. Shane Steffen; Gunna Be A Smartie; 12M (Very Smart Remedy x Gunna Be Mine x Gunna Smoke); 876; KanDu Ranch; $25,000 5.Brady Weaver; SJR Reygun; 12M (Dual Rey x Playguns King Badger x Playgun); Gary Ewell; 874; $16,000 6. Justin Wright; Scooter Kat; 15S (Kit Kat Sugar x Scooters Daisy Dukes x Dual Smart Rey); Eric Freitas; 872.5; $14,000 7 (tie). Brad Barkemeyer; CR Tuff Taffy; 15G (Woody Be Tuff x PeptoCandy x Peptoboonsmal); Vaqueros Venture; 866; $11,000 7 (tie). Kelby Phillips; Bet Shesa Fancy Cat; 14M (Bet Hesa cat x Real Hickory Smoke x Lil Bit O Hickory); Bosque Ranch Performance Horses; 866; $11,000 9. Nick Dowers; Still Get Jealous; 14S (One Time Pepto x ARC Cat Her Please x Chic Please); Trigg Marquiss; 861.5; $9,000 10. Clayton Edsall; Metallic Train; 13M (Metallic Cat x Sparkling Train x Shining Spark); Beverly Servi; 861; $8,750 11. Luke Jones; Mr Comin In Hot; 15G (Mr Playinstylish x Lil Sally Cat x High Brow Cat); Kit and Charlie Moncrief; 853; $7,500 12. Jay McLaughlin; Shiney Outlaw; 12S (Shiners Nickle x Mereyda x Dual Rey); Michelle Cannon; 827; $7,500 13. Mark Sigler; Senor Shiney Cay; 12S (WR This Cats Smart x Shiney Senorita x Shining Spark); Dominic Conicelli Estate; 813; $7,500 14. Boyd Rice; Quahadi; 13S (Bet Hesa Cat x Ginnin Attraction x Tanqueray Gin); Burnett Ranches LLC; 649; $7,500 15. Chris Dawson; CSR Lay Down Sally; 11M (Dual Spark x Look At Her Glo x CD O Cody); Meredith Graber; 647.5; $7,500
102 MARCH/APRIL 2022 | REINED COW HORSE NEWS
When Hott Rod carried Corey Cushing to a third World’s Greatest Horseman title, the NRCHA Two Million Dollar Rider couldn’t find enough ways to credit the stallion for a great partnership.
O
ne of the deepest fields of bridle horses ever entered in the event was on display during the 2022 Western Bloodstock and Hashtags World’s Greatest Horseman held during the Kalpowar Quarter Horses Celebration of Champions, and it wasn’t only noticeable in the event Finals. From the first horse to step into the herd work preliminary until the final horse in the cow work preliminary, it was score after score and ride after ride that exemplified the bridle horse, the ultimate goal of training a reined cow horse. When Corey Cushing rode into the arena for his victory lap as the World’s Greatest Horseman Champion on Saturday, February 19, the Scottsdale, Arizona, trainer could only gush about his blessings. The first being Lynne Wurzer’s sorrel stallion that stood by his side. “This event is more than just having a horse that can do four events, it has to be your partner all the way through,” Cushing said. “This horse has been my partner since day one and I truly love him. I had a partner the whole way through.” Though Cushing and Hott Rod (Hottish x Sugars Smart Kitty x High Brow Cat) captured the preliminary steer stopping high score, the National Reined Cow Horse Association Two Million Dollar Rider didn’t take a deep breath before the 15 finalists were named. The field that began with 66 horses and whittled down to 15 finalists included champions of every NRCHA premier event, former World’s Greatest Horseman Champion and Reserve Champion horses and riders, multiple NRCHA Million Dollar Riders, and Two Million
