2021 NRCHA National Champions

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OAL GETTERS

By Abigail Boatwright • Photos by Primo Morales

Open Bridle, Limited Open Bridle

QUAILS DUN REMEDY & CODY PATTERSON FOR CHRISTOPHER BETHUNE

The 2021 Open Bridle and Limited Open Bridle horse, Quails Dun Remedy (Very Smart Remedy x Quails Dun Holly x Quails Dun Berry), was originally trained to be a rope horse. After Christopher Bethune purchased the 2014 dun stallion as a 5-year-old in 2019, Cody Patterson of Glen Rose, Texas, started him on cow horse.

Soon after, Patterson and “Reno” hit the show pen for the 2021 season and shot to the top of the leaderboard. That shifted the plan for the stallion toward going down the road for the national title.

“We made it a point to go to as many shows as we could to keep that top spot,” Patterson said. “He’s just extremely consistent. We didn’t win at every horse show, but there was only maybe twice all year where I didn’t get a check on him.”

Having proved his mettle at show after show this year, Patterson says Reno will most likely be entered in fewer, but bigger, NRCHA shows during the 2022 season.

“I feel like he’s the reason I have everything else I have now,” Patterson said. “He’s the one you could call ‘gas money,’ because he can take you anywhere and get you in there.”

Reined Cow Horse News: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Cody Patterson: The whole year was fun, really. There were some shows where I got him shown the best I ever have. But I just think keeping him going and being consistent, to the point where he started getting the recognition he deserves, it just made the whole show season fun. He’s a big dun stud horse, he’s pretty hard to miss, but it was cool to be with a horse that people constantly ask you about, because he’s a good horse.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

CP: I’d had the horse maybe a year before, so just figuring him out was a challenge. He’s a big, strong horse, and allowed me to really learn how to go show and how to be confident enough to mark big scores on him. You really must learn how to trust your horse. You’re not going to safety up and win everything.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

CP: He’s a huge stopper, and he’s just strong. Everything he does looks pretty. He just makes you want to watch him.

These NRCHA competitors reached their year-end goals to achieve national titles.

Achieving National Champion status is more than one flash-in-the-pan performance. These National Reined Cow Horse Association competitors worked the entire 2021 show season to earn their National Champion titles.

Non Pro Bridle

NICOLE WESTFALL & A SPOONFUL OF JONEZ, OWNED BY DESIREE AND JEFF WESTFALL

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Nicole Westfall: I would say making the Non Pro Bridle finals [at the Celebration of Champions]. This mare had some time off before this show, and then my mom showed her in the Non Pro Limited as well. When I showed her in the Non Pro Bridle, I was hoping that we would make the finals, but I was just excited to show her. She showed up in the prelims and was really good. And then she was good again in the finals.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

NW: Definitely, just sharing the mare; it’s a lot on her to be shown by two different riders. It’s hard on any horse to go show several times each weekend.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

NW: She is a monster on a cow. She is really, really good in the boxing, and she’s so safe and consistent down the fence. Owned by Nicole Westfall’s parents, 2013 red roan mare A Spoonful Of Jonez (Travelin Jonez x A Spoonful O Sugar x Hes A Peptoboonful) was originally Nicole’s mom Desiree’s show horse. But this year, when Nicole, who won the Non Pro Bridle last year on a different horse, and “Izzy” hit the pen a few times, the mare’s consistency in doing well raised their rankings. After earning a score of 431.5 at the World Show, the pair from Calhan, Colorado, landed the Non Pro Bridle title.

“This is a really, really good mare, and she’s always so honest,” Nicole said. “I love her personality—she’s very outgoing and goofy, but she’s also a typical mare. She messed with everything all the time, never leaves things alone. She’s just a character.”

Nicole thanked her trainers, Dave Dillman and Naomi Bancroft, for their help with Izzy this year, NRCHA for putting on excellent shows, and the Colorado Reined Cowhorse Association for hosting affiliate shows where she was able to compete successfully.

Desiree will be Izzy’s main rider over the next year while Nicole focuses on her Derby horse.

“She takes really good care of her, and they’re a great team,” Nicole said.

Youth Cow Horse

CATELYN WALKER & PLAYIN MOTOWN

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Catelyn Walker: Winning the Snaffle Bit Youth class, because that’s one show I hadn’t won before but really wanted to.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

CW: Just making sure I had him tuned up at the right time, and then letting him come home and relax and take a break, then making sure he was legged up and ready mentally and physically. Just taking care of him that way.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

CW: Probably the cow work. Just how much he likes to do it, how good he is at it and how physical he is are probably his best traits.

Catelyn Walker and 2013 sorrel gelding Playin Motown (Mr Playinstylish x Mo Flo x Mr Peponita Flo) teamed up in 2017. The 18-year-old from Prairie Grove, Arkansas, and “Rio” aimed to do their best at every show this year, and if they were successful, they’d run for the year-end title.

“It’s pretty easy with that horse, I know him well at this point,” Walker said. “We have a routine down when we get to the show. I just make sure he is legged up and good to go.”

Walker is home-schooled and rides just about every day with her trainer, Ben Baldus. She credits Baldus and his wife, Cameron, for helping her reach her goals, as well as her parents, Eric and Lindsay Walker, with their support.

“I’m just really grateful to the Balduses and my parents,” Walker said.

Next, Walker will be finishing her Youth career and entering some Non Pro classes with Rio.

Novice Non Pro Bridle

JORDAN CHEEK & R CHANCES

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Jordan Cheek: The World Show—that’s the first time I’ve ever been to the World Show as a Non Pro—I’ve always been there as a Youth. So, it was cool to be able to go and experience it as an adult and as a Non Pro. I have a bunch of friends that show as Non Pros so it was really fun being there with them to experience that.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

JC: Handling showing on such a wide level. I am in college, I take a full load, I also ride for Texas Tech’s ranch horse team so I show at collegiate shows as well. And I also work. It’s just a really careful balancing act. It’s a lot to handle sometimes.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

JC: I honestly think he really excels at the reining. I know he excels in the herd work, but I’ve only been out in the herd on him about three times. He’s really just unbelievably athletic. There’s pretty much nothing I’ve asked him to do that he couldn’t do and excel at. Hico, Texas, resident Jordan Cheek purchased 2014 bay gelding R Chances (Dual R Smokin x Oaks Smart Chance x Docs Oak) as a 6-year-old in February of 2020. Amid her busy class, work and ranch horse team schedules, Cheek found time to pilot “R.C.” to win the Novice Non Pro Bridle title this year.

“I had no clue I was in the running for the title,” Cheek said. “I knew I was sitting pretty high up, but there were people significantly higher than me, so I didn’t really think I had any chance at it. It was a pleasant surprise to find that I’d actually won.”

Cheek credits Texas Tech’s ranch horse team coach, Justin Stanton, for his help during the week, as well as Don Murphy and Ben Baldus for sharing tips that helped her this year.

Aiming for bigger NRCHA shows over the next year as a Non Pro, Cheeks is looking forward to taking R.C. to even greater heights with the support of her coaches, boyfriend and mom, Danielle Ezer.

“I’m extremely blessed to have such an amazing horse, and I would not be here without him or my support team behind me,” Cheeks said.

Intermediate Non Pro Bridle

TYLOR TODD & MR STYLISH CAT

Tylor Todd of Rexford, Kansas, has been hooked on 2011 sorrel gelding Mr Stylish Cat (Mr Playinstylish x Lil Sally Cat x High Brow Cat) from their very first ride. She bought “Boyd” two years ago and the pair has clicked ever since. Todd had some lofty goals.

“I wanted to win a national title— I’ve never won one before—and I also wanted to win a second world championship, in the Intermediate Non Pro,” Todd said.

The college freshman schooled at smaller shows, and the gelding showed well at big shows—all of which helped the pair get the national title.

Todd credits her trainer, Jay McLaughlin, for helping her with Boyd, getting him ready and keeping his mind in a good place all show season. She has a Derby horse now and she’s starting to show him more, which gives Boyd a break.

“I don’t know if we’ll go to Stallion Stakes, but Boyd will for sure be shown this year,” Todd said.

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Tylor Todd: Last year at the Celebration of Championships, I won my first world championship on him in the Novice Non Pro Bridle, and we marked a 225 down the fence.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

TT: Just continuing to get better and climb the ladder, not just plateau and stay the same.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

TT: He’s really good down the fence. He can read a cow like no other horse I’ve ever been on. He’s super cowy.

Open Hackamore

KYLE NOYCE & SJR SMOOTH LIL OAK FOR JANIE DVORAK-COMPTON

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Kyle Noyce: The 2021 Celebration of Champions and winning the Open Hackamore for the 2020 world championship. It was one of those shows where it didn’t really matter what happened—he was on 100 percent and drew the right cow. It couldn’t have been better, and he probably had the best run of his life.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

KN: Keeping him fresh in the hackamore—that horse has been so good, everywhere, all the time. He’s never had a bad day. We’ve had some bad cows that have kept us out of the running at a couple of major shows, but other than that he’s been first or second in the open hackamore events. He does his job, he’s easy to train, easy to show, and he makes us look good.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

KN: It’s a pretty close tie between the way he stops and the way he turns around. In the reining, any given day, he’s going to plus-1 his stops and his turnarounds. Kyle Noyce has worked with 2016 sorrel gelding SJR Smooth Lil Oak (Smooth As A Cat x Shiners Little Oak x Shining Spark) ever since Janie Dvorak-Compton purchased the gelding as a 3-year-old. He won the Open Hackamore world championship last year at the Celebration of Champions and carried on the winning streak with the Open Hackamore national title this year.

Noyce, of Blanchard, Oklahoma, took “Jose” to smaller shows to keep him schooled, saving the hard performances for major shows.

“He’s always the kind of horse that if you ask him, he’ll give it,” Noyce said. “And every time we are at a big show, he always shows up.”

Dvorak-Compton was on board for the gelding’s journey, says Noyce, and he credits the horse’s team with helping the horse succeed.

“My wife, Candice, and the help we have at the house keeps everything running,” Noyce said. “It takes all of us to make it work.”

Jose is headed toward Two Rein and Open Bridle competition over the next year, and Noyce hopes to qualify the gelding for the World Show in those divisions.

Limited Open Hackamore

TAYLOR PETERS & HOLLYWOOD BIG STAR FOR CHRISTINE MCROY

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021? Taylor Peters: Winning the Hackamore class at the Stallion Stakes in 2020.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

TP: She was my first limited-age horse to train and go show, so learning how to get her to peak in training at the right time before showing was the biggest challenge for me.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

TP: She’s always been a huge stopper, and she can turn really hard. Hollywood Big Star was born a runt and had to be bottle-fed—she nearly didn’t make it as a foal. But the scrappy 2016 bay mare survived and thrived and was sent to trainer Ben Baldus in 2018. Taylor Peters worked for Baldus and has shown “Thatcher” starting her 3-year-old year. Originally aimed at the NRHA futurity, Thatcher (Arc Gunnabeabigstar x Dunnit Wright On x OJ Dunit) found her true place in ranch versatility and cow horse.

With a goal for Thatcher to make it to the finals, as well as attain the national title, Peters aimed to be smooth, clean and fast each time he and the mare entered the pen.

Peters, of Davidson, Oklahoma, has now hung out his own shingle, and Thatcher is still with Baldus, heading toward Two Rein classes this year. Peters is thankful for the Baldus team, his wife Brook, Thatcher’s owner, Christine McRoy, and NRCHA.

“A huge thank you to the NRCHA for hosting all these events with added money and prizes, and just having a great place to showcase these nice horses that we get to ride,” Peters said.

Non Pro Hackamore

LANDON LUCE & TIME TO LAY IT DOWN

Landon Luce’s mother, Andrea Luce, of La Center, Washington, purchased 2016 red roan mare Time To Lay It Down (One Time Pepto x Katies Kitty x High Brow Cat) at the NRCHA Derby two years ago. Landon didn’t originally plan to chase a national title—it just happened, as the mare, nicknamed “Kitty,” showed her talent.

“It was my goal just to show her to the best of her ability at every show, let everybody know what she’s capable of, because she’s a really good horse, a great show horse, and super easy and fun to show,” Landon said. “It didn’t really occur to me that I was even in the running for the national title until right before the World Show started. I looked at the standings, and I was sitting in second. So, then I thought maybe I could win this.”

Trained by Trent Pedersen, Landon rides six days a week. He also credits Jim Spence, Mike Killen, Mark Izumi and his parents, Casey and Andrea Luce, for their mentoring and support.

The 18-year-old high school senior says Kitty is in her prime and just getting better. This coming year he plans to show her in the Youth Two Rein and Bridle and keep progressing.

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Landon Luce: The Derby was an amazing show for us. We won the Amateur, the Novice, and we were reserve in the Intermediate and the Non Pro. It was just a dream come true. Showing in the Hackamore, Idaho was our big show. She did so good down the fence.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

LL: Getting to shows, especially national shows, is always a challenge because we live in Washington state, which is not close to any of the big shows.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

LL: She’s amazing working cows. I can go out there and pretty much set my hand down in the herd, and then in the boxing she’s really good. Going down the fence, she’s a blast because she’s so much fun, she’s so easy to ride, and she’s so good at it.

Open Two Rein

MATT KOCH & SMART LADIES SPARKLE FOR MYRA KOCH

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Matt Koch: Winning the Two Rein at the Stallion Stakes.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

MK: Like when you show any horse, you’ve got to draw the right cows, and hope you have your horse prepared, and then just go show them.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

MK: She’s a pretty good fence horse. She seems to enjoy that part of it. Matt Koch has worked with 2015 sorrel mare Smart Ladies Sparkle (WR This Cats Smart x Shiners Diamond Lady x Shining Spark) since she was purchased as a yearling. When “Sparkles” was 4 years old, Koch’s mother, Myra Koch, purchased the mare, and Matt has shown her throughout her career so far.

With Matt focusing on simply showing the mare at her best, it was a pleasant surprise when Sparkles won the Open Two Rein at the Stallion Stakes, bumping her up in the standings. She continued to do well at local shows around Matt’s home in Elizabeth, Colorado, resulting in her ultimately taking the Open Two Rein national title.

Matt’s wife, Brianna, has ridden the mare off and on, and Sparkles is the couple’s 4-year-old son Oliver’s favorite riding buddy.

“He had her schooled up good for me,” Matt joked. “She’s a pretty good horse and does whatever you need her to go do.”

XIT Ranch LLC now owns Sparkles, but Matt will continue to show her at NRCHA events.

Non Pro Two Rein

TERRY CHRISTIANSEN & SMOKETTA CAT

Terry Christiansen didn’t originally plan to buy 2015 sorrel mare Smoketta Cat (Dual R Smokin x Fletchetta Cat x High Brow Cat) with his wife, Annette. But trainer Jim Spence convinced the Snohomish, Washington, resident to try out “Loretta” in the spring of 2019.

“Once I rode her, she just felt pretty special, so we wound up buying her,” Christiansen said.

For the 2021 show season, Christiansen planned to show in the Two Rein and the Bridle classes. Their successes stacked up, and the team’s focused consistency yielded good results.

“We weren’t really thinking about winning the year-end, it was just more about trying to make a nice horse,” Christiansen said. “It just evolved.”

Christiansen’s family has been supportive and helped keep him going, and he says Spence has been instrumental in mentoring as a coach and friend.

“We just keep going forward, and keep raising the bar,” Christiansen said.

Spence will be riding Loretta in the Stallion Stakes and Bridle Spectacular over this next year, and Christiansen hopes the mare will qualify for The Run For A Million. Christiansen is looking forward to seeing the mare show at big events.

“I would like everybody to see what I see,” Christiansen said.

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Terry Christiansen: We showed at Brasada Ranch in Powell Butte, Oregon this year—it’s the Northwest Reined Cow Horse big show. I showed in that, and good things happened. I was pretty happy that we were doing some good stuff. That really helped build my confidence in being able to compete at a higher level.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

TC: I just need to be consistent in working a cow. I’m still not at the point where I would like to be. Just not getting too down on bad runs, and not getting too high on good runs.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

TC: She’s a deep stopper. Whether it be turning around or stopping or working a cow, she gets very low and she likes to sit on her tail. She’s very comfortable running and stopping, and I just love that.

Non Pro Limited

KIM DALTON & IMA HEART RESPONSE

Kim Dalton bought 2012 bay gelding Ima Heart Response (Heart Of A Fox x SPD Remedys Response x Smart Peppy Doc) in 2019 and set a goal of winning the Intermountain Reined Cow Horse Association title, which she achieved. At 67 years old and celebrating 56 years of riding, Dalton says this was her final show season before retiring. She wanted to make the most of it, competing at a premier event, and going for a national title. “Topper” was the perfect mount for her.

“I just went one show at a time, and I’m a person who just loves to ride. I don’t have to show to love the horse—that’s kind of the icing on the cake,” Dalton said. “I am very thankful that our local affiliates here offer some great show opportunities.”

Now retired from showing, Dalton, of Meridian, Idaho, still putters around the barn every day, enjoying her horses.

“I love just riding and being able to share in that,” Dalton said.

Topper has been sold to Hartwood Farms, where he’ll continue his show career.

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Kim Dalton: The Snaffle Bit Futurity®, winning the Non Pro Limited and Select there.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

KD: My biggest challenge was to just keep focused on one show at a time, one class at a time, and not get overwhelmed by the bigger picture—the end run. Just appreciate each day riding and each show as it came.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

KD: He’s very athletic.

$5K Non Pro Limited ELISE MASON & SHEZA HAILLION

Elise Mason and 2006 gray mare Sheza Haillion (Shine Like Hail x Sheza Playgun Too x Playgun) teamed up in July of 2020, and the duo quickly became unstoppable. Their goals evolved over the coming months to include winning the $5,000 Non Pro Limited title, which came about as the pair from Olympia, Washington, grew as a team.

“It just kind of unfolded; I really love this, and I wanted to pursue more of it,” Mason said. “So we just kept working and building together. There wasn’t really a strategy, just lots of consistency and lots of learning, and guidance from my trainer Dean McCann.”

Mason says her favorite thing about “Hailey” is the mare’s personality.

“She’s always very happy to see me, and always willing to put her best foot forward and to ride with me,” Mason said.

Mason, 17, is a junior in high school, and in addition to riding and school, she enjoys outdoor activities with her family. She hopes to compete in Non Pro Boxing and Youth Limited. She also hopes to compete on a collegiate equestrian team.

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Elise Mason: Winning in Las Vegas at the Stallion Stakes.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

EM: My rundowns with my horse. She likes to go from first gear to seventh gear real fast. So, we’ve been working on the slow build up.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

EM: Her stops, and how cowy she gets.

$1K Non Pro Limited VANESSA STEVENS & MISTEREY

Originally trained and shown as a 3-yearold by Vanessa Stevens’ husband, Charles Stevens, 2016 chestnut gelding Misterey (Jans Rey Cuatro x Very Red Remedy x Very Smart Remedy) has been passed between Vanessa’s mother, Liz Armenta, and now back again to Vanessa.

This past year, she set a goal of winning the $1,000 Non Pro Limited title. Despite traveling between Selex, California, and Paauilo, Hawaii, Vanessa aimed to improve her performance with “Rex” one maneuver at a time.

“I’m always trying to be better from the last run, and he’s a very patient horse,” Vanessa said.

With the guidance and support of Charles, and advice from Ted Robinson, Sandy Collier and Jake Gorrell, Vanessa and Rex achieved her goal of the national title.

Rex and Vanessa are headed to the Derby and will be competing in Two Rein this upcoming year.

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Vanessa Stevens: Making the finals at the World Show. I was so nervous going in—I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

VS: We spend our time between California and our cattle ranch in Hawaii. The challenging part has been trying to go from going back home for cattle work and coming back to California to show.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

VS: His stops. He’s so good at stopping. My favorite thing about him is his personality and the way he is with my children. I have a 6-year-old and a 4-year-old, and they can love and hug all over him. He’s just a really special boy.

Youth Limited

RILEY FRIESEN & SWEETHEARTS LEGACY

Riley Friesen met 2014 solid Paint-bred gelding Sweethearts Legacy (Cats Moonshine (QH) x A Docs Sweetheart (PT) x A Docs Special (PT)) through her stepdad, EJ Laubscher. The gelding, nicknamed “Prince,” was owned by Peggy Cummings before Friesen took the reins in February of 2021. They instantly connected and began showing together shortly after. The seventh-grader from Colby, Kansas, then set a goal to win the Youth Limited national title.

“I tried to have a clean run every time and tried to make sure he would stay calm during his runs,” Friesen said.

Friesen says EJ and her mom, Amanda Laubscher, were a help to her and Prince as they chased the title. She hopes to get used to going down the fence this next year and eventually try for a national title the following year.

RCHN: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2021?

Riley Friesen: When we were at the NRCHA show in Tennessee, I had a really good run, really good boxing. It was the best show I’ve ever had.

RCHN: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the show season?

RF: Keeping him honest in the pattern, without getting short stops and things like that.

RCHN: What is your horse’s most special physical talent?

RF: Working a cow.

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