A Win To Savor

2022 OPEN TOP 10

Fort Worth, Texas – February 11-20, 2022 Horse/Rider/Pedigree/Owner/Score/Money

1. Selvarey; Sarah Dawson; 17M (Dual Rey x Shine Smarter x WR This Cats Smart); Sheri L. Jamieson; 664 (H:216.5/R:224/C:223.5); $34,000 2. SJR Talkin Diamonds; Corey Cushing; 17S (Smooth Talkin Style x Shiners Diamond Girl x Shining Spark); San Juan Ranch; 663 (H:221/R:224/C:218); $24,459.02 3. Seven S Razzberry; Kelby Phillips; 17M (Blind Sided x Seven S Valentina x Playgun); R.A. Brown Ranch; 662.5 (H:216.5/R:221.5/C:224.5); $20,091.34 4. Ricato Suave; Clay Volmer; 17S (Metallic Cat x Hip Sue Rey x Dual Rey); Shaleah Hester & M. Fountain; 661 (H:220.5/R:220.5/C:220); $17,470.73 5. Mr And Mrs Jonez; Chris Dawson; 17M (Travelin Jonez x Shine Smarter x WR This Cats Smart); Wendy K. Buehler; 659.5 (H:218/R:217/C:224.5); $13,103.05 6-7. WR Iceman; Corey Cushing; 18S (WR This Cats Smart x Lean Irish Playgirl x Paddys Irish Whiskey); Eric & Wendy Dunn; 659 (H:218.5/R:222/C:218.5); $9,608.90 6-7. One Ata Time; Ryan Gallentine; 17S (One Time Pepto x Hip Sue Rey x Dual Rey); Steven Mattson; 659 (H:220/ R:221.5/C:217.5); $9,608.90 8. Hendrixx; John Swales; 17S (One Time Royalty x Smooth Miss Trona x Smooth As A Cat); Monica Wille; 658.5 (H:216.5/R:219/C:223); $6,988.29 9. Son Of A Mitch; Phillip Ralls; 17G (Call Me Mitch x Jackies Sparkle x Nic It In The Bud); The Trust/Billie Jo Ralls DTD; 657 (H:219/R:221/C:217); $5,241.22 10-11. Stylin Kat; Shawn Hays; 17M (Kit Kat Sugar x Stylin Tonette x Docs Stylish Oak); Walter Greeman and Tammy Hays; 655 (H:215.5/R:217/C:222.5); $4,804.45 10-11. I Got Cow Issues; Kelby Phillips; 17M (Hottish x Lil Miss Pepto x Peptoboonsmal); C. Randy Massey; 655 (H:215.5/R:219.5/C:220); $4,804.45

AWIN TO SAVOR

Sarah Dawson unlocked Million Dollar Rider status with her win at the Tres Osos Cow Horse Derby Open riding Selvarey.

By Kristin Pitzer Photos by Primo Morales

Alittle more than a year ago, Selvarey and Sarah Dawson made headlines when the pair rode to the 2020 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity® Open Championship with a composite 660.5. Shortly after, an injury took the mare out of competition for about half a year. It wasn’t until the 2021 DT Horses Western Derby that Dawson was able to get her back into the show pen.

The mare missed the Finals at that Derby, but Dawson estimated that was the only finals she didn’t make for the rest of the year. Dawson used the remainder of the season to get the mare more solid in the show pen. By the time the Tres Osos Cow Horse Derby rolled around at the 2022 Kalpowar Quarter Horses Celebration of Champions, Selvarey (Dual Rey x Shine Smarter x WR This Cats Smart) was well-prepared. The pair topped 158 entries with their composite 664 (H:216.5/R:224/C:223.5), winning the Derby Open and garnering a paycheck worth $34,000 for owner Sheri Jamieson.

“It was the first derby of the year, and we didn’t really have a game plan of wanting to come in and win it—we just went into it trying to get a check, and to come in and have a good experience,” Dawson said. “For her to go out there and win it was super exciting. Things fell into place, like drawing enough cow down the fence, and she was super gritty.”

Selvarey first carried Sarah Dawson to the 2020 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® Open Championship; then, at the Tres Osos Cow Horse Derby, her win in the Open pushed Dawson’s earning over the $1 million mark.

While the pair’s show ended well, it started off on a neutral note. The duo first marked a 216.5 in the herd work, tying them for 22nd place starting out. Dawson knew from there they would have to perform in a big way in the next two events in order to land a decent check. She ran Selvarey hard in the rein work, hoping to make up for lost ground.

“Knowing that we weren’t super high in the herd, I probably did run her a little harder in the rein work than I normally would,” Dawson said. “That mare is a huge stopper—that’s her trick—so she just went out there and stopped a [plus-1] every time.”

Selvarey and Dawson marked a 224 in the reining, which tied for the highest score with eventual Reserve Champions SJR Talking Diamonds and Corey Cushing. As they went into the fence work, Dawson’s strategy was to work whichever cow was presented to them.

“You can’t plan for the fence work; you just have to work what they kick out for you,” Dawson said. “We were fortunate enough to have a lot of cow, and she worked it great. We were really happy with our luck of the draw there.”

The judges scored the duo’s run a 223.5, the second-highest score in the cow work. It gave them enough of a lead—one point—to win the title. The pair’s winnings, along with Dawson’s 16th placing on board Juliette Jonez, 18th placing on Autumns Smokin Cat and fifth placing in the Novice Horse on the latter mount also pushed Dawson over the $1 million threshold to $1,040,809.21, making her the NRCHA’s latest Million Dollar Rider.

It was the icing on the cake to reach that achievement with the same mare who brought her to her first Snaffle Bit Futurity® Open win. Having so much success together is only one of the many things that make the 2017 mare, who was bred by Dawson’s parents, Richard and Cheryl Winters, so good at her job.

“She just has so much heart and so much try,” Dawson said. “She’s tiny. I don’t even know that she’s 14 hands, but she’s just a little powerhouse of a mare. Some horses want to be show horses, and she’s one of them. She just falls into that category. It makes her pretty special.”

Dawson planned to continue showing Selvarey through the rest of the year and beyond. She thanked Jamieson for her support through the years, saying she deserved much of the credit for their win.

“She’s just stuck with us through thick and thin and has done so much for the NRCHA over the years,” Dawson said. “We’re really happy for her to be able to enjoy some success with ‘Selva.’”

OPEN RESERVE CHAMPION

Only one point behind the Champions, 2017 stallion SJR Talkin Diamonds (Smooth Talkin Style x Shiners Diamond Girl x Shining Spark) and Corey Cushing’s 663 (H:221/R:224/C:218) took the Open Reserve Championship for owner/breeder San Juan Ranch. The pair collected $24,459.02. They also received the Chrome Cash Incentive, worth another $1,437.50.

The front is smooth and inviting. And it’s got a bold middle flavor that I love but can’t really describe. The finish is warm honey-almond with a smokey tinge on the very back end. It’s damn good.

— Kory Pounds, Professional Cowboy, Cutting Horse Champion, Whiskey Advocate

INTERMEDIATE OPEN CHAMPION

One Ata Time (One Time Pepto x Hip Sue Rey x Dual Rey), piloted by Ryan Gallentine, scored a 659 (H:220/R:221.5/C:217.5), winning the Intermediate Open title. Bred by Flag Ranch LLC, the 2017 stallion banked $10,142.73 for owner Steven Mattson.

INTERMEDIATE OPEN RESERVE CHAMPION

A 654 (H:214.5/R:221/C:218.5) composite gave Metallic Action (One Time Royalty x Moria Metallica x Metallic Cat) and Wade Meador the Intermediate Open Reserve Championship. The pair collected $7,473.59 for owner Clyde Metzler. The 2018 mare was bred by Ten/27 Ranch LLC.

LIMITED OPEN CHAMPION

After scoring a composite 649.5 (H:212/R:216/C:221.5), Playin With Cher (Mr Playinstylish x Bella Cher x Peptoboonsmal) and Joshua Briggs collected the Limited Open title and $2,911.79 for owners Kit and Charlie Moncrief. The Moncriefs also bred Playin With Cher, a 2017 mare.

LIMITED OPEN RESERVE CHAMPION

Put My Blugenes On (Once In A Blu Boon x SDP Got The Cat Gene x Hydrive Cat) carried Jason Gay to a 649 (H:213/R:221/C:215) for the Limited Open Reserve title. The 2018 stallion, who was bred by Greg Coalson, received a check worth $2,329.43 for owner Ty Cole Performance Horses LLC.

LEVEL 1 OPEN CHAMPION

Niteeprowwler (Don’t Stopp Believin x Shesa Smooth Pepto x Smooth As A Cat), a homebred 2018 stallion owned by Sean and Ashley Flynn, and Sean landed the Level 1 Open title with their 641.5 composite (H:218/R:214/C:209.5). They took home a check worth $3,621.60.

LEVEL 1 OPEN RESERVE CHAMPION

Got The Money Hunny (Reyzin The Cash x Charmed For Sure x Smart Little Lena) and Marcha Duvenage picked up Reserve with a 640 composite (H:210/R:214.5/C:215.5), collecting $2,897.28 for owners Mark Banfield and Duvenage. The 2017 mare was bred by M. Wade Smith.

OPEN NOVICE HORSE CHAMPION

With a composite 659 (H:218.5/R:222/C:218.5), WR Iceman (WR This Cats Smart x Lean Irish Playgirl x Paddys Irish Whiskey) led the Novice Horse Open with Corey Cushing. The 2018 stallion, who was bred by Mary Scott Brown, received a check worth $6,313.32 for owners Eric and Wendy Dunn.

OPEN NOVICE HORSE RESERVE CHAMPION

Voodoo It Ruf (Shiners Voodoo Dr x Foxy Lil Catalyst x Lil Ruf Peppy) and Todd Crawford scored a composite 654.5 (H:215/R:221.5/C:218) to take home the Novice Horse Open Reserve Championship for owner Bryan Hawk, along with a $4,984.20 paycheck. The 2018 gelding was bred by Michele Rougeux Dare.

Don Rich Saddlery (270) 791-6448