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Affiliate News: California Reined
The 2022 CRCHA Paso Robles Spring Classic Derby, presented by Borjon Auto Center, continues its success in cow horse competition.
By Murray Thompson Photography by Deb Mann Images
The second annual California Reined Cow Horse Association Paso Robles Spring Classic Derby, presented by Borjon Auto Center, was held at the historic Paso Robles Event Center in Paso Robles, California, April 13-17. In addition to the National Reined Cow Horse Associationapproved Derby classes, the event included a full slate of NRCHA-sanctioned and CRCHA Horse Show classes, presented by Santa Lucia Farm. After a successful first event in 2021, the CRCHA increased the Derby’s added money from $72,000 to $100,000 and the horse show added money from $6,075 to $7,150 without increasing fees.
Eighty-seven horses showed in the Derby: 54 in the Open, 15 in the Non Pro and 18 in the Non Pro Boxing. Open payouts totaled $103,500, while $28,850 was paid out in the Intermediate Open, $9,640 in the Limited Open and $4,750 in the Level 1 Open, for a total of $146,740. The Horse Show classes paid $19,050 for a combined total event payout of $206,430.
Brendon Clark of Hollister, California, swept the top three Open divisions on the 2018 bay stallion CR Hes A Tuff One (Woody Be Tuff x Cat Digs Lucinda x High Brow Cat) for owner Jill Olerich, marking a 666.5 composite score. It was Clark’s biggest payday, and he took home checks for $30,000 in the $60,0000-added Open, sponsored by Call Me Mitch, $7,000 in the $10,000-added Intermediate Open, sponsored by Roo To Do, and $3,000 in the $5,000-added Limited Open, sponsored by Peter and Mary Beth Oppenheimer, for a total of $40,000.
Bredon Clark swept the Open Derby divisions aboard CR Hes A Tuff One.
Riding RAB Diamondsrforever, Lanham Brown won the Non Pro Derby.
Originally from Morpeth, New South Wales, Australia, Clark grew up rodeoing, where he saw financial opportunity in the bull riding and rose to the highest levels of the sport while competing on the Professional Bull Riders circuit. He made the PBR World Finals 10 times and retired with lifetime earnings of more than $1 million. While he acknowledges many cutting and reined cow horse trainers for their help, he credits Phillip Ralls and fellow Australian Hayden Upton as his biggest influences. As for the winning horse, Clark says he is an exceptional athlete and never has a bad day. Clark also credits the horse’s owner, Jill Olerich, for supporting his program and says she is like a family member.
Tracer Gilson of Sanger, California, won the $3,000-added Level 1 Open, sponsored by F&L Steel, on the 2018 red roan mare CR Peeks A Lil Tuff (Woody Be Tuff x CR A Little Peek x Halreycious) for owner JB World Marketing LLC, scoring a composite 650.5 and taking home a check for $2,000. Gilson’s score was also good for sixth in the Intermediate and third in the Limited, paying an additional $2,200 and $2,000 for a grand total of $6,200.
Lanham Brown of Throckmorton, Texas, swept all three Non Pro divisions on the 2018 sorrel gelding RAB Diamondsrforever (Time For The Diamond x Sparks Smart x Genuine Masterpiece), raised and owned by the R.A. Brown Ranch, totaling a 651 composite score. The $12,000-added Non Pro, sponsored by Brother Jackson, paid $7,000, the $4,000 added Intermediate Non Pro, sponsored by One Fine Vintage, paid $2,620 and the $2,000-added Limited Non Pro paid $1,620, rewarding Brown with a combined paycheck of $11,620 for the long haul from Texas.
Windy Mathews rode her 2016 brown mare Please Be A Diamond (Nics Black Diamond x RS Lets Play Please x Chic Please) to top the $4,000-added Non Pro Boxing, sponsored by Gotta Go Get It, with a 636.5 composite, earning a check for $2,800.
In the Open Bridle, sponsored by Gilson Performance Horses, Jake Telford of Caldwell, Idaho, rode CR Tuff Guns N Roses for owner SB Legacy Ranch LLC to the win, scoring a 293 for $1,095. Ron Emmons rode Scrub Oak to the win in the
Windy Mathews rode to the top of the $4,000-added Non Pro Boxing Derby. Open Hackamore, sponsored by Quinn Caterpillar, for owner LaDona Emmons. He marked a 292.5 for a $1,000 check. In the Non Pro Bridle, sponsored by Silver Star Saddlesmiths, Laurie Richards on Glitter N Glam, co-owned with Karin Richards, came out on top, marking a 292.5 for $690. The Non Pro Boxing, sponsored by Deb Mann Images, saw Nichole Branquinho on Dressed In Oak, owned by Casey and Nichole Branquinho, best the class with a 292.5 and win $810. In the Youth Cow Horse, sponsored by One Fine Vintage, Nicole Donahoo and Very Smart Pearl marked a 291 for the win and $200. In the Youth Boxing, also sponsored by One Fine Vintage, Kiersten Fry on Lady In Minks scored a 285.5 and took home $180. Every rider earning a check in the Derby also won a Gist custom trophy buckle. The top five in all the Derby classes also took home a Santa Cruz Animal Health gift certificate. Champions in the NRCHA Horse Show classes received Santa Cruz Animal Health product packages. Champions in the CRCHA Horse Show classes picked up custom embroidered vests sponsored by the CRCHA. In addition to the Derby and Horse Show competition, the event also offered three social events for attendees: the Central Coast Wine Competition Gold Medal Wine Tasting, San Luis Obispo County Cattlemen’s Association BBQ & Derby Awards Presentations and the Bonnie Marie Catering Mexican Fiesta. The event will return in 2023 for the third of a five-year contract. For more information, visit californiacowhorse.com.
