13 minute read
Sure Something Spectacular
Todd Crawford and Bet Lucky 13 rode away with another Eastern Derby title, this time as the Open Bridle Champions.
The heat in Tennessee wasn’t only outside the arena. During the Spectacular classes, horses and riders turned up the heat to take their respective titles.
By Callie McCarthy-Boevers and Kate Bradley Byars Photographs by Primo Morales
Call it the Twilight Zone or déjà vu, but no matter how you label it, there is something in the water at the Dom Conicelli Memorial Eastern Derby, presented by MARS Equestrian™. The repeat of 2021 champions capturing 2022 titles continued with Todd Crawford riding Bet Lucky 13 (Bet Hesa Cat x Miss Lucky Starlight x Grays Starlight) to the Open Bridle Spectacular win for owner Allyson Light. It’s the second title the pair have earned at the AgriCenter International Arena in Cordova, Tennessee, with the 2021 Open Two Rein Spectacular title being the first.
Crawford joins Clay Volmer and Debbie Crafton as consecutive champion at this Eastern premier event. The 2013 stallion called “Twitch” carried Crawford to $3,300 for a 438 composite score (H:145/R:144.5/C:148.5) that was six points above the reserve champion.
“He’s really good on a cow,” said Crawford, an NRCHA Two Million Dollar Rider from Blanchard, Oklahoma. “It took him awhile to learn his job as an aged event horse. Before the World Show his 5-year-old year we worked and worked him, and something then just clicked. Ever since then, he has been really good on a cow. He marked a 148.5 in the fence work and was pretty consistent this show.”
The red roan also does double duty with owner Light, showing in the Non Pro. However, that hasn’t affected his ability to compete in the Open. Crawford rode to a qualification for The Run For A Million Cow Horse Challenge on the stallion at the Teton Ridge Stallion Stakes in March.
“It takes [an Open type horse] to be competitive in the Non Pro,” he said. “This horse is real quiet and easy to get through the reining. He has the odd combination of being quiet and easy to show in the reining but also being fast and strong enough to go down the fence well. A lot of horses that have those big runs on them get tricky to show in the reining, but he is pretty easy.”
For Crawford, competing at the Eastern Derby is a chance to see exhibitors that aren’t always in attendance at the Westernbased premier events.
“This is an enjoyable show. There are a lot of people that come here that we don’t see real often and it is a different crowd than going out West, which is kinda fun,” he said.
More than 20 exhibitors vied for the $11,000-added purse sponsored by Holy Cow Performance Horses. Reserve Champion WR Hotshot (WR This Cats Smart x Sunspot Flo x Mr Peponita Flo), shown by Robert Chown and owned by L&K Barker Family Trust, finished with a 432 (H:143.5/ R:145/C:143.5) to earn $2,640. Chown also rode the 2014 gelding to the Intermediate Open Bridle Spectacular Champion title, earning an additional $532.
Debbie Crafton and Logicality captured a second consecutive premier event title.
NON PRO BRIDLE SPECTACULAR
It only made sense for Debbie Crafton to enter Logicality in the Non Pro Bridle Spectacular at the Dom Conicelli Memorial Eastern Derby, presented by MARS Equestrian™. After all, the pair were coming off a big win in the Non Pro Super Spectacular at the DT Horses Western Derby only a month ago, and you have to ride a hot streak.
Crafton, of Ordway, Colorado, and the 2016 gelding bred by Anne Reynolds once again brought their A-game to a premier event, topping the class with a composite 436.5 (H:143/R:146.5/C:147) and taking home $1,875 of the class’s $6,250 purse.
“I didn’t have any second thoughts about entering him here. I have a lot of faith and confidence in him. Of course, I hope our momentum stayed, and it did,” Crafton said. “He is so good in all the events—he can really run and stop and really turn around in the reining. I’m comfortable in the bridle with him, but down the fence is where I prefer two hands. He is so good at reading a cow that I feel good with him. He is so fun to show and every time I step in the pen with him, I’m confident and excited.”
From the mountains to the humidity of the south, Logicality (Magicality x Boonlight Angel x Boonlight Dancer) handled the temperature swing like a pro.
“I kept them on electrolytes and kept feed and water in front of them to keep them as comfortable as possible,” she explained. “My horses aren’t used [to the heat] so the preparation was different for each class. We exercised them in [short] increments, riding several times but only doing little bits at a time. I wanted to give them plenty of time to cool down and not overheat.”
The plan paid off when Crafton worked not one but two cows to earn the 147 score in the fence work.
“They blew me a new cow and I was appreciative of that,” she said. “The second cow was a decent cow and I didn’t stay long with it [boxing] and did two really big turns, circled up really good and just had a lot of fun. When I get one a little wolfy like our first cow, we got two cows, that runs back and forth, he can read that cow better than me. When he and I read it together, it is a great feeling.”
Now, Logicality will take a vacation while Crafton prepares her 3-year-old horses for the upcoming National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity®, but the pair will be back for the NRCHA Celebration of Champions, she said.
Reserve Champion Catelyn Walker rode Playin Motown (Mr Playinstylish x Mo Flo x Mr Peponita Flo) to a 427 to earn $1,562.50.
YOUTH COW HORSESPECTACULAR
Riley Friesen piloted her 2014 gelding, Sweethearts Legacy (Cats Moonshine x A Docs Sweetheart x A Docs Special) to claim the Youth Cow Horse Spectacular title at the 2022 Dom Conicelli Memorial Eastern Derby, presented by MARS Equestrian™.
The pair marked a 143 out of the herd, followed by a 143.5 in the rein work and 146.5 on the cow work for a composite score of 433 to secure the winning check for $560.
“Our best event is either the herd or the fence work, he is really cowy,” Friesen said. “In our fence work the cow boxed great and I got a good first turn. He was a little pushy on my second turn, but the rest of my run shaped up great.”
Coming in Reserve was Will Lewis aboard Spookin Jay (Smart Spook x Ultra Jay x Master Jay) with a 432 (H:139/ R:144.5/C:146.5) and earning a check for $420.
OPEN TWO REIN SPECTACULAR
Kyle Noyce and SJR Smooth Lil Oak are having an exceptional year in the cow horse pen, and added another line to their résumé in Tennessee.
Kyle Noyce and SJR Smooth Lil Oak have had a Cinderella story year. From capturing the National Reined Cow Horse Association Open Hackamore National Championship in February to qualifying for The Run For A Million in March, the pair have excelled at all levels of cow horse. Now, they can boast the Open Two Rein Spectacular Champion title here at the Dom Concicelli Memorial Derby, presented by MARS Equestrian™.
Noyce, who is from Blanchard, Oklahoma, and “Jose” have been a team since the horse was 3 years old. And while he says that the 2016 gelding bred by San Juan Ranch and owned by Janie Dvorak-Compton was a late bloomer, Noyce is confident the horse has caught up.
“When we came to this show two years ago, he turned it on and has been great ever since,” he said. “He’s been really good. Those hackamore horses we show as a 4- and 5-year-old we ride quite a bit in the two-rein and he took to it like a duck to water. From the snaffle to the hackamore he was better and now in the bridle he is even better.” SJR Smooth Lil Oak (Smooth As A Cat x Shiners Lil Oak x Shining Spark) is “pretty average” in the herd, as the 141 score may attest, but when it comes to the fence and rein work, he brings his top game, says Noyce.
“He didn’t feel all that good in the herd work, but he does what he normally does, which is show up to play in the rein and down the fence,” he said. “When that cow came to the gate, I remember it worked pretty good in the herd work, and it all came together and fell into place for us.”
With a composite of 438.5 (H:141/ R:146.5/C:151), Jose and Noyce earned $1,590. The pair will next take aim at The Run For A Million before heading to the February Celebration of Champions to ride for a two-rein world title. “He’s been a blessing. He’s always been good and kind of a freak. Without a whole lot of riding, he’s great and he’s stayed really sound,” said Noyce. “Our plan is to do The Run For A Million this year, the two-rein at the World Show [in February] and then the next year we will do the World’s Greatest Horseman.” There was a tie for Open Two Rein Spectacular Reserve Champion. Chet Martin piloted Up North Performance
Horse’s 2016 stallion One Time Up North (One Time Pepto x Our Special Kitten x High Brow Cat) to a composite 434.5 to earn $1,192.50. Clay Volmer and 2016 gelding Like Shine Wine (Shine Chic Shine x Ben Smokin Pine x Bueno Starlight), owned by Shaleah Hester, rode to the same score and earnings to tie. A total purse of $5,300 was up for grabs at the premier event.
NON PRO TWO REIN SPECTACULAR
With only two shows under their belt, Evan Means was confident that she and her new horse would have what it takes to win at the Dom Concicelli Memorial Derby, presented by MARS Equestrian™.
Means purchased the 2021 National Reined Cow Horse Association World Champion, Hollywood Big Star (ARC Gunnabeabigstar x Dunnit Wright On x OJ Dunit), earlier this spring from Christine Northrop McRoy. Means and the 2016 mare, called “Thatcher,” marked a composite of 430 (H:139/R:141.5/C:149.5) to secure a check for $820 and the Non Pro Two Rein Spectacular title.
“Thatcher loves tough cattle. Her favorite thing to do is to go fast, she loves to go fast and stop hard,” Means said. “So, going into the cow work I was really confident and high expectations for me and for her. I was hoping for a fast cow that would be respectful of my horse and that’s exactly what I got.”
Finishing as Reserve Champion, Sareece Brown riding Sixteen Carat Cat (Metallic Cat x All That N Cat x High Brow Cat) marking a 428.5 (H:146/ R:144.5/C:139.5) and taking home a check for $615.
New show team Evan Means and Hollywood Big Star rode to the Non Pro two Rein Spectacular win.
OPEN TWO REIN SPECTACULAR RESERVE CHAMPION, INTERMEDIATE OPEN BRIDLE SPECTACULAR CHAMPION
WR Hotshot (WR This Cats Smart x Sunspot Flo x Mr Peponita Flo), a 2014 gelding owned by L&K Barker Family Trust and shown by Robert Chown, finished with a 432 (H:143.5/ R:145/C:143.5) to earn $2,640 in the Open and additional $532 in the Intermediate Open.
Smooth Merry (Smooth As A Cat x Merry Merada x Freckles Merada), a 2012 mare owned by Frank Frisco Jr. and bred by Milton & Bridey Greeson, and Jay Holmes rode to reserve with a 431.5 (H:143.5/R:145/C:143.5) to earn $426.
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NON PRO BRIDLE SPECTACULAR RESERVE CHAMPION
Catelyn Walker rode her 2013 gelding Playin Motown (Mr Playinstylish x Mo Flo x Mr Peponita Flo), bred by Kit Moncrief & Lee Tennison, to a 427 to earn $1,562.50.
NON PRO BOXING SPECTACULAR CHAMPION
Cheryl Chown rode her 2016 mare Xtra Short Trick (Shiners Voodoo Dr x Short N Royal x Short Oak) to a 435 (H:143.5/R:144.5/C:146) to earn the win and $2,580.
NON PRO BOXING SPECTACULAR RESERVE CHAMPION
Carolyn Edson rode Mary Janez (Travelin Jonez x Daphne Doo Right x Chex My Freckles), a 2016 mare she bred and owns, to a composite 434.5 (H:143/R:145/C:146.5) and earned $2,064.
YOUTH COW HORSE SPECTACULAR CHAMPION
Riley Friesen rode Peggy Cummings’ 2014 gelding Sweethearts Legacy (Cats Moonshine x A Docs Sweetheart x A Docs Special) to the win with a composite 433 (H:143/ R:143.5/C:146.5) to earn $560.
YOUTH COW HORSE RESERVE SPECTACULARCHAMPION
Will Lewis rode 2011 gelding Spookin Jay (Smart Spook x Ultra Jay x Master Jay), owned by his father William Lewis and bred by Rosanne Sternberg, with a 432 (H:139/ R:144.5/C:146.5) and earning a check for $420.
YOUTH BOXING SPECTACULAR RESERVE CHAMPION
Jubilee Stringfellow and Jills Last Bet (Bet Hesa Cat x Shiners Diamond Jill x Shining Spark), bred by Garth & Amanda Gardiner, to a 432.5 (H:143/R:144.5/C:145) and earned $425.
YOUTH BOXING SPECTACULAR CHAMPION
Taylor Allen and her 2012 gelding Shinen Metallic Cat (Metallic Cat x Winenshineme x Shining Spark) rode to a 434 (H:142.5/R:144.5/C:147) and earned $510.
OPEN TWO REIN SPECTACULAR RESERVE CHAMPION (TIE)
Chet Martin piloted Up North Performance Horse’s 2016 stallion One Time Up North (One Time Pepto x Our Special Kitten x High Brow Cat) to a composite 434 (H:143.5/ R:144.5/C:146) to earn $1,192.50.
OPEN TWO REIN SPECTACULAR RESERVE CHAMPION (TIE)
Clay Volmer and 2016 gelding Like Shine Wine (Shine Chic Shine x Ben Smokin Pine x Bueno Starlight), owned by Shaleah Hester, rode to a 434 (H:143/R:146/C:144.5) and $1,192.50 to tie.
NON PRO TWO REIN SPECTACULAR RESERVE CHAMPION
Sareece Brown rode Sixteen Carat Cat (Metallic Cat x All That N Cat x High Brow Cat),a 2016 mare bred and owned by Yellow Creek Ranch, to a 428.5 (H:146/R:144.5/C:139.5) and a check for $615.
