17 minute read
It’s All Gravy
Debbie Crafton’s fourth fence run was the highest scoring, taking her and Biscuits R Smokin to the 2022 Champion title in the Non Pro Snaffle Bit Futurity®, presented by Metallic Cat.
T’S ALL GRAVYI
Debbie Crafton and Biscuits R Smokin rose to the top of the Non Pro Snaffle Bit Futurity® Finals to add another Champion title to the Colorado rider’s résumé.
Story by Kate Bradley Byars Photos by Primo Morales
On Friday, October 21, Debbie Crafton piloted four of the 18 horses in the Non Pro Finals for the 2022 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity®, presented by Metallic Cat. Aboard 2019 mare Biscuits R Smokin (Hickory Holly Time x IC The Biscuits x Dual R Smokin), bred by Bobby Lewis, Crafton earned a 659 composite, topping not only her other entries but also the entire field to take home the Champion title and a $40,000 payday.
“This is what we work for,” Crafton, who also won the 2020 Non Pro Snaffle Bit Futurity, said. “I love 3-year-olds and the Derby horses, that is my comfort place. I am used to riding all these and it is a mindset to go and do my job as a rider. [The adrenaline] kind of carries you. There was a moment where I felt like I could use a cup of coffee, but I knew as soon as I got back up [to the arena] I could get back to it.”
With five horses to pilot in the Non Pro preliminary rounds, Crafton made 15 runs before the Thursday herd work Finals, where she rode four times, then another eight rides on Friday in the rein and cow works. Her final cow work was aboard “Biscuit,” and it finally all came together how Crafton had envisioned it would when practicing at home.
“For me, I am always pushing myself to be all I can be, that is why I showed four,” she said. “The others, I felt like I made mistakes as a rider so on Biscuit, I played out the runs in my mind that I do at home—position, focus on the cow—and I laid out a classic run with two big turns, got out and got circled. That was a good cow with some feel. That mare can really run, and I have a lot of confidence in her and she was spot on. I was so proud of her.”
2022 NRCHA NON PRO SNAFFLE BIT FUTURITY® TOP TEN
Fort Worth, Texas – October 6-22, 2022 Rider/Horse/Pedigree/Owner/Score/Money 1. Debbie Crafton; Biscuits R Smokin; 19M (Hickory Holly Time x IC The Biscuits x Dual R Smokin); Debbie Crafton; 659 (H:216.5/R:218/C:224.5); $40,000. 2 (TIE). Abbie Phillips; Purdy Talker; 19M (Purdy Boy Flash x Money Talks Smart x Smart Mate); Kelby Phillips; 652 (H:218.5/R:217/C:216.5); $20,000. 2 (TIE). Sophia Buttars; Dollar Signs; 19M (Hickory Holly Time x Wright About Now x Lenas Wright On); Sophia Buttars; 652 (H:217.5/R:219.5/C:215); $20,000. 4. Tammy Jo Hays; Show With Style; 19S (Smooth Talkin Style x Smart Kitty RG x High Brow Cat); Walter Greeman & Tammy Hays; 650 (H:215/R:219/C:216); $12,904.10. 5. Cody Halford; WCR Who Spooked It; 19G (Shine N Spook x Whiz Dun A Creme x Who Whiz It); Jessica Halford; 649 (H:210/R:221/C:218); $9,678.08. 6. Myles Brown; Oh Cay Lette Rey; 19S (Lenas Telesis x Lette x Oh Cay Quixote); Myles Thomas Brown; 648.5 (H:216/R:220/C:212.5); $7,742.46. 7. Debbie Crafton; SJR Diamond Luna; 19M (CD Diamond x SJR Smooth Gina x Smooth As A Cat); Debbie Crafton; 648 (H:211/R:216/C:221); $6,452.05. 8 (TIE). Brent Ratliff; Seven S Red Hot; 19G (Stevie Rey Von x Seven S Wild Flower x Nic It In The Bud); Brent Ratliff; 644 (H:213/R:215/C:216); $4,731.51. 8 (TIE). Cynthia Bias; Bet N On The Oak E; 19M (Bet Hesa Cat x Annie Oak E x Olena Oak); Roger & Cynthia Bias; 644 (H:211/R:217.5/C:215.5); $4,731.51. 8 (TIE). Cody Halford; The Gamblerr; 19G (Bet Hesa Cat x CDS Catolena Cash x ); Jessica Halford; 644 (H:213/ R:216/C:215); $4,731.51. 11 (TIE). Debbie Crafton; SJR Kinda Caddy; 19G (Smooth As A Cat x Sumkinda PinkCadilac x Peptoboonsmal); Debbie Crafton; 643 (H:213/R:215.5/C:214.5); $3,226.03. 11 (TIE). Lanham Brown; RAB SmartKittyCat; 19M (WR This Cats Smart x Sparks Smart x Genuine Masterpiece); RA Brown Ranch; 643 (H:216.5/R:213/C:213.5); $3,226.03.
Crafton and the mare scored a 224.5, the high score of the Non Pro Finals. Aboard San Juan Ranch-bred 2019 mare SJR Diamond Luna (CD Diamond x SJR Smooth Gina x Smooth As A Cat), Crafton also rode to the second-high cow work score of 221 to finish in seventh place. Crafton’s SJR Kinda Caddy (Smooth As A Cat x Sumkinda PinkCadilac x Peptoboonsmal), also bred by San Juan Ranch, finished tied for 11th place. The 2019 gelding is a full brother to the 2018 stallion SJR SumKindaRockstar that Crafton showed to win the 2022 Non Pro Hackamore Classic, presented by Oswood Stallion Station.
“[SJR] Kinda Caddy is by Smooth As A Cat and SJR Diamond Luna is out of a daughter of Smooth As A Cat. Clearly, I get along with Smooth As A Cat’s pretty well,” Crafton said. “They seem to really fit me and are really good-minded horses. Coming into it, [I felt like] SJR Diamonds Luna and Biscuits R Smokin are the two I knew were capable of winning it. The other two I knew were sure enough finalists, but those two could win it. Going into this thing, in the prelims Biscuit held really steady. I felt very confident going into the Finals.”
While Crafton bested a Non Pro field of 21 riding for a $150,923.27 purse, for her, it was hanging out with her second family.
“The love of this sport,” she said. “I love the people here! All these people here are my family. I have my family at home, but I love these people and this sport. It is just an amazing sport.”
There was a tie for the Reserve Champion title, and two best friends shared it happily. Sophia Buttars of Snowville, Utah, rode 2019 mare Dollar Signs (Hickory Holly Time x Wright About Now x Lenas Wright On) to a composite 652 (H:217.5/R:219.5/C:215) to earn her share of the second place check at $20,000. That score also landed her atop the Intermediate Non Pro to earn an additional $10,000, as well as the Limited Non Pro for another $4,000.
Tying with a 652 (H:218.5/ R:217/C:216.5), Abbie Phillips, of Weatherford, Texas, and Purdy Talker (Purdy Boy Flash x Money Talks Smart x Smart Mate), bred by Beechfork Ranch and owned by Kelby Phillips, also earned $20,000. Following the event, the past Non Pro Futurity Champion said that the joy of sharing the title with her friend was a much larger reward.
Complete results from preliminary and Finals rounds in all Non Pro divisions are available at nrcha.com.
INTERMEDIATE NON PRO, LIMITED NON PRO
Usually when Sophia Buttars is cheering, it is because her friends or her husband are making a heck of a run. But on Friday, October 21, she was cheering her own fence run on her own horse, Dollar Signs, in the Non Pro Finals at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity®, presented by Metallic Cat. Those cheers carried into the night as Buttars was named coReserve Champion in the Non Pro, and the Champion in both the Intermediate and Limited Non Pro divisions.
“This is my sixth Futurity horse since my first in 2010. Every day that I swing my leg over my horse, that is what I wanted, to be a Futurity Champion,” she said. “When it happened for Abbie [Phillips] last year, I thought it was so awesome and that someday it would be my day. If you do it enough, someday it will happen for you. Keep entering and stay good in your mind and on track— don’t doubt yourself—because there are so many variables in this event. I’d tell myself, just keep trying because eventually it will happen for you!”
Yet, it almost didn’t. In June, Buttars had her NRCHA professional husband, Brandon, ride the mare because she felt Dollar Signs was an Open-caliber competitor. He agreed. Throughout the Futurity, Buttars offered to scratch the Non Pro levels if that was best for the mare to compete in the Open with Brandon in the saddle.
“My mindset going into this show was that if he made the Open Finals,
I was going to scratch for the good of my horse,” Buttars recalled. “We got the draw and found out we both drew up the same day in the preliminaries to go down the fence. Those are two hard runs in one day for any horse. He was five sets before me, and I told him that if he made it [to the Finals], I would gladly skip to the office and scratch. But he told me that she was fine and talked me into showing her. I made the Non Pro Finals and ended up being fifth—it was the craziest!”
That trend of both Buttars having solid runs lasted until Brandon’s cow work, when the mare slipped. When it was all said and done, Buttars belief that trying hard and staying the cow horse course held strong, and she has several gold buckles to prove it.
Riding a 2019 mare she wasn’t supposed to add to she and husband Brandon Buttars’ barn, she checked off her biggest goal and earned $20,000 in the Non Pro, $10,000 to win the Intermediate and another $4,000 in the Limited. Plus, her American Paint Horse Associationregistered horse tied for the high score to earn $650 in the Chrome Cash. The mare more than lived up to her name.
“I’ve never had a 3-year-old as honest and consistent, no matter a Non Pro or Open on her,” Buttars said. “She makes the same run every time. I can’t say enough about her. We’ve never had a horse like her before, ever!”
LEVEL 1 NON PRO
In 2022, Kyle Birkenfeld made his third attempt at earning a title at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, and this time, he captured the win. Aboard his 2019 gelding TAMU Bettin A Dual (Bet Hesa Cat x TAMU A Dualin Reina x Aggies Twelfth Man), bred by TAMU Department of Animal Science, Birkenfeld rode a 634.5 (H:205/R:212.5/C: 217) to earn $7,500.
The Texas A&M University graduate and former member of the Stock Horse Team became familiar with the university’s breeding program while at school.
“We tried the first ones from A&M while I was in college. We went through a few others and they get some neat donated breedings,” he recalled. “This mare [TAMU A Dualin Reina] had produced a little bit of cow horse earnings, and my little brother was down there looking through the horses and picked this one out.”
Since day one when the yearling joined the family ranch near Nazareth, Texas, he wanted to be good, says Birkenfeld.
“When he first [got to us] he was pretty small, but now he’s a leggy horse and really grew up,” said the 32-year-old. “From day one, he wanted to be good, soft and hold a pretty frame, and I never had many bad days on him.”
That trend continued into the show in Fort Worth, where their scores landed atop the field of Level 1 Non Pro competitors. Now, Birkenfeld will aim at another futurity before planning for derby events on the gelding.
“My horse, like every other one I’ve taken down there, had strong and weak points but I thought that I had a horse that was maybe the best all-around horse I’ve taken,” Birkenfeld said. “I felt I had a good fence horse. You just have to prepare the best you can and find out what you have at the show. He rose to the occasion for me.”
NON PRO BOXING
Vanessa Stevens and homebred and trained 2019 gelding All That Shine (All That Boon x Circle N Shine x Nu Circle N Cash) took the title after breaking the a tie going into the cow work. With a 638 (H:213/R:207.5/C:217.5) “Circle” helped Stevens to check off a big goal and also earn $7,500.
“This was the first time I showed at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, but I had shown in Reno last year and Idaho the year before,” she said. “I did the preFuturity and also in Reno, so my goal was to ride him better here than I did before. My goal is always to fix my mistakes. We were tied going in, and it broke with the cow work. I didn’t know I had won! We were pretty far down going into [the cow work], so I was elated. My horse is super good on a cow and I just had to be smart. I’m honored to have won it.”
Stevens, who along with her husband, Charles, bred the gelding on their S C Ranch located on the island of Hawaii, brought this gelding over to their Turning Point Ranch in Ventura County, California, when he was a 2-year-old. However, when it came time for their biggest event, Stevens came to the Fort Worth show without her husband— Charles.
“One of the challenging things about this show was that my husband couldn’t be there but had to be in Hawaii doing cattle work. Jake Gorrell helped me out during the show,” she said.
The couple are ranching heritage breeders that own her 2019 gelding’s parents, All That Boon and Circle N Shine. The pair’s score also put them atop other American Quarter Horse Association Ranching Heritage Bred entries for the award.
LEVEL 1 NON PRO BOXING
First time Snaffle Bit Futurity competitor Tara Carter hit a home run with This Cats Shiny (WR This Cats Smart x Shiners Little Rita x Shining Spark). As a yearling, she and husband Trevor Carter first passed on purchasing the horse in the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Sales®, but wound up with the horse in their barn for training.
“I feel like he probably picked us! He caught our eye and we also liked the he was [AQHA Ranching] Heritage Bred, but we decided not to buy a horse,” she recalled. “That night at the Finals, Tripp
Townsend introduced us to Spencer Duke and he said he just bought a horse that he would like to send [Trevor] for training—it was the same horse!”
When the opportunity to purchase “Shiny” came along, the Carters jumped on it.
“We decided to enter him in the Futurity so he didn’t get put on the backburner, but we didn’t want to pressure him down the fence, so I showed him,” explained Tara. “He performed so well, we bought a slot for the Open.”
The 2019 stallion, bred by Michelle Cannon, did double duty with Trevor showing in the Intermediate Open to make the Finals and Tara in the Boxing. With Tara in the saddle, the pair earned the Level 1 Non Pro Boxing win with a 632 (H:213/R:204/C:215) to take home a check for $850.
“Trevor coached me on other horses, but I didn’t ride Shiny much so that I could stay out of the way of his development,” she said. “He is the kind of horse that will do well and we can continue showing. We are fairly new to this sport, so we want to have a horse of our own entered so we can get experience under our belts. It makes sure we are always learning more so we can be better for all the horses in our barn. We look forward to showing him so he gets better, we get better and then he is ultimately better for our kids to ride!”
NON PRO FUTURITY RESERVE CHAMPION (TIE), INTERMEDIATE NON PRO CHAMPION, LIMITED NON PRO CHAMPION, NON PRO CHROME CASH CHAMPION (TIE), SALE INCENTIVE HIGH SCORING HORSE
Sophia Buttars and Dollar Signs (Hickory Holly Time x Wright About Now x Lenas Wright On), a 2019 mare, scored a 652 (H:217.5/R:219.5/C:215) to earn multiple titles at the 2022 Non Pro Snaffle Bit Futurity®, presented by Metallic Cat. The pair’s score was highest among horses sold through the Western Bloodstock NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Sales® , earning the incentive check of $11,826.
NON PRO RESERVE CHAMPION (TIE)
With a 652 (H:218.5/R:217/C:216.5), Abbie Phillips, of Weatherford, Texas, and Purdy Talker (Purdy Boy Flash x Money Talks Smart x Smart Mate), bred by Beechfork Ranch and owned by Kelby Phillips, earned $20,000 for tying for Reserve Champion.
INTERMEDIATE NON PRO RESERVE CHAMPION, LIMITED NON PRO RESERVE CHAMPION, GELDING INCENTIVE
Cody Halford rode 2019 gelding WCR Who Spooked It (Shine N Spook x Whiz Dun A Creme x Who Whiz It), owned by Jessica Halford and bred by Marsha Halcrow, to a 649 (H:214/ R:219/C:219). For the Intermediate, the pair earned $8,000, in the Limited an additional $3,034.24, and for the Gelding Incentive another $2,512.
LEVEL 1 NON PRO CHAMPION
Kyle Birkenfeld and his 2019 gelding TAMU Bettin A Dual (Bet Hesa Cat x TAMU A Dualin Reina x Aggies Twelfth Man), bred by TAMU Department of Animal Science, rode to the win with a 634.5 (H:205/R:212.5/C: 217) to earn $7,500.
LEVEL 1 NON PRO RESERVE CHAMPION
Aboard Peptos Nine Three (Sweet Peptos Promise x Little Lindas Dually x Dual Pep), a 2019 gelding bred by the Daube Company and owned by Shannon and Ronda Hall, Whitney Hall rode to a 631.5 (H:205/R:200.5/C:215.5) to earn $6,000.
SELECT NON PRO CHAMPION
Eric Freitas rode his 2019 gelding Nacho Librey (WR This Cats Smart x Reylishious x Dual Smart Rey), bred by Gloria Brigantino, to the win with a 640.5 (H:217/R:214.5/C:209) to earn $120.
SELECT NON PRO RESERVE CHAMPION
Danny Poole bred and owns 2019 gelding My Last Dollar (Mamas Money Talks x Sweet Stylish Girl x One Stylish Pepto). The pair scored a 598 (H:190.5/R:198.5/C:190.5) to earn $80 and the reserve title in the division.
Breeder Sponsors
NON PRO CHROME CASH CHAMPION (TIE)
Debbie Crafton and 2019 mare SJR Diamond Luna (CD Diamond x SJR Smooth Gina x Smooth As A Cat) tied with the high preliminary score of 648 to earn $650 for the Chrome Cash Incentive through the American Paint Horse Association.
NON PRO RANCHING HERITAGE BRED CHAMPION
RAB SmartKittyCat (WR This Cats Smart x Sparks Smart x Genuine Masterpiece), a 2019 mare bred and owned by the RA Brown Ranch, was the high-scoring American Quarter Horse Association Ranching Heritage Bred horse in the Non Pro Snaffle Bit Futurity with a 652.5 with Lanham Brown in the saddle.
Vanessa Stevens and 2019 gelding All That Shine (All That Boon x Circle N Shine x Nu Circle N Cash), bred and owned by S C Ranch Co Inc., took the title with a 638 (H:213/ R:207.5/C:217.5) to earn $7,500. The pair’s score also put them atop other American Quarter Horse Association Ranching Heritage Bred entries for the award.
NON PRO BOXING RESERVE CHAMPION
With a 638 (H:209 /R:214.5 /C:214.5), Laney Fjelstad rode 2019 gelding Unbelevabley Shiney (Dont Stopp Believin x Shiney Attire x Shining Spark), bred by WW Ranch LLC and owned by Kenneth Schueller, to reserve and $6,500.
LEVEL 1 NON PRO BOXING CHAMPION
Tara Carter and This Cats Shiny (WR This Cats Smart x Shiners Little Rita x Shining Spark), a 2019 stallion owned by Carter Ranch Horse and bred by Michelle Cannon, earned the win with a 632 (H:213/R:204/C:215) to take home a check for $850.
LEVEL 1 NON PRO BOXING RESERVE CHAMPION
Gary Hawkes rode his 2019 gelding Sendin Smoke Signals (Siagla Rey x Shes Dualn Fine x Kit Dual), bred by Jose Isidro Sigala, to a 626 (H:210 /R:208 /C:208) to earn $700.
SELECT NON PRO BOXING CHAMPION, NON PRO BOXING CHROME CASH CHAMPION
Deb McCandless rode Bet Hesa Cowboy II (Bet Hesa Cat x Cowgirl Curly x Smart Little Lena), a 2019 gelding bred by David and Kathy Locker and owned with Harry McCandless, to the wins with a 618 composite. She earned $50 for the Select and an additional $500 in the Chrome Cash Incentive.
