OPEN BRIDLE

Reyzinette & Chris Dawson for Holy Cow Performance Horses TX LLC

Reined Cow Horse News: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2022?

Chris Dawson: [Taking Reserve at the 2023 World’s Greatest Horseman] was probably the highlight of his[Reyzinette's] show career for the year, and then I actually qualified on the horse for The Run For A Million and tied for eighth place at the 2022 NRCHA DT Horses Western Derby. I’ve never been so excited to be tied for eighth place, and then we had the runoff and he really rose to the occasion there.

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

When Chris Dawson found out he and Reyzinette (Dual Rey x Sheza Shinette x Shining Spark) were sitting at the top of the leaderboard for the Open Bridle National title, he initially planned to haul the horse to a few more shows in the hope of securing the Championship. Then, he changed gears and decided to use Reyzinette for the High Brow Cat / Western Bloodstock / Hashtags World’s Greatest Horseman instead. Dawson figured he was giving up their shot at the year-end title, but he was pleasantly surprised when they ended up winning by a half-point.

“It’s a huge deal for those horses whose careers have lasted long enough to be a bridle horse,” Dawson said. “It speaks volumes for them.”

Reyzinette, a 2014 stallion, was originally trained by Phillip Ralls, and Dawson got him as a derby horse. Since then, the pair has accomplished a lot together as they moved up into the bridle. Dawson credited owner and breeder Nancy Crawford of Holy Cow Performance Horses TX LLC for giving them the support they needed through the years to become successful.

“It’s such a treat to ride horses for Nancy,” Dawson said. “She puts forth the effort and the finances and has the patience with a lot of these horses to see them through.”

CD: Once I figured out I was probably going to use him for the World’s Greatest Horseman, I figured I’m probably not going to hold on [to the National title], because someone will probably get me at the World Show, so I kind of gave up on it. It was a tough call, but we opted for the World’s Greatest and it worked out.

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

CD: He’s so darn consistent. He doesn’t take much schooling. You can pretty much cruise him through runs and mark two, two-and-a-half on him in the reining without really having to ask him for very much. That’s kind of how we end up doing it. Those are kind of my schooling runs. He doesn’t really make me go off pattern. I think that lends itself to these lovely, little pleasant surprises because you kind of just ease around and keep him good, let him pull checks, and next thing you know, lots of little checks have added up to some big checks.

Limited Open Bridle

Blu Boon Shining & Jed Lawrence for Jerry & Erica Kenney

Reined Cow Horse News: What was your most memorable NRCHA show moment in 2022?

Jed Lawrence: When I won the Limited Open Bridle at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity® on him this year, that was the highlight. That was really cool. We did quite a bit of winning this year. This was his first bridle year, and he came out just awesome in the bridle.

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

JL: The biggest challenge was just, as much as we were hauling, making sure he stayed happy, that we didn’t sour him out and overshow him. We just tried to keep him happy and make sure he didn’t get to where he didn’t like to do that because he likes to go show.

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

Blu Boon Shining (Once In A Blu Boon x Azucar De Munyeca x Cats Merada), a 2016 gelding, has been with trainer Jed Lawrence since he was 2 years old. That made their Limited Open Bridle National title even more special for the horseman, who lost his stepdad in June of 2022.

“It’s special to win it, just a little something for him,” Lawrence said. “We barely skimmed by. I think we were 51 points down coming into the World show. We ended up getting like 54 points for taking fifth. I thought we were going to be too far out, but apparently it was just enough. Everything just fell into place.”

Lawrence thanked his family, including his wife, Sarah, daughter, Zoey, and his mom, Erica Kenney, who owns Blu Boon Shining, for supporting him as he hauled for the title. He thinks he’ll slow down this year, rather than trying for another year-end title, but he still has big goals with the horse.

“I would like to go try that qualifier for The Run For A Million,” Lawrence said. “I don’t know if he’s good enough or not, but I would like to try that, and then the World’s Greatest [Horseman] is a goal next year.”

JL: He’s a great fence horse and a big turning horse, always has been. He’s really smart-footed and doesn’t make any mistakes every step that he takes. He just knows where his feet are.