It’s A Tie for the NRBC Open Championship

An intense week of competition at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas, culminated Saturday, April 25. That’s when the top horses and riders from across the country competed in the Open Finals of the 2021 National Reining Breeders Classic, which kicked off April 18.

Dany Tremblay & Tinker With Dreams

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Dany Tremblay and Jason Vanlandingham both piloted their horses to scores of 228.5, tying for the win of the Open Level 4. With several more major events on the books for 2021, the two professionals elected to stay as Co-Champions. As the first horse out in the final set of Saturday night’s adrenaline-charged NRBC Open Classic Finals, Tinker With Dreams and Dany Tremblay held the approval of the crowd from start to finish to secure a dream win. The 7-year-old stallion sired by Tinker With Guns and out of This Chicsdundreamin is owned by Shane and Kalicia Walters of Diamond Dub Quarter Horses and was bred by Rhodes River Ranch.

Tremblay and Tinker With Guns, aka “Cilantro,” were awarded $62,500 to add to the stallion’s NRHA lifetime earnings coming into the NRBC of $194,000. Tremblay says the elite equine athlete absolutely rose to this prestigious occasion. “The last couple of days we really tuned up and he knew what we were here to do. He went into that pen and it was like he knew exactly what we were doing. He knows the sound of the crowd and he’s just a show horse,” said Tremblay.

Tremblay, a two-time NRBC Open Level 3 Champion, who has also won a Level 4 Reserve Championship, says it’s a great feeling to earn the ultimate crown. “I’m glad that I did it with Shane and Kalicia,” he said. “They are great customers. They are awesome.”

Jason Vanlandingham & A Vintage Smoke

NRHA Triple Crown winner A Vintage Smoke (A Sparkling Vintage x Lady Smoke Peppy x Mr Dual Pep) entered this evening’s Finals with the chance at becoming a two-time NRBC Open Classic Champion—and pulled it off. Ridden by NRHA $2 Million Dollar Rider Jason Vanlandingham, A Vintage Smoke set the pace at draw No. 26 with a masterful 228.5 performance that held through the 34-horse field.

Making a statement with their run-in entrance and endless sliding stop, A Vintage Smoke and Vanlandingham had the audience on the edge of their seats until the end. “Any time I go through the gate on that horse, the crowd is great,” said Vanlandingham. “And it was no exception tonight. They were behind us the whole way. When you have a special horse—and I heard them with Dany tonight, too—the crowd can really step up and I think the horses feed off of that energy. Definitely the great horses, they step their game another level when the crowd is that involved.”

A Vintage Smoke is owned by Diane Messmer of Colorado and was bred by Karl and Debbie Hapcic. The six-year-old black stallion added $62,500 tonight to his NRHA lifetime earnings coming into NRBC of $393,761.

The Other Champions

Gunny Mathison & Shes Reddy On Line

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Level 3 Open Classic Champions Gunny Mathison and Shes Reddy On Line stepped up in response to the electric atmosphere at this evening’s NRBC Open Classic Finals. Mathison and the 2016 mare, sired by Shine On Line and out of Guns R Reddy, owned and bred by Mary Jansma, were awarded $21,875 and a plethora of first-class awards thanks to their 225 score.

“I saw all the people in the crowd, and it just changes your perspective,” Mathison said of the increased confidence he felt after hitting his first stop on the run-in Finals pattern. “I ran in and stopped, and it felt good because she’s a great stopper. It felt amazing.”

The charismatic horseman, a Houston-area native, stepped up in response to performing in front of a hometown crowd, but says he knew he had to achieve a flawless performance in order to win the ultra-competitive Level 3 Open. He was pleasantly surprised to finish fifth in the Level 4 for $22,500. “I knew I could, but it feels good to pull it off once in a while,” he said. “The hardest part is staying focused enough just to get it done.” Eduardo Salgado and Isnt She Dreamy achieved a score of 219.5 to tie for the Level 2 Limited Open Classic championship. Owned by Renata Lemann, the five-year-old mare is by NRHA $6 Million Sire Magnum Chic Dream and out of Miss Silver Gun.

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“The run, I thought it was perfect,” said Salgado. “She is stopping so good. She gave it all to me tonight. “I have ridden her for two years. The mare wasn’t shown much before this. This is the first show to show hard, and I love her. She was amazing.”

Also marking a 219.5 in the Finals, was Leo Kellerman and Blazed By Magnum claiming the co-champion Level 2 Limited Open win, which paid 6,866. The NRBC is Kellerman’s second show with the 2016 stallion owned by Diane Yoder and bred by Holy Cow Performance Horses, Texas, LLC. After marking a 214.5 in the prelims, Kellerman called harder on the son of NRHA $6 Million Sire Magnum Chic Dream out of Blazed By Commander. “He was good both times [gos], we just ran a little faster this time.” The first-time NRBC Open finalist is enjoying the ride. “I really love it, it’s really fun. He’s a really special horse. He’s a big stopper and really good minded,” Kellerman said.

Lucio Pontes Casalecchi & Ruffed Up Spooks

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Capturing the NRBC Level 1 Open Classic win was Lucio Pontes Casalecchi riding Ruffed Up Spooks for owner Ixtul Quarter Horses, LLC. Ruffed Up Spooks and Casalecchi marked a 217.5 to win the division. Ruffed Up Spooks, sired by NRHA $2 Million Sire Spooks Gotta Gun and out of All Ruffed Up, is a 2016 stallion that was bred by Silver Spurs Equine.

Casalecchi and Ruffed Up Spooks also made the Level 2 Finals.

“I think he gave me everything he had,” Casalecchi said of the horse’s effort in the Finals. “He stopped really big, and it was all good. Ruffed Up Spooks is a five-year-old now and is a real consistent horse. I love him. I have been riding him for one year.”

Casalecchi is looking forward to the upcoming NRHA Derby and said he plans to stick the same winning strategy he employed here at NRBC.

Shawn Flarida & Americas Got Talent

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Emerging as the winner of the Open Classic Development Division with a score of 221 to earn $9,606 was NRHA $6 Million Rider Shawn Flarida and Americas Got Talent. Americas Got Talent, by NRHA $12 Million Sire Wimpys Little Step and out of Americasnextgunmodel, is a 2017 stallion owned by Marie H Whitmarsh and bred by Arcese Quarter Horses USA.

Americas Got Talent came to Flarida’s program in January. “He has an enormous amount of talent. This is the first time I’ve ever shown him. He circles amazing. What a fun horse,” said Flarida.

Flarida kept his win streak running hot when he Shawn Flarida topped the Prime Time Open Classic aboard Shine Colt & Americas Got Talent Shine with a 222. The fiveyear-old stallion is sired by Shine Chic Shine out of Gunners Miss Oak and is owned by Gaynia Revenberg and bred by Amabile & Strusiner. “This is a great horse and I’m just happy to be in this position,” Flarida said.