NRCHA Stallion Stakes Champions Announced

Six set of finalists put on a show worthy of the Las Vegas lights on Saturday, April 3, at the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center for the 2021 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open and Non Pro Finals!

The event saw riders of all levels compete in reined cow horse classes in three arenas at the South Point. It was a record number of entries this year, and while a large show, the cow horse family spirit was still as evident as ever. On Saturday afternoon, NRCHA professional Shadd Parkinson, of Scottsdale, Arizona, donned an Easter Bunny suit to entertain the youngest of our youth enthusiasts during an egg hunt immediately before the Finals began.

Though there were minimal bodies in the stands due to COVID-19 restrictions in place in the state of Nevada, every seat emptied when cow crew boss Lloyd Faria carried the American flag to John Wayne’s classic “America, Why I Love Her.” NRCHA member Lexi Kastanis sang the National Anthem to kick of the Finals and that uplifted spirit carried into the Non Pro, and then Open, rein work.

The night wrapped with the crowd favorite fence work. In addition to awarding the horse, rider and horse’s owner, the NRCHA Stallion Stakes pays an incentive to the stallion owner that subscribed to the NRHA Subscribed Stallion Program.

The Stallion Stakes has $198,970 in added money for the events. Horses entered in the limited age event must be sired by stallions nominated into the NRCHA Subscribed Stallion program.

Open Stallion Stakes Champion

Winning $43,789.40 as your 2021 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Derby Open Champion is Erin Taormino riding Linda Mars’ 2016 stallion Hazardouz Material (Metallic Cat x Scooters Daisy Dukes x Dual Smart Rey). The red roan and the Lipan, Texas, NRCHA professional scored a whopping 666.5 composite score to best the reserve horse and rider team by a halfpoint.

“I kept telling myself to work with what [cow] they kick out; work with what you get and that’s what I did,” she said of her fence run. “That cow was good and my horse felt phenomenal.”

Receiving the win was emotional for Taormino, whose son joined her in the saddle for her dirt floor interview with Russell Dilday after the event. She was brought to tears discussing her support system.

“I couldn’t do it without them, they’re amazing people. They’re the reason I can do this,” Taormino said through tears. “My family hasn’t been able to come down from Canada [because of COVID-19] my friends, my family, I have the best support system in the world.”

Yesterday, Friday, April 2, Taormino rode the stallion to a 218.5 in the herd work. In the Finals rein work a 224 and a matching 224 down the fence carried the win. There were big scores during the four sets of cow work, but it was Hazardouz Material who saved a show for near to the end of the night, with his go in the fourth set.

The Stallion Stakes champion sire, Metallic Cat, receives $3,500 from the Subscribed Stallion Incentive and a C.R. Morrison NRCHA trophy.

In reserve was Saddling At Sunrise (WR This Cats Smart x Sunshine Ingredient x Mr Sun O Lena), a 2016 stallion owned by the Burnett Ranches LLC, winning $32,263.66 for the title with Kelby Phillips, of Weatherford, in the saddle. Their composite score of 666 (Herd 219 / Rein 221.5 /Cow 225.5) included the high cow score of the night. Phillips was reserve and third place in the Finals.

The sire of the reserve champion, WR This Cats Smart, receives $2,000 from the Subscribed Stallion Program incentive.

The Intermediate Open was worth $70,416.71. Ryan Gallentine rode One Ata Time (One Time Pepto x Hip Hip Sue Rey) to a 655.0 composite to win the NRCHA Stallion Stakes Intermediate Open worth $13,379.18 payday. The 2017 stallion is owned by Steve Mattson and bred by Flag Ranch, LLC.

Tyson Benson rode Back In The Blue (Metallic Cat x Shinin Melody) also to a 655.0 composite to lose the tie-breaker and take Reserve and a check for $9,506.26. The 2016 Stallion is owned by Ken and Renee Jones and was bred by Jim Cogdell.

The Limited Open had a total purse of $19,204.56. Veronica Swales rode Desires Sweet Pepto (Sweet Lil Pepto x Desires Lil Scoot) to take the top spot in the NRCHA Stallion Stakes Limited Open. Riding to a 648.0 composite, the win for owner Robin Morrison was worth $5,377.28. The 2016 Stallion was bred by Leea Arnold and Dudley Caraway.

With a 644.5 composite, Tripp Townsend rode his TRR Lucky Brazos (Pepcid x TRR Ms Lucky Gun) to the Reserve spot, earning $4,225.00. The 2016 Stallion was bred by Tongue River Ranch.

Non Pro Stallion Stakes Champion

Hope Mills riding A Gritty Kitty (Chiquita Cat x Scooters Daisy Dukes x Dual Smart Rey) topped a deep Non Pro field of talented horses and riders to capture the 2021 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Non Pro Derby Champion title. Mills and the 2017 mare scored a 653.5 (Herd 217/Rein 216.5/Cow 220) for the win and a $8,207.55 payday.

Having only purchased the mare right before the Celebration of Champions in February, Mills brought her to the Stakes as a trial run. To say A Gritty Kitty passed the test is an understatement.

“This is our first big horse show together, so I am super happy that everything worked out,” Mills said. “She is super special because she gives me so much and tries so hard. We are still trying to get meshed together. My expectations weren’t high because we are getting to know each other. She just gave it all to me.”

Coincidentally, A Gritty Kitty was shown by Erin Taormino as a 3-year-old, and is a half-sister to the Open Champion, sharing a dam in Scooters Daisy Dukes.

Mills has a lot more confidence going into their next big event, the DT Horses Western Derby in June, she said. The stallion nominator for Chiquita Cat receives a C.R. Morrison NRCHA trophy and $1,500 from the NRCHA Subscribed Stallion Program Incentive.

Non Pro Reserve Champion Julia Winders also rode to the Intermediate Non Pro Champion title aboard Dual Smarty (Dual Smart Rey x Cats Gabriella Acre x Cats Merada), a 2017 stallion.

For the 648 (Herd 217.5/Rein 218.5/ Cow 212) that finished reserve, Winders pockets $6,556.04 plus an additional $3,630.26 for the Intermediate win. Siring the Reserve Champion is Dual Smart Rey, whose nominator receives $1,000 from the Subscribed Stallion Program.

Tammy Jo Hays rode Play Rey Sugar Baby (Kit Kat Sugar x Lil Play Rey) to the Reserve with a 646 composite to earn $2,841.08. The 2016 mare was owned by Walter Greeman and Tammy Hays and bred by Russ Mothershead. The Novice Non-Pro title was awarded to Gianna Hansen on her homebred Shiney Nickel (Smart Boons x Nic A Shiner). The 645.0 winning composite was worth $1,578.38. The reserve title went to Danielle Quinn and Whenever Wherever (Smart Luck x Travalen Easter) with a composite of 639. Owned by D&S Performance Horses, the mare was bred by Jeffery Neidhart.

For complete results and to learn more about NRCHA visit www.NRCHA.com. 🎠