TRIUMPHANT RETURN The Canadian Spectacular committee worked through tricky times to ensure a quality aged cutting event was once again, hosted in Canada and paid out over $177,000 to competitors. BY JENN WEBSTER PHOTOS BY KRYSTINA LYNN PHOTOGRAPHY
The third annual MTE Logistix Canadian Spectacular returned this past September 21-26, 2021, to Silverslate Arena near Nanton, AB. The cutting horse limited aged event had its challenges in making its comeback this year, but with an increased payout and a boatload of happy contestants, the 2021 edition of the show was a triumphant success. Show organizer Connie Cicoria of Calgary, AB, relays that considering the very strict regulations they were put under this year, it was amazing how well the event did. Challenges included finding double-vaccinated judges and requiring contestants to show proof of vaccination or negative Covid-19 tests, prior to exiting their vehicles and entering the facility. The show committee worked diligently prior to the event and during the event dates to keep people showing and having fun, keep cutting alive in Canada in 2021 and offer a place for limited aged horses to show. It was not without personal sacrifice, however. After realizing how difficult it would be to find appropriate judges, Cicoria had to ask her own trainer to card the aged event portion of the show. That meant her own family’s horses would not be allowed to compete. “We told everyone, the show must go on!” says Cicoria. “So that’s what we did.” In addition to the aged classes, the Canadian Spectacular show committee made the decision to host a weekend event this year as well. The weekend classes were National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA), Alberta Cutting Horse Association (ACHA) and Canadian Cutting Horse Association (CCHA) approved. There were two shows hosted over two days that offered lower entry fees
Johnny Lukacs and Reybellious and jackpot classes – and aggregate coolers sponsored by Robin Hay, were provided to all the champions. All in all, the 2021 show was a victory, at a time when producing a western performance event wasn’t easy. The following are our interviews with some of the show’s biggest winners.
OPEN FUTURITY CHAMPIONS Johnny Lukacs & Reybelious
The Open Futurity, sponsored by the Lorrnel Group saw Johnny Lukacs of Olds, AB, ride Reybelious to the win. Sired by Metallic Rebel and out of What the Hal, this little mare better known as “Lilly” has had a great year. “I bought her from Charlotte Christensen as a long yearling,” says Lukacs. “I started her in January of her two-year-old year and she was a little firecracker at the beginning – she liked to run off! She has always been a
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pleaser, nice to be around, always waiting at the gate to be caught, even after she had a bad day.” Lukacs said he had feeling the mare was special, still, he feels blessed considering how Lilly’s three-year-old year panned out. “It was pretty incredible to pull off the win and then make finals in Calgary as well!” he says. “I’m fortunate to say I have competed in all of the first three years of the Canadian Spectacular – it has been an absolute asset to the cutting horse industry in Canada. I can’t say enough about Connie, Andy, Robin and anyone else who put in a whole lot of time and effort to make such a fantastic show!” Lilly’s first showing was in Ponoka, AB, at the Black Elk Fall Classic however, she was star-struck under the bright lights at that event. But her first run at the Spectacular was solid, and the pair marked
