Good times! Colorado's new Reined Cow Horse Futurity was a success! For Futurity, Derby & Horse Show Results click here.
For complete futurity, derby and
horse show article by Rhoda Rein,
scroll down below the Calf Branding
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Looking for photos and video of the Castle Rock Western Spectacular?
Two charity fundraising events were held in conjunction with the Colorado Futurity show Nov.4-8 in Castle Rock, Colo. A total of $6,000 was raised from the calf branding and the celebrity cowhorse events to benefit Western Wishes charity and the new CRCA Youth Scholarship fund.
On Friday night, thirteen calf branding teams provided amazing entertainment while competing for the championship buckles. The four riders were all allowed to rope from horseback in the small square branding pen. They were to rope and brand four calves with a paint-dipped brand, simulating real ranching work.
It was a great display of roping, calf handling skill and real “spur of the moment” teamwork. The teams were named, sponsored, and then purchased through silent auction bidding. This really got the audience involved in cheering their favorite team.
The first team to rope (pictured above) was “Three Amigos and a Gringo.” That team was comprised of Francisco, Emilio, Pancho Vega and their gringo, Luke Lancaster. Sponsored by Lancaster’s Western Wear, they thrilled the audience by roping and branding their calves in 3 minutes and 38 seconds.
They held their lead until the last team swung their ropes. The team of Jeff Veitch, Aaron Ralston, Blue Allen and J.T. Schalla (pictured below) was sponsored by Coal Creek Ranch. With fast ropes swinging, calf straddling and brand handling hustle, they finished their work in 3 minutes and 30 seconds. They each won buckles and the team championship title.
The third place team named “Two Texans, A Spud, And A Cornhead,” also posted an incredibly fast time. Teammates Robbie Boyce, Justin Tolle, Jaton Lord and Matt Koch roped and branded four calves in 3 minutes and 42 seconds.
On Saturday night, celebrities, youth and professional riders formed four teams to entertain the crowd. Each rider was introduced and performed reining maneuvers and worked a single cow.
Celebrities included Ann Wegener, who rides the Denver Broncos mascot named Thunder; Charles Sampson, PRCA World Champion Bull Rider; Lisa Jordan, the Douglas County fair princess; President Barack Obama (aka Todd Thieszen) also made a special appearance within his busy schedule.
Riders were scored by judges Robbie Boyce and Wade Reaney. Points were totaled as a team while spectators cheered for the teams that they picked to win.
The winning team was made up of celebrity Charles Sampson, youth Brian Moore, cowhorse professional Cathy Coleman and western pleasure trainer Julian Nemmers.
The competition was close, the winning team collected 1149 points and the second place team earned 1144 points. They were celebrity President Obama, youth rider Donathon Archuleta, cowhorse professional Jim Cook and western pleasure trainer, Laurie Krause.
The Ross family made an appearance on behalf of the Western Wishes charity. Parents JD and Kathy Ross have two children, Garrett, age 10 and Jessi, age 8. JD and Garrett spoke to the audience about the assistance that they have received through the Western Wishes charity. he purpose of the charity is to provide benefit to people experiencing health problems who are involved with horses and livestock.
2009 Colorado Futurity Nov. 4-8, 2009
Douglas County Fairgrounds, Castle Rock, CO
Rhoda Rein 303/618-0749 or reinincow@aol.com Girls Rule, Boys Drool! When the dust settled after the fence work at the Nov. 4-8 Colorado reined cowhorse futurity, the cowgirls were standing first in line at the pay window collecting their prize money checks.
A collection of determined and talented females had their day in the aged events. Three ladies collected 43% of the $28,620 futurity purse. Anne Reynolds of King Hill, Idaho, won the open futurity champion and reserve champion titles. Jennifer Leiker of Lafayette, Colo., won the non pro futurity and amateur and Colorado owner/rider divisions. Carmen Buckingham of Bruneau, Idaho, was reserve non pro futurity champion.
In the derby division, three ladies collected 17% of the $26,840 payout. Angie Boyce of Jacksboro, Texas, won the non pro and amateur derby divisions. Jill Cook of Erie, Colo., won the limited open and novice horse derbies. Anne Reynolds placed fifth in the open derby. Handmade Gary Wiggins buckles were passed around to all champions and some reserve champions in the aged events.
Cathy Coleman of Gillette, Wyo., won the “trophy dash” when she marked the highest fence work score of the entire show riding her good mare, SHS Oui Oui Blanton. She will keep the Tom Wipplinger Memorial bronze traveling trophy until 2011.
Futurity
Anne Reynolds won the 19-entry open futurity riding her ranch raised stallion, Very Smart Magic. They won the high score in the herd and reined work to earn $5,456 in all.
“He is the first Very Smart Remedy foal out of Magical Lena to show,” said Reynolds, who won the Snaffle Bit Futurity non pro and around $180,000 riding Magical Lena.
“He has a special style and presence and is a phenomenal athlete,” said Reynolds. “I got him shown in the herd work here at Colorado the best that I have, even though I drew second to last.”
She claimed the reserve championship riding her dependable gelding, Shiney And Very Smart. They marked the second high scores also in the herd and reined work to earn $4,013 in all. He is by Very Smart Remedy out of Shirley Shine.
“He is good everywhere, a big stopper and cowy. I knew that he would be there for me,” said Reynolds, who recently won her fifth Snaffle Bit Futurity non pro championship riding him. Wade Reaney won the high score in the fence work, marking 147 points riding Brian Bott’s Smart Rem N Be.
Colorado cowgirl, Jennifer Leiker, took home championship buckles in the non pro futurity, amateur futurity and the Colorado owner/rider non pro divisions riding her mare, Starlight Latte, to earn $1976 in all. She is by Roosters Starlight out of Roadhouse Coffee. Her high score in the fence work earned her the non pro title, breaking the tie with reserve champion, Carmen Buckingham.
“I was so impressed with Carmen and her husband, Tom, that they rode their futurity horses in the calf branding on Friday night, wow,” said Leiker. “Also, this show is awesome, the facility is nice and having everything posted like the schedule, the draw and the paybacks is great.”
Buckingham posted the high marks in the herd and reined work riding her horse DMAC Hugh Heifer to earn $967 in all. “We all threw in and traveled together from Idaho for our last show of the year. It has been nice weather and great stalls at the facility, and the calf branding was fun,” said Buckingham.
Jack McComber, Rocky Ford, Colo., won the limited open futurity riding his gelding, Moonlit Chic. He is by Chic Please out of Fairlea Good Lookin.
“I like him so much, even though he is not as quick footed as some show horses, he is ideal for me because I can show him and use him for ranch work,” said McComber, who purchased him from Karen Murray this fall. “I haven’t shown in so long, it has been fun to show him, win some checks, and see all of my old friends again at the shows.”
Justin Tolle, Jacksboro, Texas, earned the reserve championship in the limited open futurity division riding Gun Slingin Suzana for owner John Lochow.
Monte Ricca won the Colorado owner/rider open futurity championship buckle riding his home raised blue roan gelding named Duals Blue Diamond. He is by Duals Blue Boon out of Diamond Little Dream, a mare that Ricca’s wife, Kristina, showed successfully in amateur reining and cowhorse events.
“I credit my vet for getting this horse on track, he had been weak on the cow work because he was hurting,” said Ricca. “I took him to Dr. David Wolfe in Farmington, and he is a different horse, he gives a hundred percent all the time now.”
Robbie Boyce won the novice horse open futurity division riding SCR Smart Jynna for owners Joe Paul and Shawna Nichols. Darren Miller was reserve champion in the colorado and the novice horse open futurity divisions riding Real Shiny Gun for owners Michael and Wanda Downey.
Steve Maertens, Big Horn, Wyo., was reserve champion in the amateur futurity riding his black mare, Reya Del Noche. He purchased her last fall during the NCHA sales from breeder Diel Hiner. Justin Hill was reserve champion in the Colorado owner/rider non pro futurity riding his ranch raised gelding, Cinnabars Quixote, out of Crowned Becky Jo, a granddaughter of Docs Okie Quixote.
Colorado cowboy, Lavert Avent, won the $1,000 limited futurity division riding Gallo Poco Cross for Robert Norris’ Tee Cross Ranch of Colorado Springs, Colo.
Derby Mike Miller won the open derby riding his dependable mare, Bucks Genuine Fever. He earned $4,752 for the win, putting her cowhorse earnings over the $85,000 mark.
“The club here does such a good job, this is a really nice show,” said Miller. “I am so glad that there are derbies to show in and that they have good added money and lots of entries these days. It used to be that after the futurity there was no opportunity to win money in the cowhorse.”
The husband/wife team of Robbie andAngie Boyce enjoyed a great show in Colorado. Angie won the non pro and amateur derby divisions riding Grays Fancy Twist. Robbie took the reserve title, third and fourth place positions in the open derby. He earned $7,181 in all, representing 40% of the $17,600 total open derby purse.
His reserve champion was the 4-year-old gray gelding, Itsnaudacat. “He was also good last year, a finalist at Reno and placed this spring at the Circle Y Derby,” said Boyce. He placed third riding Lyle Lovett’s Nic It In The Shiney to earn $2,394 and also they won the drawing for a $100 gas gift card that the show drew from all pre-entries. He placed fourth riding Wendell and Peggy Cumming’s paint mare, Smartlittlevalentine.
Angie Boyce won two buckles and $1,871 in her second show aboard the 4-year-old gelding owned by her parents, Bink and Karen Sherman of Big Horn, Wyo., who were at the show to enjoy the win. Robbie and Angie met while working for Matt and Leslie Day in Bend, Ore. They have been married ten years and have a daughter, Shayla, 7, and son, Brody, 3.
Idaho cowboy Jim Barton was reserve champion in the non pro derby riding his horse, Hickory Jewels. Mitch Guerreri was reserve champion in the 12-entry amateur derby division riding Gay Bar Rooster.
Jill Cook won the limited and novice horse open derby divisions riding her gelding, Hes Got Classy Socks, earning $1,637 in all.
“I knew that I would be busy helping my non pro riders and help run the show, so I considered just leaving him at home since I own him,” said Cook, who scored 148 points down the fence to earn her victory. “I am sure glad that I changed my mind.”
Jeff Veitch was reserve champion in the 16-entry limited open derby riding Smarty Boonlight for Coal Creek Ranch. “We worked three cows in the fence work, and she tried hard and showed a lot of heart, being tired and marking a 143,” said Veitch.
Sterling Slemp and Darren Miller tied for reserve honors in the novice horse derby. Slemp showed his horse, Hickorys Happy Jack. Miller showed Diggers Spinin Cat for owners Tom and Evelyn Monckton.
Ancillary Classes he show offered seven divisions of bridle spectacular classes. It was the first time to offer a non pro limited division and it drew the most entries. Christa Guerreri won both non pro and $5,000 non pro limited classes riding Whiskeys Starlight.
Two sets of ancillary classes were held and the show awarded handmade Gary Wiggins buckle to the overall class winners. Blue Allen won the open bridle and Christa Guerreri won the non pro and $5,000 non pro limited buckles aboard Whiskeys Starlight.
David Dillman won the limited open riding Doc Acres Reward. Todd Thieszen won the non pro bridle riding Nics Little Peppy. Conrad Swanson won the intermediate non pro buckle riding LM Typical Shadow. Don Stewart won the novice non pro buckle riding Hickorys Lil Playboy.
The youth bridle buckle went to Mason Vickerman riding Shes Cool Cash. Donathon Archuleta won the youth limited buckle riding his mare, Boonlights Misty. In the hackamore division, Tim Unzicker won the open buckle riding Hailn Magic Diamonds. Shane Brown won the limited riding Itsgoodtobeapepto. Bill Tointon won the non pro class riding Cinnabars J Jay.
Tricia Leone won the open two rein riding Whiskey On My Breath. Dan Weiss won the non pro two rein riding Lil Caliente Pepper.
