The final day of competition was deep at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center. On Sunday, August 30, the National Reined Cow Horse Association Stallion Stakes Open and Non Pro champions were crowned. They say it all comes down to the fence work and the Stakes Finals was no exception. Excitement filled the arena as Open and Non Pro posted large scores and took home over $500,000 in prize money.
In an elite field of horses and riders, it was Justin Wright, of Santa Maria, California, and Scooter Kat who topped the Stakes Open for the second year in a row. Scooter Kat (Kit Kat Sugar X Scooters Daisy Dukes X Dual Smart Rey) and Wright earned owner Eric Freitas $30,839 and the prestigious NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open championship title. The pair posted a 223 in the herd work, a 224.5 in the rein work and 221 down the fence, for a 668.5 composite.
Stakes Intermediate Open Champion
Erin Taormino and Hazardouz Material earned $24,030 and topped the Intermediate Open at the 2020 NRCHA Stallion Stakes with a 662.5 composite (219 herd/221.5 rein/222 cow). Hazardouz Material (Metallic Cat x Scooters Daisy Dukes x Dual Smart Rey), owned by Linda Mars, and Taormino also finished fourth place in the Open.
Stakes Limited Open Champion
MC Cowhammer and Trevor Carter captured their second NRCHA Stallion Stakes championship title. In 2019, they were crowned champions in the Limited Open. The pair returned to defend their title and won the 2020 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Limited Open with a 647.5 composite (218.5 herd/223 rein/2016 cow). Mc Cowhammer (Metallic Cat x GunSmart Gay x Playgun) is owned by the Bogle Brothers LLC., of Dexter, New Mexico.
Stakes Level One Limited Open
Winning the Stallion Stakes Level One Limited Open is Reanna Dillman aboard her 2015 mare, Smarter Than Nic (Shining Lil Nic x Smart N Katsi x Smart Little Pepinic). The team scored a $3,691 payday with a 651 composite (215.5 herd/ 218.5 rein/ 217 cow).
Stakes Open Novice Horse
Clayton Edsall piloted Mr Metallic Cat (Metallic Cat x Heavens Little Angel x Smart Little Lena) to the Stakes Open Novice Horse win for owner Paul Poor. The they earned $2,203 with their 660 composite (218 herd/219.5 rein/222.5 cow).
Stakes Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro & Novice Non Pro Champion
Terry Christiansen and Smoketta Cat (Dual R Smokin x Fletchetta Cat x High Brow Cat) captured the Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Novice Non Pro championship titles. Christiansen, from Snohomish, Washington, was a strong competitor throughout the 2020 NRCHA Stallion Stakes. He sealed the deal by piloting Smoketta Cat to a 216 in the herd work, a 220.5 in the rein and a 220 in the fence work. The 656.5 composite score was accompanied with a $10,700 paycheck.
Stakes Amateur Champion
Nicole Westfall captured the Amateur Champion and Reserve Champion titles of the 2020 NRCHA Stallion Stakes. The non pro from Calhan, Colorado, rode Time To Honky Tonk (One Time Pepto x Honkytonk Diva x Royal Fletch) to a winning 648 composite (213 herd/215.5 rein.219.5 cow). The duo also won the go round with the highest fence score of the Amateur.
Westfall also piloted Gotta Smoker (Gotta Go Get It x Miss Smokin It x Smart Little Pepinic) to the reserve title with a 638 composite score.
Stakes Non Pro Limited Champion
Dorian DiNardo and Hesa Bit Bossy are the 2020 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Non Pro Limited champions.
DiNardo, of Sweet Home, Oregon, guided her 2015 gelding, by CD Lights and out of Shiney Bit O Ivory by Shining Spark, to a 216 in the herd, 217 in the rein work and 220.5 in the cow work. The 653.6 composite earned the team $2,387.
Open & Intermediate Open Hackamore Champion
Todd Fitch won the Open and Intermediate Open Hackamore for owner Stan Rowlan. The Arbon, Idaho, horseman piloted Metallic Wizard (Metallic Cat x Smart Chuka Lena x Smart Chic Olena) to a 146 in the rein work and 147.5 down the fence for a 293.5 composite. the dual win came with dual paychecks totaling $2,760.
Limited Open Hackamore Champion
Hollywood Big Star (ARC GunnaBeABigStar x Dunnit Wright On x OJ Dunit) and Taylor Peters captured the Limited Open Hackamore win at the 2020 NRCHA Stallion Stakes with a score of 292 (145 rein/150 cow). Peters and the 2016 mare collected $1,200 for owner Christine Northrop McRoy.
Non Pro Hackamore Champion
Sarah Bradley will be taking home, to California, the Non Pro Hackamore championship and $1,101. Bradley showed RR Rey To Stylish (Stylish Rey Gay x Miss Reys Hickory x Dual Rey) to a 141 in the rein work and 144.5 down the fence.
Limited Open Bridle Champion
Riding to the top of the Limited Open Bridle was Bob Grant and PaddysStarlightChic (Self Shine x RN Starlights Chic x Smart Chic Olena). Thanks to a score of 431.5 (212.5 rein/219 cow), the pair earned $1,200 for owners, Jeffrey and Lynne Heyer of Nantucket, Massachusetts.
Open Bridle Spectacular Champion
An elite field of 35 seasoned horses vied for the title of the $20,000-added Holy Cow Performance Horses Open Bridle Spectacular, and in typical cow horse fashion, it all came down to the fence work. The tie for first place, with a 666 composite, between top NRCHA professionals Kelby Phillips and Clayton Edsall was broken by the high cow score.
Kelby Phillips and Duals Lucky Charm (Dual Smart Rey x TRR Ms Pepcid Olena x Pepcid) claimed the prestigious title with a 219 in the herd work, 222 in the rein work and 225 down the fence. Phillips ad Duals Lucky Charm earned owners JB6 Ranch LLC. $10,235.
California horseman, Edsall, collected reserve in the Holy Cow Horse Performance Horses Open Bridle Spectacular and $8,010 aboard Metallic Train (Metallic Cat x Sparking Train x Shining Spark), owned by Beverly Servi.
Intermediate Open Bridle Spectacular Champion
Ben Baldus piloted Playin Motown (Mr Playinstylish x Mo Flo x Mr Peponita Flo) to top honors in the Intermediate Open Bridle Spectacular at the 2020 NRCHA Stallion Stakes. The Bowie, Texas, horseman scored a 216 in the herd work, 221 in the rein work and 221 in the fence work. Baldus earned owner Catelyn Walker $2,296 for the Intermediate Open win and an additional $1,780 in the Open Bridle Spectacular.
Open Bridle Champion
In 2017, Brady Weaver and SJR Reygun (Dual Rey x Playguns King Badger x Playgun) captured the NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open championship title by marking an incredible 230 down the fence. Three years later, the pair return to the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center, but this time to compete in the veteran bridle class. With a 220 in the rein work and 227 in the cow work, Weaver and “Reygun” won the Open Bridle for owner Gary Ewell. The pair also finished fifth place in the Open Bridle Spectacular, earning combined winnings of a $6,855.
Intermediate Open Bridle Champion
Winning the Intermediate Open Bridle at the 2020 NRCHA Stallion Stakes was Ashley Deacon aboard Hez The Kats Meow (Bet Hesa Cat x Miss Lucky Starlight x Grays Starlight), owned by Dustin Deckard. The 438 composite (219 rein/219 cow) earned the team $600.
Non Pro Two Rein Spectacular
Eric Freitas and Cat Snacks maintained their lead from the herd work and won the Non Pro Two Rein Spectacular. Freitas and his 2014 gelding, by Cats Full Moon and out of Chic Snacks, by Snackbox, marked a 145 in the reining and 145 down fence. Combined with their 147 from the herd, the duo won the spectacular and $2,220.
Non Pro Two Rein Champion
Dakota Cox and Metallic Dual Pep (Metallic Cat x Playgirls Miss Grace x Mister Dual Pep), owned by Circle C Ranch, won the 2020 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Non Pro Two Rein with a 144 in the rein and impressive 148 down the fence. The 290 composite was accompanied with a $1,101 win check.
Open Two Rein Spectacular Champion
After three events Nick Dowers and Lance Johnston were tied with a 440 composite in the Open Two Rein Spectacular. Dowers prevailed aboard Clint Marshall’s Santiago Time (One Time Pepto x Reymanising x Dual Rey) with an incredible 152 in the cow work run off.The Nevada-based professional and 2015 stallion earned a 144 in the herd work, 145.5 in the rein work and 150.5 in the initial fence work. The run off fence work score of 152 sealed on the Open Two Rein Spectacular title and $4,620 in winnings.
Open Two Rein Champion
Winning $2,492 at the 2020 NRCHA Stallion Stakes in the Open Two Rein was Lance Johnston riding HeloMyNamesJohnnyCash (Cee Mr Hickory x Smart Card Chex x Ill Be Smart). The duo score a 146 in the rein work and 150.5 down the fence for a 296.5 composite. The 2014 home-bred stallion is owned by Lance and his wife, Tammy Johnston.
$5,000 Non Pro Limited Champion
Jayne Vatcher guided Sippin Boons Farm to (Smart Boons x Peppy Nicolena x Nic It In The Bud) to a 291 composite (143 rein/148 cow) to win the $5,000 Non Pro Limited.
$1,000 Non Pro Limited Champion
In a field of 31 entries, Amy Diener, of San Diego, California, collected the $1,000 Non Pro Limited championship title. Diener and MJG Gotta Dry Gun (Dun It Gotta Gun x Dock And Dry x Dry Doc) scored a 289.5 (143.5 rein.146 cow), a $414 win check.