Nic It Starlight & Robbie Boyce Win Colorado Reined Cowhorse Association Futurity Open Championship

It was an exciting week in Pueblo, Colo., when cow horse competitors showed top derby and futurity horses in the Colorado Reined Cowhorse Association Mid-America Summer Spectacular. The show, held Aug. 7-12 at the Colorado State Fairgrounds, paid out more than $91,000 in only its second year to be held. Robbie Boyce rode the Futurity Open Champion, Nic It Starlight (Nic It In The Bud x Okie Starbella x Grays Starlight), a gelding bred and raised by Barbara Cowan of Cowan Select Horses, Purcell, Okla.

“He was real even in all three events. He was very mature and serious about his business in the show pen,” Boyce said. The gelding scored 144.5 points in the herd work, 147.5 points in the rein work and 144 points in the cow work for 436 total points and earnings of  $4,774.

Jay McLaughlin rode Smart Nu Annie (Smart Shiner x Annies Nu Lena x Nu Cash) to a Co-Reserve Championship and earnings of $3,001. Owned by Mattie Neal, Pilot Point, Texas, the mare was bred by Carol Rose, Gainesville, Texas.

Hoo Talks Money (Meradas Money Talks x Hoo Doo My Lena x Arc Matt O Lena), a mare bred by Pam Crawford, Blanchard, Okla., and owned by Garth and Amanda Gardiner of Gardiner Quarter Horses, Ashland, Kan., and Todd Crawford were the other Co-Reserve Champions.

Futurity Non-Pro and Amateur

Arizona cowboy Grant Lindaman II made his trip worthwhile and won the Futurity Non-Pro and Futurity Amateur Championships aboard Whiz N Thru Hail (Shine Like Hail x Valentine Whiz x Topsail Whiz), bred by Rhodes River Ranch, Arlington, Wash., and owned by G2 Performance Horses, Red Lodge, Mont. The pair marked a 421.

“I don’t have much opportunity to do the cow work, so I have tried to keep my horse confident and always end on a good note,” said Lindaman, who trains his own horses following the Will Howe horsemanship methods. “I watched the herd settle in the cutting for soft cattle.”

His 143-point score in the rein work helped him stay in the hunt for the win. He purchased his gelding as a green broke colt from Matt Mills.

 

Derby Open

Chris Dawson’s decision to buy Travelin Jonez (Smart Chic Olena x Travelin With Sass x Travalena), bred by Jim Babcock, Valley View, Texas, just keeps paying off from show after show. He was the No. 2 Intermediate Open cow horse in 2011 and the top-earning horse in Dawson’s string that enabled him to top the 2011 Intermediate Open Riders division.

He tallied another Derby Open win at the Mid-America show, scoring 442 points and earning $4,085 in all. In a talented 30-entry field, he topped the herd work with 150 points, and his other good marks of 145.5 in the rein work and 146.5 in the cow work.

No doubt that Dawson, Jacksboro, Texas, also loves showing at the Colorado State Fairgrounds. Just this year, and counting only his Travelin Jonez mount’s earnings, he has won $19,177 at the past three Pueblo shows. He and the 4-year-old stallion are nearing the $75,000 mark in career earnings.

Derby Non-Pro

Rhoda Rein is enjoying her 5-year old mare, Dig My Peppy Steps (Diggers Rest x Pep In My Step x Hickory Chic Olena), bred and owned by Rein. She was happy with the mare’s Derby Non-Pro win.

“It has been a long time since I have won a buckle,” Rein said. “I showed this mare’s mother when she was carrying this foal.”

Read the whole story and see all the winners of the CRCA Mid-America Summer Spectacular in the September 15 issue of Quarter Horse News.