The National Reining Breeders Classic has seen top-shelf competition throughout the week. Reiners from across the country have traveled the miles, put in the hard work and showed up in Katy, Texas, in top form to battle it out for championship prizes and bragging rights.
Friday, Jack Medows rode Chicsdreamofdiamonds (Magnum Chic Dream x Princess In Diamonds) to a score of 223.5 to top the Level 4 and be crowned the NRBC Non Pro Classic champion. Medows has had a lot of success with the mare having won the 2016 National Reining Horse Association Non Pro Futurity championship along with other big wins, but Medows says the $30,000 NRBC win is special.
“Between the prelims and here she really stepped up her turns. She’s a really good turner, but for some reason she goes in the show pen and she’s so relaxed that she almost dulls up a little bit, but today she really sparked in her turns, and when I loped her off, she was so slow and so collected it was a really cool feeling,” Medows said. “[The win here at the NRBC] is so special and she deserves it, she’s such a good mare. I’m glad I stayed out of her way and let her do it.”
Although Medows’ win in the Level 4 was his most special moment, he rode two other great mounts to top finishes today making the day even more special. The 19-year-old rode Frame Draggin (Einsteins Revolution x Coronas Major) to fifth place in the Level 4 Non Pro, worth $8,500 with a score of 219.5. He also rode Wimpys Show Stopper (Wimpys Little Step x Pinesail) to the CRI Youth Reining win with a score of 72.5. “It was a really, really good day. All three of my horses were good, so I’m very lucky,” Medows said.
Along with the cash, Medows took home one year’s use of a deluxe two-horse Horse Trailer from Twin Cities Trailer Sales, a custom championship saddle sponsored by Bob’s Custom Saddles, a Gist Silversmiths championship buckle sponsored by NRBC, a crystal trophy from NRBC, Anderson Bean boots, Whisper Bit from M3 Products, Ultra Cruz Equine Wellness and Joint Care plus other NRBC sponsored products like a custom embroidered cooler, a commemorative champion medal, and champion ribbon collar and roses.
Cade McCutcheon marked a 223 aboard Custom Made Gun (Colonels Smoking Gun x Custom Made Dunit) for McQuay Stables for a reserve championship Level 4 finish, worth $15,750. McCutcheon also received a Gist Silversmiths reserve champion buckle sponsored by NRBC, a custom embroidered cooler from NRBC, a commemorative reserve champion medal from NRBC and a 30-day supply of Cosequin ASU Plus from Nutramax.
Tish Fappani rode Spooks N Jewels to a score of 220 to win the Non Pro Level 3, plus finish fourth in the Level 4. Along with the $8,400 Fappani picked up for winning the Level 3, her Level 4 finish gained her an extra $10,000.
Spooks N Jewels is by Smart Spook and out of Whiz Jewels, who was shown at the end of her career by Fappani’s husband, Andrea Fappani. The family relationship with Spooks N Jewels’ dam has made the connection special for Fappani. “Coming off of the futurity with [Spooks N Jewels], I didn’t have a good futurity, so it felt good to get in there and have him be solid and consistent in both goes,” Fappani said. “He was right there with me. He’s a big stopper, so we hit all of our stops and I made sure I got shut off in my turns, so there were no turn penalties. In the circles he went the speed he can handle right now. After the futurity, he hasn’t been shown, he hasn’t even been schooled or anything, we rested him quite a bit. He’s four, so he’s still got quite a few more years. I feel comfortable on him.”
Fappani received a custom saddle sponsored by Continental Saddlery, a Gist Silversmiths championship buckle sponsored by NRBC, Whisper Bit from M3 Products, Ultra Cruz Equine Wellness and Joint Care from San Juan Ranch and Santa Cruz Biotechnology. Plus, other NRBC sponsored products such as a crystal trophy, a commemorative champion medal, a custom embroidered cooler and champion ribbon collar and roses.
Veronica Williams rode Singing In The Rein (Master Snapper x Shiners Mistress) to a score of 217.5 to win the Level 2 and well as second place in the Level 3. Up to this point, the NRBC Non Pro Finals had been Williams’ Achilles Hill, having qualified multiple times to the finals to only, admittedly, let the pressure get the best of her nerves.
“It was a personal goal of mine to do better in the finals,” Williams said. “I’ve always come here and made into the finals and then chickened out in the finals and if felt so good to go finally go in there and just trust her and do it and she was just with me every step of the way.”
This year, however, she achieved her goal and claimed her first NRBC championship title. “It feels amazing,” Williams said of her win. “It hasn’t really even sunk in, yet I don’t think. [This win at the NRBC is extra special] because this is a huge horse show, and the best of the best horses are here and the best of the best riders are here. It’s so cool to come here and get to show and then to do well here is just the coolest. The coolest thing of all.”
Williams pocketed $4,000 for the first-place win, plus $5,150 for the second place Level 3 finish. She also received a custom saddle sponsored by Deshotels and Luke Gagnon, a Gist Silversmiths championship buckle sponsored by NRBC, Whisper Bit from M3 Products, Ultra Cruz Equine Wellness and Joint Care. Plus, other NRBC sponsored products such as a crystal trophy, a commemorative champion medal, a custom embroidered cooler and champion ribbon collar and roses.
Nancy Murfin-Moxley rode Who Whiz Hot Choclat to a score of 216 to win both the Level 1 and Prime Time, plus finish second in the Level 3. Her success in the show pen was made extra special considering it’s only her first time to show with her mount competitively.
“[Winning this championship] is wonderful,” Murfin-Moxley said. “My run felt great. [Who Whiz Hot Choclat] is so great minded and I just trusted him, and I knew he was prepared and I did the best I could do. He just took great care of me.”
Who Whiz Hot Choclat is by Who Whiz It and out of Choclat Almond Chic and led his rider to a total haul of $5,697. The competition continued with tough competition in the ancillary classes, plus the start of the youth classes.
In the ancillary action, Paul Queen rode Outta Dough (Gallo Del Cielo x Dough Olena) to a score of 146.5 to top the Limited Non Pro, plus take home the overall championship. Queen took home a National Reining Horse Association championship trophy, a Nutrena Feed gift certificate and Cosequin Bucket. Queen has had the now-12-year-old stallion for 10 years and over the years they’ve formed a special bond, which reflected their abilities in the show pen during his run at the NRBC. “I look out for him and he looks out for me,” Queen said. “My run felt really good. I know he can do those fast circles and I knew when we got in there we’re going to get them, and I know he can plant it in the ground when it’s time. So, we had a good time.” In second place was Hannah Loverien riding Tom and Mandy McCutcheon’s That Kind Of Nite (Gunners Special Nite x Doc Santa Belle) to a score of 142.5.