The Yellowstone Rookie Shootout finalists met Friday night in the Great Southwest Equestrian Center Coliseum for the finals, where one talented rookie was crowned as the inaugural Yellowstone Rookie Shootout Champion and receive the cash prize and a custom golf cart.

Jennifer Neudorf’s 10-year-old gelding Blue Collar Tag (Whiz N Tag Chex x Kachina Oak Olena) has been performing well for Neudorf all week picking up paychecks in the rookie classes to qualify her for the shootout. The pair showed big in the Coliseum to turn in a crowd-pleasing performance and earn a score of 72.5 to top the class and win the Yellowstone Rookie Shootout.

“It was my first time [showing in the Coliseum] and it felt really good. I had a lot of fun,” Neudorf said. “I pushed him more in my circles and I just put my hand down and said ‘whoa’ in his stops and it felt really cool to win [the Shootout] and I’m really happy.”

Rafacz became the reserve champion riding Whizenboonsmal to a score of 72, followed by Bush with a 71 on Shes A Shinging Gun. Neiberger finished fourth with a score of 70.5 on Who Dat Hot Chich, and Brugato finished fifth riding Mister Black Magic.

Taylor Sheridan, writer, director, and producer of Paramount Network’s new series “Yellowstone” – the namesake of the new rookie challenge – and Cole Hauser, one the show’s stars were on hand to present awards to the rookies, including the custom golf cart awarded to Neudorf.

Bertolani Dominates On Wimpys Littlecolonel

Franco Bertolani took home big wins in Friday night’s NRBC Open Reining Night presented by Kimmel Reining Horses. Bertolani was first in the draw and scored a whopping 226 which held up through thirty riders and won the National Reining Horse Association $25,000-added Open, the NRBC Open Classic Challenge and the CRI 3. 

Bertolani rode Wimpys Littlecolonel (Wimpys Little Step x One right Chic) owned by George Lawrence.

“I have a couple of horses that I listed before I started to try to be a part of the Brazilian team and Wimpys Littlecolonel was on my list. I talked to the owners and they were pretty excited,” Bertolani said. “I will decide after NRBC which one I will choose for WEG.

“This is a very big pen, so the judge has a lot of time to look at you, so it’s very important that you stay out of the penalty box,” he continued. “If you want to mark you need to run. If you go slow, or if you go medium speed it looks too slow, because it’s so big. So, I tried to show hard and stay out of the penalty box. He’s a good horse; he has a big heart.”

Although the big check was a welcomed reward, Bertolani said being able to represent Brazil is always a noble and humbling moment.

“It’s always nice, I like the international competition. It’s like you are giving back to your country,” Bertolani said. “The reining isn’t as big in Brazil as it is here in the US, but they follow along and watch on the internet and cheer, so I think the way I represent my country is the way I give back to them also.”

Jordan Larson rode ARC Gunnabeabigstar (Gunnatrashya x Wimpys Little Chic) an 7-year-old stallion owned by HDC Quarter Horses to a score of 225.5 to take the USA Reining championship, reserve in the Open Challenge, reserve in the NRHA Open, and tied for second in the CRI 3 with Casey Deary.

“He was good; it was kind of like a dress rehearsal for the WEG trials. He turned awesome,” Larson said. “I have some things I want to work on – I didn’t show him full speed, but I was really happy with him. This will be the last thing I do with this horse. He’s been really special to me and my family, so I’ll just go try to do as good as we can and represent the US.”

Casey Deary rode Heavy Duty Chex (Nu Chex To Cash x Rhondas Tio) to a score of 75 for the silver medal in the CRI 3.