Ryan Humphrey Wins SmartPak Non Pro Futurity at NRBC on Shots R Fired The first week of the 2020 National Reining Breeders Classic culminated with the SmartPak Non Pro Futurity on Saturday. Longtime NRBC and Tulsa Reining Classic sponsor, SmartPak opted for the sponsorship of the $27,000 added SmartPak Non Pro Futurity in this transition year. It’s a perfect fit for SmartPak at a time when the highly popular “Texas Hold-em” Tournament could not be held due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Ryan Humphrey and Shots R Fired Take SmartPak Non Pro Futurity Level 4 Championship
Ryan Humphrey bred, raised, and trained Shots R Fired, and on Saturday afternoon, he showed the colt to his first futurity win. The pair marked a 219 to claim the Level 4 Championship of the SmartPak Non Pro Futurity.
Shots R Fired is by Humphrey’s stallion Guns R For Shootin, and the colt’s dam, Freckled Whiz, is one of his former show horses. “We did pretty good today. He went in and did everything he was supposed to. I was happy with his circles, turns, and stops. I felt like he was good across the board,” Humphrey shared.
It was the second event for Shots R Fired. He finished second at his first show in Virginia. “He’s obviously going to go to the Futurity in Oklahoma City, but as for between now and then, we need to make some decisions,” Humphrey said. “First and foremost, I have to thank God. I also thank my wife and family, Justin Michels, and everyone else who has helped us with this horse along the way.”
Humphrey also has an entry for the NRBC and will show on Tuesday. For him, the delay of the NRBC due to the COVID-19 pandemic worked out well. “We run a breeding farm, and because it wasn’t breeding season, I am able to show at NRBC. I probably wouldn’t have if it had been in April,” he said.
Sheley Brien Wins Big in SmartPak Non Pro Futurity on Dirty Diamonds
Dirty Diamonds marked some big scores in the Ford Truck Arena at the NRBC during the first week of competition. With Daniel Schloemer at the reins, the flashy colt marked a 219 to finish third in the Level 4 and second in the Level 3 of the Tamarack Ranch Developing Horse Futurity.
Just two days later, owner Shelley Brien piloted him to another big score – a 218.5 – and racked up several more titles. They tied for second in the SmartPak Non Pro Futurity Level 4, tied for the win of Levels 3 and 2, and won the Level 1 outright, racking up more than $6,747 in earnings.
“I’m pretty ecstatic. I drew up at draw four; nice and early. I had a goal that I wanted to set the stage and show the judges horse much I wanted it. I wanted to show hard and confident,” she said. “I took him to the Denver Summer Slide, and we won the Non Pro Futurity there, too. Then Daniel showed him here and he did well and then we did this today. This horse is just mister consistent.”
Dirty Diamonds, by Whizkey N Diamonds, is out of Brien’s mare Wimpys Cat Step. “I showed this horse’s mom. This is her first foal, and I could not be more thrilled with him. He’s been a dream. He just wants to go in and be good and dependable, and that’s just what his mom was,” she said.
Brien rides with Daniel Schloemer. “Daniel has done a great job with this horse. I thank him and Kari Klingenberg for all their help. They have been amazing. They all care much about us and what we want to accomplish. I’ve never had so much fun and so much confidence. I couldn’t be here without them,” she said.
Brien also said her husband Chris deserves special recognition. “I thank him. He supports me in this. He married into the horses and he didn’t know what he was getting into,” she said. Chris and Sheley have two children; Jax, 10, and Reese, 8. “Reese is going to start showing this horse’s mom. To watch my daughter show her is going to be very special since I’ll be on the baby and she’ll be on the mom.”
George Lawrence Takes Wins in SmartPak Non Pro Futurity on Shes Big Timin
Shes Big Timin caught George Lawrence’s eye when the stunning mare was just a two-year-old, but it wasn’t only her good looks that got his attention. Her breeding also played a major role. “She’s by my stud Wimpys Littlecolonel, so I wanted to help prove the stud,” he said of the mare, who’s out of Plus Her Big Time. “When Wimpys Littlecolonel was in between trainers we would ride him at home, and he had a nice, free stride and was really good in the face. She’s that way, too.” Those traits helped Lawrence and the mare mark a 218.5 in the first event. They took Reserve in the SmartPak Non Pro Futurity Level 4, and tied for the win of Levels 3 and 2, earning a check for $6,145.
“She was good and very calm. I was a little nervous because it was the first time to show her, but she just packed me around,” Lawrence shared. “She didn’t look around or anything; she just did what she was supposed to do.”
Part of the pair’s success could be credited to Lawrence’s new good luck charm – his six-month old daughter Evalyn. “This was the first show with our newborn daughter. Chloe said she’s the good luck charm, so maybe I’ll start doing well if I take her to each show,” he said with a laugh. “I thank my wife and my good luck charm. I also thank Josh and Carri Visser. I bought this mare from Josh as a two-year-old, and have been taking some lessons with him, too.”
Although George is finished showing for this event, Chloe has two horses entered in the NRBC Non Pro, which begins Monday.
Tish Fappani and Joes Genes Claim Co-Reserve Championship in SmartPak Non Pro Futurity
Although Tish Fappani has been to Expo Square in Tulsa numerous times to watch her husband Andrea show, she herself hadn’t shown there. She remedied that on Saturday when she piloted Joes Genes to a score of 218.5 to tie for the Level 4 Co-Reserve Championship of the SmartPak Non Pro Futurity, as well as a tie for the Championship of the Level 3. All totaled, Fappani and Joes Genes won $5,054.
“The run went really well. It’s been a while since I’ve been in the show pen, and I’ve never even shown at this facility, so it was all new to me. It was fun to show here,” she said.
Fappani added that the mare, by Lil Joe Cash out of Electric Genes, was stellar in the Ford Truck Arena. “She’s such a good-minded mare. When I picked up the lope and sent her off, she got a little distracted going past the gate, but then she locked in and did everything I wanted. I probably could have pushed her harder, but it was her first time in the show pen,” she said. “I was able to show her one-handed in the bridle and she was right there with me. She’s such a good girl.”
Tish and Andrea bred, raised and trained the mare. “She’s very special. Her dam was one that Andrea showed who is now owned by Tamarack Ranch. We are really excited about this cross between her and Lil Joe Cash,” she said. The Fappani crew brought several horses to Tulsa, and with the futurity section of the event in the rearview mirror, they’re turning their attention to the NRBC Classic horses.
“I’m showing a Classic horse, too,” she said. “I thank my family – Andrea and my boys. I also thank all the people who are part of it. Everyone here and at home is a huge part of it, and I’m thankful for all of them.”
Kelle Smith Wins SmartPak Non Pro Futurity Prime Time on Exit 21
If you’ve watched Kelle Smith over the last several years, you’ll have noticed she has only been riding offspring of Spooks Gotta Whiz. “That’s the only thing I’ve had for the last five years or so. I must have something that is easy to train, and they’re perfect for me. I love them,” she said.
It looks like Smith has another good one, as she took top honors in the Prime Time division and finished in the Top 10 of the Level 4 on another Spooks Gotta Whiz; her horse Exit 21. The pair won more than $1,800 after marking a 217. “I can’t say enough about how proud I am of this mare,” Smith shared. “I schooled her Wednesday to see if I could show her one-handed, and I really liked how she felt then. Today she was tired, but she obviously did well.”
It was the second event for Exit 21, who also competed in Denver. “We cruised through there and made the finals, but I had a major bobble there. She was still good though,” Smith said.
Smith purchased Exit 21 from Michelle Kimball in October of 2019. “The thing that makes me most proud of this mare is she never had sliders or any reining training until I got her. It’s just a big testimony to her to come here and show so well and be such a good girl,” Smith said. “I thank Michelle for selling her to me. She didn’t want to let her go, and I want to thank her because she did. I also thank Sam Smith and Fred Thomsson for their help.”
For SmartPak, supporting the NRBC just makes sense as it supports the reining discipline through show sponsorships, personal endorsements and special events. The innovative SmartPak team members have been using their smarts to power healthy horses and happy riders since 1999. It began with the SmartPaks supplement feeding system, which has been described as “the best thing to happen to the barn since the wheelbarrow.”
Over the years, SmartPak extended its service from the feed room to the tack room, growing from a one-stop-shop for all horse supplements to the largest online tack store in the U.S. and a #1 Google-rated source for equestrian supplies. With free shipping every day, free return shipping on all sized items, and their 100% Happiness Guarantee, it’s easy to see why more and more riders make SmartPak their first stop for everything from horse products to rider apparel. For information visit the website at SmartPakEquine.com.