The Cinch Intermediate Open Championship of the 2011 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity was decided Saturday, October 1, in the Reno Livestock Events Center in Reno, Nevada.
Tina Fry and TF The Gus Man marked a 216 in the herd work, and followed that with a 216.5 in the rein work. “I had great herd help. I thank Jon Roeser, Ted Robinson, Doug Williamson, and Jake Gorrell. They helped me pick great cows,” she said. “The rein work was iffy and I figured I could make that a little better, but we still scored ok.”
Fry and TF The Gus Man, by WR This Cats Smart and out of Classy Remedy, went into the Finals tied for fourth place. But their cow work score of 222 clinched the Championship with a 654.5 composite. “It felt great. He’s been a good fence horse from the very beginning. It’s nice to come to the finals knowing I have the horse that can do it,” she said. “Travelers’ Farm has been very good to me by allowing me to ride some great horses.”
Because of sponsorship from NRCHA Corporate Partner Cinch, Fry was presented with a $30,000 Championship check. The bevy of awards also included a Bob’s Custom Saddle from Heart River Ranch in memory of Lori Candee, a Gist Silversmiths buckle sponsored by TKO Ranch – Bob Stevens, a 100x hat from Shorty’s Hattery, an ESP saddle pad from Classic Equine, Platinum Performance, and a CR Morrison trophy and commemorative medallion.
Fry has been riding TF The Gus Man since February of 2011, after the horse had a short-stint in cutting training with Morgan Kromer. “They realized he wasn’t going to make a big time cutter. He might have been a little late coming to the reined cow horse program, but it’s worked out really well,” Fry said. She and TF The Gus Man also qualified for the Open Snaffle Bit Futurity Finals on Sunday, where the Champion will win $100,000.
The 32-year-old has worked for former NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion Sandy Collier for the last five years. “She’s been a great mentor. She has given me a lot of opportunities to show and be successful,” she said.
Chris Dawson finished as the Reserve Champion on his horse Travelin Jonez with a 650. Dawson, of Whitesboro, Texas, won $17,960, a Gist Silversmiths buckle sponsored by Stuart Ranch, a Cinch vest from Bob’s Custom Saddles, Platinum Performance, and a CR Morrison commemorative medallion. Travelin Jonez is by Smart Chic Olena out of Travelin With Sass.
Dawson won an additional $13,470 for placing third on A Spoonful O Surgar, owned by Cryin Coyote Ranch of Hempstead, Texas.
The NRCHA, now in its 62nd year, is the governing body of reined cow horse competition. The NRCHA is responsible for promoting the sport, insuring high standards of competition, and educating members and the public about the history and tradition of the cow horse. Through the support of a Corporate Partner family that includes Bob’s Custom Saddles, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Cinch, Classic Equine, Gist Silversmiths, John Deere, Markel Insurance, Merial products ULCERGARD and EQUIOXX, Nutrena, Pfizer Animal Health, Quarter Horse News, Rios of Mercedes, San Juan Ranch – A Division of Santa Cruz Biotechnology, and the Silver Legacy Hotel and Casino, the association works to keep the vaquero tradition alive in today’s equine industry. For information on the National Reined Cow Horse Association, call 580-759-4949 or visit the NRCHA Official Web Site at www.nrcha.com.
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