Champions earn their titles at the 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

By Kellie Carr, special to The American Quarter Horse Journal

Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, wins the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo all-around title as others are crowned in their events. (Brenda Fuchs photo courtesy of PRCA)

December 10

He had the world championship locked up in Round 9 at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, but bareback rider Kaycee Feild wasn’t content with just winning a gold buckle.

In the 10th round of competition December 10, Kaycee rode MGM Deuces Night for 87 points, winning the NFR average, as well as setting the 10-head average record. Kaycee also won the Ram Top Gun award for the most money won at the 2011 Wrangler NFR, and set an NFR record for most money won in a single event at the NFR, with $179,327, as well as set an event record for most money won in the bareback riding for the year at $319,986

“I came out here to dominate,” Kaycee said after his win. “Beating the average Read the rest of this entry »

It ain’t over ‘til it’s over. Any cutting man knows that.

Oh Miss Caroline and Craig Thompson win the 50th Borden Milk/NCHA World Championship Open Futurity on December 10, 2011. (Journal photo, scroll down for the open finals slideshow.)

Especially when it’s the world’s top cutters in the country gunning for the title at the 2011 Borden Milk/National Cutting Horse Association World Championship Open Futurity finals. December 10 was the 50th Futurity.

But when Ronnie Rice of Grandview, Texas, and Center Ranch’s Jewel Bars Cat scored a commanding 225 first in the go, all 24 men after him knew that would be a tough score to beat.

“We knew we were going to have to (set the bar),” Ronnie said. “I don’t mind going first. I’ve been here a lot and not too much bothers me anymore… it helps to be seasoned.”

He added, “I’ll tell you, you never know until that last horse rides down there. I knew there were a lot of good horses left.”

By the time that last American Quarter Horse did ride down there — Craig Thompson of Buffalo, Texas, on Oh Miss Caroline, aka “Caroline” – Ronnie’s score was still the one to beat. Michael Cooper of Bucyrus, Kansas, and Jae Bar One Time had come close with a 224. Read the rest of this entry »

Claire Powell races her homebred off-track barrel horse to the top of the Barrel Futurities of America Amateur Derby.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Claire Powell and Destin Ta Fame turn the second barrel December 10 at the BFA World Championships. (Journal photo) For more photos from the BFA, scroll to the slide show below.

Claire Powell always wanted to go fast.

As a teenager growing up on a ranch, she would prepare all year for one run at the Fourth of July rodeo in Rock Springs, Texas. Now, an adult barrel racing enthusiast, the Eldorado, Texas, resident has won her biggest race: the Barrel Futurities of America Succeed Amateur Derby.

The cherry on top?

She did it on her homebred gelding, Destin Ta Fame.

“It’s just very exciting,” Claire said. “They’re like your children. You watch Read the rest of this entry »

There’s no thrill quite like a cutting win.

Kade Smith and Lean This Rey win the 2011 Borden Milk/NCHA World Championship Futurity non-pro finals. (Journal photo, scroll down for more pics.)

For his first non-pro finals appearance at the 2011 Borden Milk/National Cutting Horse Association World Championship Futurity, Kade Smith, 22, of Burleson, Texas, was “just hoping to have a clean run and do the best (he) could.”

He was thrilled just to make the December 8 finals at the event’s historic 50th anniversary.

But, coming into the evening cutting, his Linda Holmes-bred American Quarter Horse stallion Lean This Rey, “felt the best he was all week,” Kade said. “He wanted to be real crisp and quick but he was nice, he wasn’t over-doing things.”

Fourteenth in the go, last on the first set of cattle, he and his help knew there would be slim pickings for cattle to choose from. Kade was riding into the show pen with an enviable turnback crew: his brother-in-law and trainer Jamie Snider, Matt Miller, Lloyd Cox and Boyd Rice.

“There were three cows we really liked that were left,” Kade said. “The first cow, we had two of them right there in my first cut, but one shaped up just a little better so we went with it first. And my horse was real good on the first cow, I mean he started off really good.

“The second cow, my help was on top of their game otherwise my second cut could have gotten a little scary! Everything worked out and the cows cleared just right.”

The crowd noise told Kade a lot of folk were really liking his go, too. But in just 2.5 minutes, things can go south real fast, and a wise man lets his help do just that. Read the rest of this entry »

Lil Joe Cash earns $150,000 for owner Russell Giles at the 2011 National Reining Horse Association Futurity.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Andrea Fappani rides Lil Joe Cash, owned by Russell Giles of Whitesboro, Texas, to win the National Reining Horse Association Futurity open division December 3. Journal photo. To see more photos, scroll to the slide show below.

The first time Russell Giles saw Lil Joe Cash, she had to have him.

Russell, a Waco, Texas, car dealer, was at the Legacy Reining Breeders Sale in Aubrey, Texas, looking for a prospect.

She studied the pedigrees and decided she liked the little 2008 sorrel colt by Nu Chex To Cash and out of RS Lilly Starlight, the 2006 AQHA World Championship Show Farnam Superhorse, but her trainer at the time didn’t care for the horse bred by Kurt and Angie Harris of Whitesboro, Texas.

“I looked at him in the stall and really liked him,” Russell said. “As the sale continued on, they led him up, and I loved the horse, and I said, ‘How bad could I get hurt on the horse?’ and he said, ‘Well, the bidding started at $7,000.’ I said, ‘I can afford that,’ and I raised up my hand Read the rest of this entry »

Veronica St-Onge claims the non-pro title at the NRHA Futurity.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Veronica St-Onge and Spooks N Sparks claim the non-pro title at the 2011 NRHA Futurity. (Journal photo) For more photos, scroll to the slide show below.

Veronica St-Onge of Gainesville, Texas, was a little nervous December 2 riding into the Jim Norick Arena.

Her 3-year-old, Spooks N Sparks, was ready and had scored a 221 in the first round, but it was a long wait at the National Reining Horse Association Futurity.

“I was a little less cool than in the first go,” the non-pro said. “I was confident in that I knew she was capable of doing it again, because we had a good first go, but I was a little more nervous. It was a little nerve-wracking.

Luckily, “Skittles” had the situation Read the rest of this entry »

Tinker With Guns follows up his Derby win with Shootout title at the 2011 NRHA Futurity.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Andrea Fappani rides Tinker With Guns for Rancho Oso Rio of Scottsdale, Arizona. (Journal photo) To see more photos, scroll to the slide show below.

We still don’t know what Tinker With Guns can do.

The horse has had a brilliant show season this year, but rider and trainer Andrea Fappani says he has yet to ask Tinker With Guns to give 100 percent.

“This horse is special,” Andrea said. “I’m still saving it.”

On December 1, Andrea and Tinker With Guns topped a star-studded roster of competitors to score a 231.5 and win Read the rest of this entry »

Former champions of the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity compete in the Champions Cup in a celebration of the sport.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Buster Welch rides through the herd November 26 at the Champions Cup. (Journal photo) For more photos, scroll to the slide show below.

What started as a celebration of the 50^th National Cutting Horse Association Futurity turned into a whole lot more.

History, heritage and some pretty fancy cutting were all on display November 26 during the Neiman Marcus Champions Cup in Fort Worth, Texas.

“It was an electric night for everybody,” said cutting trainer Jody Galyean, one of the competitors who earned Read the rest of this entry »

A herd of talented 2-year-olds made for great spectating during the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress Masters classes.

By Jessica Miller for The American Quarter Horse Journal
Photo by Jeff Kirkbride Photography

“There is just something special about him,” says AQHA Professional Horsewoman Deanna Searles of Lastcallfour Alcohol. “We’d see him lope around the turnout pen and think ‘Ohh, how nice!’ He had this self-carriage and expression you just don’t find every day.”

A Win for Bud

Sometimes, you just know a winner when you see one.

From the day he was born, AQHA Professional Horsewoman Deanna Searles knew Lastcallfour Alcohol would be her 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress Hunter Under Saddle Masters horse. “Bud” (short for Budweiser) was big when he was born. From his conformation and even temper, Deanna knew as she named him that she would hear his name coming from the loud speaker as winner.

“He’s big and green so steering is always an issue,” she says. “At 17.2, he’s like a locomotive – slow to get going and slow to stop. But he’s willing to do anything I ask. And that’s why I chose him for the Masters this year. His mentality. He’s cool-headed and quiet as can be.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Take a look at the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress as a mathematician would see it.

There were a lot of hooves on display at the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress – 3,400 to be exact. (Journal photo).

As the world’s largest single-breed horse show, the All American Quarter Horse Congress should have some pretty outrageous numbers.

Take a look some of those astonishing figures:

• Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Katelyn Schultz’s first All American Quarter Horse Congress!

Choices! Choices! for lunch at the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress. (Scroll down for more Journal photos.)

The Journal spoke with Katelyn’s mom, Nikki, watching her 11-year-old daughter ride in the covered riding area between Congress Hall and the Coliseum. She had just gone to pick up breakfast biscuits for her son, Jared, Katelyn, and Katelyn’s trainer, Rhonda Spratto.

“We came to watch last year, just to see the environment,” Nikki says. “We’ve always shown; we did the AQHA Region Three Championship to get started, and thought she was ready to take the next step up.”

From West Bend, Wisconsin, Katelyn trains with Larry and Rhonda Spratto of Pickett, Wisconsin. Rhonda had her sign up to show A Sweet Addiction for the Congress judging contest to practice for her upcoming performance in novice youth hunt seat equitation. Jared will be showing in the small fry classes.

“She rode her patterns all last weekend before coming,” Nikki says proudly. “My husband (Mike) says (the kids) got the horse bug in utero, from me!”

Among all the big wins and big prizes at the world’s largest AQHA show, it’s important to remember the firsts that got everyone started in showing American Quarter Horses.

Here are Congress highlights from last week:

Read the rest of this entry »

AQHA honors top shooters at the 2011 Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association World Championship in Amarillo.

By Larri Jo Starkey

Jessie Kuka rides PLC Nute Driftwood in AQHA competition. (Journal photo). For more photos, scroll to the slide show below.

This year was the first that cowboy mounted shooters have been able to earn AQHA points on their horses, and at the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association World Championship, they aimed for the top.

In addition to the world championships through CMSA, shooters on American Quarter Horses had a chance to qualify for the 2012 Pfizer AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse and Cowboy Mounted Shooting World Championship Show.

Three competitors were honored Read the rest of this entry »