It was great heading back to Oklahoma City for the 2009 Redbud Spectacular.

Bobbie Lewis competed in the 2009 American Rope Horse Futurity. (Journal photo)

This is one of my favorite shows and because it’s at the Oklahoma State Fair Park, it’s a chance for me to check out all the changes going on at the fairgrounds. The coliseum looked great from both the inside and outside with a new coat of paint and a few repairs.

I ran into Todd Gralla by K.C. Montgomery’s booth and asked him how the project was coming along. Todd is the director of equestrian services at gh2 Gralla Equestrian Architects and oversees the construct at the fair park. He told me they had to delay the demolishing of Barns 4 and 5 because of the bond rates and hopes they are able to complete those barns in 2010. When finished, the barns will look similar to the Super Barn which is attached to the Gateway of Champions.

Coming into the Redbud Spectacular on May 31, the show had already been going on for a day with AQHA roping and a special sponsor roping and party that evening.

I caught most of the amateur team roping and decided to stick around for the American Rope Horse Futurity, which was at the Redbud for the first time.

“We appreciate the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Association for letting us have the show here,” said AQHA Pro Horseman Jay Wadhams, who operates the futurity with his wife, Lindsay. “We needed a show like this to be able to get the number of people to make it work.”

And looking at the size of the AQHA classes, it appeared to benefit Redbud as well.

“Yeah and I think as we go, it’s going to make everyone come more and make it a better horse show for the ropers and a better futurity,” he said.

To qualify for the futurity, a horse has to be five years or younger and pay an entry fee of $300. There is also a limited class available for $100 extra and only allows riders to enter who have not won an AQHA World Championship Show in five years.

“And that $100 is 100 percent payback,” Jay added.

The horses must also enter and show in the corresponding AQHA classes. Offered in the futurity are heading, heeling and tie-down roping.

The ropers are scored by two judges, who use AQHA rules, as well as the time they mark.

“We take both judges scores and then we take your time you receive and subtract it from 60,” Jay explained. “So if your time is 10 seconds, then your score is 50 and then it is added into the judges’ scores to get your total.”

Christy Brasier won the non-pro sweepstakes heading on Just Pay Me In Cash, which was raised by her and her husband Dustin. (Journal photo)

Next year, Jay is looking at adding a sweepstakes class in the open that horses 6 and older can show in. At this year’s futurity, there was a non-pro sweepstakes class that offered heading, heeling, tie-down and breakaway.

In the heading sweepstakes, Christy Brasier won on her homegrown gelding, Just Pay Me In Cash. Christy’s husband, Dustin, also rode the 2003 bay in the non-pro heeling and placed fifth.

“Because we raised this colt, it just made it even sweeter,” she told me after the class.

And what made it even sweeter was beating 2005 Featherlite Trailer AQHA World Championship Show All-Around Amateur C.J. Murphy, who came in second riding “Wilbur the Wonder Pony,” aka Looking to Travel.

“Oh, that was great. CJ has won a lot so if you beat him, you know you’ve done really well,” she said with a laugh.

But when asked if it’s tougher for a woman in the roper world, Christy didn’t hesitate to say no.

“I probably don’t rope as good as everybody else but I show a horse good, and I’ve got a really good horse,” she said.

Here’s hoping we see more of Christy and Dustin at the World Show in November.

Tonya Ratliff-Garrison
Field Editor
American Quarter Horse Journal

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