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2008 Snaffle Bit Futurity

It’s always more than just a horse show. It can make careers, and break hearts, and the 2008 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity lived up to its legacy. Going into the cow work of the triathlon event, the top six horses were within four points of each other. One-by-one, the cow work made or broke the chance for a Championship. Coming in at draw seventeen was John Ward and Black Pearl. Having tied for the lead of the herd work, and kept the lead through the rein work, the former Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion was feeling the pressure. “It’s the biggest thing that any reined cow horse person can ever wish for – I was blessed to win this once before. It was intense. When you get the lead you don’t want to lose it.”

In the herd work, Ward marked a 218, then followed up with a 216 in the rein work. “In the herd work she was really good, and my help had all the cattle spotted. Then in the rein work, she was great. She can run and stop like her sire, so I was really pleased, and it all came down to the cow work.” The talented black mare had an intense week, having also made the Non Pro finals with John’s wife, Laurie. “We drew a good cow, and the cattle had been tough. We boxed for a while, and left in really great shape. She was kind of giving out because we had both shown her, but she gave me all she had.” The flashy 3-year-old was bred on the Ward Ranch, and has a special place in the family’s heart. Her sire, Smart Little Pepinic, has become a staple of their prestigious breeding program, and has also had an exemplary show career. In 1998, when his father, the late Greg Ward, won his last Futurity Championship, John earned a sixth place with Sugar Baby Taffy, Black Pearls’ dam. He noted, “It’s really cool that all of this mare’s relatives have been a part of our family.” Black Pearl will be getting a well-deserved break after the Futurity. “She’s been doing so much, we probably won’t show her again until the Derby in June.” He laughed, adding, “That’s if Laurie lets me keep riding her. I think she’s planning on stealing her from me.”

The Reserve Championship went to another former Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion, Jon Roeser, on Shiney Lil Miss, owned by Craig Casner. For Roeser, the Finals started off well. “For starters, I really liked my draws I got at the draw party – they were really good. In the cow work, we cut good cattle. I like to cut ones that take her across the pen, and I got to do that on the second cow. We marked a 216, and I was really happy with that score.” They followed that up with a 214.5 in the reining, and were tied for third going into the cow work. “We were all sitting there, grouped together – there were so many that could win it. I watched the first set, and it seemed like some of the riders were taking the cows too early. I know this mare doesn’t have a lot of run, so I boxed for a long time.”

Then it was time for Shiney Lil Miss, by Shining Spark out of Lil Miss Smarty Chex, to take the cow down the fence, which had been the kiss of death for many Finalists. “I turned the cow once, then twice, and it didn’t feel right to circle. So I turned it a third time, and then a fourth. I felt I had to do that, or I wouldn’t have been able to get the cow to circle. It cost me a little, because we didn’t quite have enough gas. We came close, though.” In the end, the pair marked a 217 – and ended up a half-point behind Ward. Regardless, the Reserve Champion was happy. “I’m usually tickled if I’m in the top five. You always want to win, but I wasn’t disappointed.”

Robertson Wins 2008 Snaffle Bit Futurity Intermediate Open Ed Robertson, Paso Robles, California, and That CD Rocks earned the Intermediate Open title, while Tommy Thompson, Shafter, California, took home Intermediate honors on Famoso Starlight. Neither Champion had ever qualified for the Snaffle Bit Futurity Finals, but each proved he could compete with the best at the Reno Livestock Events Center in Reno, Nevada.

When Brandon Staebler broke his leg in July, he asked longtime friend, Ed Robertson, to ride his Snaffle Bit Futurity entry, That CD Rocks, owned by Robbie Humphreys. The pair earned a 650.5 composite, clinching the Intermediate Open Championship by more than ten points! Their Final’s debut began with the high score – 219 – of the herd work. “He was great in the herd work; it’s the best he’s ever felt,” noted Robertson. “I cut good for him, and he held the cows. He was really comfortable.” In the rein work, Robertson and the CD Lights stallion marked a 215.5, and then followed that with a 216 fence work score. “The rein work was scary. It was a little erratic. He’s been sore, so we haven’t really been doing much reining. I’m just glad we got through it with the score we did,” admitted Robertson. “Tonight, I was really happy that he came through the cow work like he did. He’s very fun on the cow work.” Robertson was quick to give credit to That CD Rock’s original trainer. “Brandon did a great job. We rode together, and I used my input to help Brandon in the herd, and he helped me in the rein work.”

B.J. Avila riding One Hot Pepto, and Tommy Thompson on Famoso Starlight, tied for the Intermediate Open Reserve Championship with 640. One Hot Pepto, by Pepto Power Play and out of BB Jalapenas Babe, is owned by Penny Knight. Famoso Starlight, by Wranglers Starlight and out of Chex My Rain, is owned by Lloyd Moore and Sylvia Riggs.

Jake Telford and Spark N Loulena Win 2008 Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Hackamore Spark N Loulena had the attention of the crowd from the moment she began her reining pattern for the Open Hackamore Finals of the National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity. Piloted by Jake Telford, the pair executed perfect spins, flawless lead changes, and in-the-dirt stops to mark a 219 – the highest rein work score. “She was just beautiful. She moves so well, and couldn’t have worked better,” exclaimed co-owner Floyd Miller of Bayfield Colorado. Co-owner Newt White, Santa Fe, New Mexico, echoed that sentiment, “She did great. We were hopeful that she and Jake would do well – she’s a very consistent mare, but there were quite a few threats.”

In the cow work, the pair marked a 215.5, tying for the high score. The resulting 434.5 total earned not only the Championship, but also a check for $6,923. Miller and White purchased Spark N Loulena, by Shining Spark and out of Mary Lou Lena, at the 2006 Snaffle Bit Futurity Select 2-Year-Old Sale, where she was the second high seller. “They worked her and we felt comfortable she would be able to do this job,” noted White. The partnership began after Miller purchased Cottonwood Springs Ranch from White, and the ensuing partnership has begun to produce some big results. Spark N Loulena won the Reserve Championship at the Hackamore Classic, and won the Open Hackamore class. The partnership also had an entry, Dual Deuces, make the Open Futurity Finals with Jake Telford, and another missed the Open finals by a point. “Getting involved in the reined cow horses has been a great experience, and a lot of fun,” said Miller. “I really have to thank Newt, because without him, we wouldn’t have gotten involved. Carol Rose has also been a great influence on us – she has great horses, and is a great horsewoman. And really, Jake Telford has done great things for our program, and he deserves this recognition, too.”

Tying for Reserve in the Open Hackamore was Shining Lil Nic, ridden by Kevin Stallings, and Kiss My Shiny Lips, ridden by Jake Telford. Shining Lil Nic, by Smart Shiner and out of Dig A Lil Nic, is owned by Bill and Janiejill Tointon, while Kiss My Shiny Lips, owned by Holy Cow Performance Horses, is by Shining Spark and out of Lipschic.

Jake Telford and CD Survivor Win 2008 Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Bridle Championship At the 2008 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity, Jake Telford rode four horses for Holy Cow Performance Horses, and won either the Championship or Reserve on three. “This has really been a good week,” noted Nancy Crawford Hall, of Holy Cow Performance Horses, “We’re very lucky and blessed to have such great horses that we can have shown.” In the Open Bridle preliminaries, Telford and CD Survivor placed fifth with a 429, but then returned to the show pen to mark scores of 218.5 in the rein work, and 216.5 in the cow work for a 435 total. By CD Olena and out of Have A Lil Lena, the 7-year-old stallion has lifetime earnings exceeding $133,000. Among other titles, the pair have been Reserve Champions at the NRCHA Derby, and placed third at the World’s Greatest Horseman. “He’s been really good for me,” noted the Caldwell, Idaho trainer. “He’s great minded, and easy to train. He can do anything you ask him to do.”

The reigning World’s Greatest Horseman Champions Russell Dilday and Topsails Rien Maker earned the Reserve title with a 433.5. Owned by Dilday and Kevin Cantrelle, the 9-year-old stallion by Topsail Cody and out of Jameen Gay.

Blue Allen Wins 2008 Snaffle Bit Futurity Limited Open Bridle Championship and Reserve Blue Allen was the man of the hour in the Limited Open Bridle at the 2008 Snaffle Bit Futurity. Allen entered four horses in the $1,500 added class, placing in the money on three, including a Championship on Chics Peppy Pistol, owned by John Rosenbaum, and a Reserve Championship on Whiskeys Starlight, owned by Mitch and Christa Guerrieri. “It was a little hectic when I was getting them ready.” He laughed, adding, “I guess I did OK, they really worked well.” Chics Peppy Pistol, by Smart Chic Olena and out of Ms Silverita, marked scores of 214.5 in the rein work, and 215.5 in the cow work for a 430 total. The win garnered $2,520. On the way to his Reserve Championship on Whiskey Starlight, the modest Alamosa, Colorado, native marked 214 and 214.5 in the rein and cow work, respectively.

Sarah Winters Wins 2008 Snaffle Bit Futurity Limited Open Hackamore on Hip Addams When the dust had cleared the arena, Sarah Winters, of Ojai, California, had earned the Limited Open Hackamore Championship on Hip Addams. “He was a really good boy, and just did everything he was supposed to do. He was good in the rein work and had two really good fence turns,” explained Sarah of her horse’s scores of 216 in the rein work and 216.5 down the fence. Sarah’s father, Richard Winters, purchased Hip Addams a few months after he had made the Open Snaffle Bit Futurity Finals with Boyd Rice. “Dad was nice enough to let me show him here. I really appreciate him letting me have the chance,” noted the 19-year-old of “Hip,” by Hickorys Indian Pep and out of Wednesday Addams. Sarah has already won many titles as a youth competitor, including a World Championship and major event wins, and plans to start a training career with her father, who is an accomplished trainer and clinician.

The Reserve title went to Todd Fitch and What Happened Uno, who marked scores of 212.5 in the rein work and 211.5 in the cow work, for a 623.5 total. Owned by Vance and Joann Ward, of Arbon, Idaho.

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