Page 36 • DECEMBER 2011 • PACIFIC COAST JOURNAL 2011 NRCHA Derby


Ron EmmonsWins NRCHA Derby Open and Intermediate Open Championships on Reygans Smart Lena


Queen Creek, Arizona, might be


Ron Emmons’ new favorite place. On Saturday night he piloted Olena Oak to the Championship of the National Reined Cow Horse Association Derby’s Holy Cow Performance Horses Open Bridle Spectacular. He returned to the Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Center on Sunday to win the headline event in the Open and Intermediate Open division on Reygans


Smart Lena. “It’s been an amazing weekend –


that’s for sure!” Emmons and Reygans Smart Lena, owned by Doug Granade, began the clean-slate finals with a 217 in the herd work. “I drew up early, and more or less cut for shape and feel. The first cow was really good. The second was pretty bad but my horse was hooked up. The


third cow tried my horse hard and he got to show off for a bit. Our score kept us within range,” he said. The California trainer hoped for a


smooth, clean run in the rein work. “I figured if we could mark in the upper teens we’d be sitting alright going into the cow work,” he said. The score of 218 put him and “Rey” in third going into the finals. Then Emmons and Rey put on a


clinic, marking a 228 in the cow work. “The fence work makes or breaks you. The cow came out and was a little numb and wouldn’t look


at us. We moved him around and he finally looked at us. We had a really big first turn, then got another really big turn, and circled right there both ways,” he said. “It was a tight run and my horse never left that cow’s head.” Granade purchased Rey, by Dual


Rey out of Smart Fancy Lena, as a 2- year-old. Although he placed at a few futurities and derbies, Emmons said, “Today was his day. He’s just gotten better and better. He’s a 5-year-old so this is a great way to finish his Derby years.” The win was a poignant one, as


Doug’s late wife Cindy was instru- mental in finding Rey. “It’s an emo- tional day. Cindy was such a big part of our lives and she and Doug were more friends than clients. To win on this horse, which she helped find, is awesome,” Emmons said. “I thank everyone, especially my wife Ladona. It’s been an awesome ride.”


collected $5,222. The Bridle Spectacular at the


National Reined Cow Horse Association Premier Events always fulfill the promise of great cow horse action. That’s because they feature the venerable veterans of the industry – the ones who have reached the highest level of their training. These great equine athletes were showcased during the Open Bridle Spectacular, featuring the CD Survival Memorial Perpetual trophy. The late CD Survivor epitomized


cow horse greatness, as does the 2011 Open Bridle Spectacular Champion – Olena Oak. Olena Oak was ridden by his long-time trainer Ron Emmons. Emmons piloted “Ernie” to a


Splitting the Reserve


Championship with scores of 656 were Lance Johnston and Oskar Mayer Lena and Corey Cushing and Docs Catty Jo. Each received a check for $19,687. Oskar Mayer Lena, owned by Katie Moon, is by As Smart As The Fox and out of Oskars Gay Bar, while Docs Catty Jo, by Cowboy Cattylac and out of Lena Jo Doc, is owned by Suzanne Clark. Justin Lawrence won the


Intermediate Open Reserve Championship on This Cats Sticky, by WR This Cats Smart out of Sticky Brakes. Owner Robin Dangel


216.5 in the herd work. “He was real- ly good, and put me in a spot that I knew we could go on with,” he said. “He was a little fresh in the rein work, but my wife Ladona told me to ride in and be quiet like a practice run, and he was really good.We drew a difficult cow. We got him boxed well, but he didn’t want to run out of the corner, and then he got to running hard.We got a good first turn, had an open-field turn for the second turn, and circled up. Ernie was right on that cow’s ears the whole way.” Olena Oak has lifetime earnings


exceeding $280,000, and is a back- to-back American Quarter Horse Association Working Cow Horse World Champion. Coming in as the last draw, Doug


Williamson and Shining Lil Nic made an eleventh hour bid for the title, but came up just short with a 662.5. Still, Williamson and the Smart Shiner stallion, out of Dig A Lil Nic, won $22,800. Shining Lil Nic is owned by Bill and Janiejill Tointon.


photos by Primo Morales, provided courtesy of the NRCHA


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