AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse MajorWin
in the Open Versatility Ranch Horse
Contributed by Tara Christiansen, The American QuarterHorse Journal
AQHA Professional Horseman
Mike Major has a long history with Black Hope Stik, and an even longer one with her family tree. That – plus a few more factors – adds to the sweet- ness of their world championship in open versatility ranch horse at the 2012 Pfizer Versatility Ranch Horse and AQHA Cowboy Mounted Shooting World Championship Show. “She is a product of our horse operation on
themare side,”Mike told JournalEditorChris- tineHamilton during his JournalWinningRun interview. “The first horse I broke,when Iwas 7 years old,was kin to hermother, (Hope Stik byRailsSkipperPine).On the bottom-side I’ve known this horse, all of her family, all of my life. I’ve rode hundreds of them, broke hun- dreds of them. “And then our stud thatwewon twoworld
championships in this competition on, Smart Whiskey Doc, is her sire (in 2009 and 2010). Sowe’re really, really proud of thismare.” Surprisingly enough, Mike, of Fowler,
Colorado, wasn’t convinced that he and his homebred 7-year-old blackmare could pull the whole deal off. “I knew I wasn’t gonna win it,”Mike ad-
mitted. “I feel so sorry for Mozaun (McK- ibben) – he a lead coming into this last deal. “I told him, ‘Mozaun, the only way you
can’twin this is if you fall off.’ I knewhewas- n’t gonna fall off, but I never would’ve dreamed his horse was gonna slip and fall down. I hate thatworse than anything.He and I tied last year – he beatme in the cowhorse – and so I was reserve last year. And now I’m honored to tiewithTripp (Townsend) this year. It’s just a big honor.” Tripp, riding Sixes Sixgun, tiedMikewith
34 points, but when it came down to the tie- breaker of the highest working ranch horse placing,Mike andBlackHopeStik rode off the world champions. Mike’s initialwin aboardBlackHope Stik
in ranch cutting set them up for success. Headed into themorning ofMarch 3,Mike and hismarewere sitting fifth in the overall stand-
ings.Asecond-place finish in ranch conforma- tion behindMozaun andLilRufCatalyst, plus
win the 2012 AQHA Versatility Ranch HorseWorld Championship.
Mike Major and Black Hope Stik
thewin inworking ranch horse, guaranteed the world championship for Mike and his black mare. “It’s tremendous howtalented all of these
cowboys are,”Mike said of his competitors. “The thing about all these guys here is that
at the flip of the coin they could do thiswhole competition again tomorrowand anybody here could be standing right where I’m at. Every one (of these guys) are such good hands with such good horses, it’s just an honor to show with these kinds of people and these kinds of horses.”
Shelton clinches the Amateur Versatility World Champion Title
How’s Laurie Shelton going to celebrate
her amateur versatility ranch horse world championship at the 2012 Pfizer Versatility Ranch Horse and AQHA Cowboy Mounted ShootingWorld Championship Show? She’s going to take a nap. Can you blame the Dripping Springs,
Texas, cowgirl and veterinarian? After five events over three days of competition inHous- ton, any hand (or horse) is bound to be ex- hausted. The 2012 event has been a ride for Laurie
and her championmount,ArealChicMagnet: The duo won ranch trail and working ranch horse, plus had strong finishes in ranch con- formation, ranch cutting and ranch riding, which all helped them clinch the amateur world championship. On the morning of March 3, Laurie and
her 2004 chestnut gelding bred by JohnC. and Barbara A. Hencken of Fort Worth, Texas, were leading the pack heading into ranch con- Continued on page 8
May 2012 SouthWest Horse Trader 7
TheAmerican Quarter Horse Journal
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