Stock Horse of TX World Show Rice tops Stock Horse of


Texas World Show Contributed by Andrea Caudill, Ranch Horse Journal


Matlock Rice of Sealy, TX, rode his homebred Cattasan to win the open world champion title at the 2017 Stock Horse of Texas World Show, presented by West- ern Horseman. The event, held October 26-29 in Abilene, TX, had exhibitors from 13 states compet- ing. There were 1,625 entries and 241 horses, that showed in ranch pleasure, ranch trail, ranch cow work and ranch reining. Rice and the 6-year-old stal-


lion topped the overall, five points ahead of their next-closest com- petitor.


Cattasan was bred in the name of Matlock’s wife, Susan, and has multiple class placings at the Zoetis AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Champion- ships and Top-Five placings in the AQHA VRH year-end high-points in the junior and stallion divisions. They were the junior champions at last year’s SHTX World Show. They were also the year-end high-point winners. Cattasan is a second-genera- tion homebred for Susan, and is by High Brow CD and out of Susan’s homebred Peppys Nino 161 mare, Peponinos Sis. Cattasan’s first foal is a third-generation yearling filly named Cattalamity San. “He’s fun,” Matlock said.


“He’s a good-natured horse, and he’s fun to be around. And I can do whatever I want to do horse- back on him.”


The trainer originally started Cattasan as a cutter, but found that the horse was willing to do any- thing asked of him. And then they discovered SHTX. “You can blame William Lewis and Becky Horlen (for get- ting me involved),” Matlock said with a laugh. “They showed up here one Thursday morning and took lessons. I asked them where they were going (that weekend),


18 SouthWest Horse Trader


they said they were going to San Anto- nio to a SHTX show, and said, ‘Why don’t y’all go?’ ”


When the Rices realized they had the weekend free, they decided to try it. “And the rest


is history,” Matlock said.


“It’s a good


deal and I really enjoy it.” Matlock - who wasn’t able to attend the award ceremony be- cause he had to take his daughter to a cutting - also thanked his fam- ily and sponsor Adam Schwalm’s The Saddle House for their sup- port.


AQHA Professional Horse- man Mike Major was reserve in the open division with Jody Wilson Brooks’ Tread Litely, a 4-year-old Wimpys Little Step gelding. Tread Litely was bred in


Texas by Joe Hayes of Gaines- ville, TX, and is out of the Shin- ing Spark mare, Shinaka, who has an extensive produce record. Her foals have earned more than 110 AQHA points, and earned more than $74,000 in NRHA compe- tition. Tread Litely’s full sister, Out Shinin Wimpy, was third at the 2009 Lucas Oil AQHA World Championship Show in junior reining and has more than $55,000 in NRHA competition earnings.


Junior Horse


The 5-year-old Ranching Heritage-bred Kings Melody dominated the junior-horse divi- sion with the help of Roy Fischer, leading by 11 points in the final overall scoring.


The buckskin gelding is owned by Roy and Sherri Fisch- er’s Double F Ranch of Cherokee,


January 2018


TX, and was bred by Ranching Heritage Breeder Wagonhound Land & Livestock. He is by Gen- uine Masterpiece and out of the Playgun mare Playguns Melody. He has more than $7,700 in career earnings, including Zoetis AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenges. Reserve: Mac N Merada and Shawn Holden of Pollok, TX; owned by Mark Sunday, Fred, TX


The Non-Pro Divisions Taking the non-pro division


were West Texas A&M University representative Jason Seymour and his own Smart Wiskey Pistol. Seymour is from Olathe, CO, and narrowly outscored reserve champion Sarah Anne McKibben. Smart Wiskey Pistol is a gray mare by Smart Little Pistol and out of the Paddys Irish Whiskey mare Baileys Irish Wiskey, bred by Cheryl and Robert Bush of Wickenburg, AZ. The mare her- self is a Top-10 finalist in boxing at the Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show, and was the 2015 SHTX college non- pro all-around winner.


Reserve: His Royal Cat and


Sarah Anne McKibben of Whites- boro, TX


Intermediate Non Pro:


Larry Walker of Prairie Grove, AR, acquired the accomplished gelding Boots Be Tuff earlier this year, and has stepped up in a big


way. Besides being a regular win- ner at Zoetis AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenges, and getting qualified for various world shows, he was also a finalist in boxing at the Adequan® Select World Championship Show in Septem- ber. Only a few weeks later, he added a world champion title in the intermediate non-pro division at the SHTX World Show. He is the highest-placed Ranching Heri- tage-bred horse of the show. Boots Be Tuff is a 2010 son


of Woody Be Tuff out of the Doc O Boots mare Pretty Poco Boots. The Ranching Heritage-bred is from the W.T. Waggoner Estate program of Vernon, TX. He has earned more than $16,900 in his career.


Reserve: One Smoke N Chex and Meredith McDavid, Weather- ford, TX


Limited Non Pro: The col- legiate contenders proved them- selves extremely tough in the lim- ited non-pro division, too, taking eight of the top 10 spots. But the top stars were Lyndi Starr and her horse Juliette Starlight, riding for Texas Tech University.


Juliette Starlight is a 12-year-


old mare by Little Bay Starlight and out of the Dox N Cash mare Ms N Cash Play Girl. She was bred by Nicole Deary of Weath- erford, TX, and she is a previous SHTX youth champion.


Continued on page 22


Matlock Rice & Cattasan


Andrea Caudill, Courtesy Ranch Horse Journal


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