NRCHA Celebration of Champions


COW HORSE CLASSIC DERBY


The NRCHA Celebration of Champions is three shows rolled into nine days of com- petition.


Although the calendar says 2018, the


World Championship portion of the Celebra- tion of Champions marks the official conclu- sion of the 2017 show season, by determining World and National Champions in 15 differ- ent Open and Non Pro divisions. The World Championship contestants will show in a preliminary round, with the top 10 in each di- vision advancing to the clean slate finals for a shot at the title. Other action at the Celebration of Cham- pions includes the NRCHA Cow Horse Classic Derby for 4- and 5-year-old horses; special National High School Rodeo and Col- legiate Invitational cow horse classes; and the crowd-pleasing World’s Greatest Horseman (SouthWest Horse Trader’s April 2018 Issue), a grueling four-event test of the ultimate cow- boy and cow horse.


Derby Open Reined cow horse derbies are specifically


for 4- and 5-year-olds, shown two-handed in a snaffle bit or hackamore and judged in three events: herd work, rein work and cow work. At the National Reined Cow Horse Associa- tion Celebration of Champions on Monday, February 12 in Fort Worth, Texas, winners in five Open divisions of the NRCHA Cow Horse Classic Derby were determined as competi- tors went down the fence in the last, and most thrilling, phase of this cow horse triathlon. In a big and highly competitive field, a proven horse-and-rider combination rose to the top. Duals Lucky Charm (Dual Smart Rey x TRR Miss Pepcid Olena x Pepcid) and Scott- sdale, Arizona, professional Kelby Phillips, the team that won the 2016 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Championship, blazed a trail of high scoring runs through three events to claim the Derby Open Championship for the geld- ing’s owners, Mike and Robyne Stewart. Phillips and Duals Lucky Charm scored


a 444.5 composite (147 herd/149.5 rein/148 fence), taking home $22,638 in first-place money. Considering that Phillips and the geld- ing also earned a go-round check every time they stepped into the arena, their total take on


14 SouthWest Horse Trader May 2018


KerbyPhillips & Duals Lucky Charm


Clayton Edsall & Bet He Sparks


the day was $24,845. The Derby Open Reserve Champion was


Shiners Diamond Cat (WR This Cats Smart x Shiners Diamond Lady x Shining Spark), shown by California horseman Justin Wright for owners Mike and James Draper. Wright and the 4-year-old mare earned a 443 on three events (150 herd/144.5 rein/148.5 fence), tak- ing home $18,997.


Derby Intermediate Open California professional Clayton Edsall


piloted two horses out of the mare Sparking Train (Shining Spark x Sister Train x Reminic) to a one-two finish in the Derby Intermediate Open division.


Edsall claimed the Championship on the


stallion Bet He Sparks, a Sparking Train son sired by Bet Hesa Cat. Their composite 442.5 (145 herd/149 rein/148.5 fence) earned the Intermediate Open win and 3rd place in the Open. Their combined go-round checks and placings added up to $23,827. Bet He Sparks is owned by K & L Phillips, LLC. Edsall’s Intermediate Open Reserve


Champion horse, the mare Metallic Train (Metallic Cat x Sparking Train), had the over- all high scoring fence work on her way to the Reserve placing. Metallic Train’s composite


Bart Holowth & Smart Lookin Nurse


441.5 (143.5 herd/148 rein/150 fence) also put her in a tie for 4th place in the Open. Her total paychecks and go-round money in the two di- visions added up to $17,885. Metallic Train is owned by Beverly Vaughn.


Derby Limited Opens


David Dillman, an NRCHA Professional from Calhan, Colorado, earned the Derby Lim- ited Open Championship aboard Playing With Rey (Play Dual Rey x ARC Holly Cee Lena x Smart Little Lena). Dillman, who is also the mare’s owner, guided her to a 424.5 compos- ite (141 herd/142.5 rein/141 fence), earning $2,978. We can’t confirm whether Chance Har-


man, of Aubrey, Texas, was laughing all the way to the winner’s circle after he won the Level 1 Limited Open Derby aboard She- za Crackin Me Up (Nabisco Roan x Sheza Shinette x Shining Spark), but he had to at least be smiling as he claimed the $2,870 first place paycheck for the mare’s breeder/owner, and NRCHA sponsor Holy Cow Performance Horses, Weatherford, Texas. Harman and She- za Crackin Me Up scored a total 424 (140 herd/142 rein/142 fence), earning the win on the tie-breaking high fence work score.


Non Pro & Intermediate Non Pro


Canadian competitor Bart Holowath dominated the NRCHA Cow Horse Classic Derby Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro divi- sions with Smart Lookin Nurse (WR This Cats Smart x Nurseware x Dual Rey). They won the rein work with a 146, had the high score in the herd work with a 148, and then topped it off with a 148 down the fence to clinch the dual championships, which paid combined pay- checks totaling more than $6,350. For complete results visit nrcha.com. w


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