Those to witness the Open Classic preliminary round at the 2023 NRBC are sure to never forget it. The 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-year-olds brought the heat to Tulsa, Oklahoma, these two days. Andrea Fappani and All Bettss Are Off (Gunner x Wimpys Little Chic) owned by Rancho Oso Rio LLC, take the lead in the Level 4 preliminaries marking a whopping 230 and winning $17,306.
Josh Tishman and Trendsettter (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Timed To Shine), owned by Ann Patridge, bred by Rick Ford, took the Level 3 preliminary round with a 229. The win of the round was worth $5,399, and Tishman earned an additional $8,757 for third in the Level 4.
Wrapping up the Level 2 preliminary round, Samuel Flarida rode TR Fire N Ice (SG Frozen Enterprize x Spooks N Sparks), owned by Breana Carsey, to a 224. TR Fire N Ice, bred by Tamarack Ranch LLC, won $3,958 between the L2 win and seventh in the L3.
The high score of the Level 1 went to Twomilliondollarchex (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Dun It For Chex), owned by Pedro Pastor Hernandez, and Kaleigh Argentero with a 220.5. Bred by Cardinal Hill Training Center LLC, Twomilliondollarchex added an additional $1,500 to his lifetime earnings.
Shawn Flarida topped the Prime Time with a 228 aboard Alpha Jac Sparrow (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Chexanicki) owned and bred by Fritz Leeman. The pair also finished in the Top 5 of the Level 4, worth an additional $6,255.
There were two divisions awarded during the preliminary round. Taking the first place honors in the Open Novice Horse is Gunna Be The One (Gunnatrashya x Snip O Satellite), owned by Coma Ranch LLC and ridden by Fernando Salgado to a 226.5. The Chrome Cash incentive was sponsored by the American Paint Horse Association and Josh Tishman took the check aboard Trendsettter (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Timed To Shine), owned by Ann Patridge, and bred by Rick Ford, after scoring a 229.
The Open Finals will be held Saturday, April 22, beginning at 8 a.m. with Levels 3, 2, 1, and Prime Time. The Level 4 Open Finals will begin at 5 p.m.
Follow the results at nrbc.com and watch the live feed at equinepromotion.com.
Novice Horse Open Champion
Fernando Salgado & Gunna Be The One
For Fernando Salgado, it only took one run to take home a 2023 NRBC Champion title. Aboard Gunna Be The One (Gunnatrashya x Snip O Satellite), owned by Coma Ranch LLC, Salgado marked a 226.5 to win the Novice Horse division of the Open Classic.
While the Gainesville, Texas, trainer has had “Rio” in his barn since the horse was a yearling, Salgado has had limited opportunities to show off the stallion’s skills.
missed the Finals, then last year, I showed him once and he got hurt,” he said. “It was a longtime to wait, but I thought this show was perfect to come and show in the Novice Horse, it worked out great. We are all excited waiting for him to come back to the show pen. I can’t wait to show him again!”
The Novice Horse division at the NRBC was the entire reason Salgado brought the stallion. With a paycheck of $12, 084.12 for the win, it was a solid plan for the horse that is just returning to the competitive arena.
“For him, that class was perfect,” Salgado said. “His owners were patient, letting me take care of him and show him when I was ready. My main goal was to stay away from penalties and all my horses were clean. He was correct and it was one of the most fun runs. He is so honest and so easy. I didn’t need to work on top, I sat there and drove him from the middle. He makes it easy on my end.”
Salgado is having a successful year thus far, and chalks it up to his team at home. He not only thanks his wife and whole crew, but also the horse owners.
“People in my corner have made a huge difference; here me and my assistants all made the Finals,” he said. “My customers are part of our family and our team is so strong. We all work together and the barn atmosphere makes a difference. We feel like a bunch of friends riding and working.”
Chrome Cash Open Champion
Josh Tishman & Trendsettter
At the end of the preliminaries for the Open Classic here at the NRBC, there is one incentive that paid out, the Chrome Cash. The Chrome Cash program is a class-within-a-class format in which registered American Paint Horse Association horses are eligible for exclusive payouts. Trendsettter (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Timed To Shine) and Josh Tishman came out on top scoring a 229 to take the incentive check. Trendsettter is owned by Ann Patridge and was bred by Rick Ford.
“Chrome Cash is great, having that extra added money is always great,” Tishman said. “It is also a fun extra program for owners to have something to look forward to.”
In addition to the incentive, Patridge was able to get a run in on her gelding earlier this week to qualify in the Rookie for the Run For A Million.
“He goes in there and she is able to go cruise him through and mark a big score for her in that class,” Tishman said. “In his mind set it is almost like a paid warm up, the less you ask the more he gives.”
Rookie Level 1 & Level 2 High Point Champion
Rookie Level 1 & Level 2 (2) Champion
Owen Deary & Gunnarichashay
It took a special horse for Owen Deary to split his time between baseball and reining, and Gunnarickashay (Gunnatrashya x Rondas Tio) was up to the task. After four years away from the reining pen, Owen has roared back, claiming the Rookie Level 2 and Rookie Level 1 High Point awards after winning the classes both slates.
The Deary barn is busy at the NRBC, but Owen was able to focus in on “Ricky.” Coming from the Cactus Reining Classic where he qualified for The Run For A Million and also won a High Point, Owen was riding a high.
“He was just locked in and felt so good. He was great,” Owen said. “I am excited to go to The Run For A Million on him. I’ve never doubted him, and he is such a trooper. I was and still am pursuing baseball, but Ricky is a great horse to get back on, he is amazing. Ricky has made showing special for me.”
Owen says he did feel pressure getting in the saddle of such an accomplished horse, but he had support from his dad, and the owners, Jody L Puno of Puno Performance Horses LLC.
“I’d like to thank my dad, Casey Deary, for helping me get ready and mentally ready to show after a long break,” he said. “I’d like to thank the Punos, and I thank them a lot, for letting me ride their great horse. Luca Fappani has helped me and helped Ricky get ready to show.”
Entering multiple Rookie classes would have meant several fees, but they were paid thanks to Toyon Ranch.
“I’d like to thank Toyon on behalf of all the Rookies for sponsoring the Rookie and letting us run for free,” Owen said. “That is really amazing what they’ve done for this class.”
Prime Time Rookie High Point Champion
Kent Ray Taylor & Xtra Wimpy Catalyst
Prime Time Rookie (2) Champion
Kent Ray Taylor & Hot Hollywood Whizky
Kent Ray Taylor won both slates of the Prime Time Rookie to take home the wins and the High Point award from the 2023 NRBC. However, he rode two horses.
Xtra Wimpy Catalyst (Wimpys Little Step x Im Not Blonde), called “Zorro,” took him to the slate one win. In slate two, he rode “Money,” registered as Hot Hollywood Whizky (Topsail Whiz x Hot Hollywood Jewels), to a 142.5 for the win and tied for reserve on Zorro, the horse that also earned Taylor the High Point buckle.
“I have two I show, so I have a second chance to practice and, hopefully, get better at this,” he said. “Money and Zorro are totally different horses. Money is all go, and you have to go with him and be ready. So we can keep getting better, we are going to more shows and I’m trying to get better.
Taylor, from Phoenix, Arizona, began showing reining horses 13 months ago, and only competed at three shows in 2022. This year started with a bang, when Taylor and Xtra Wimpy Catalyst qualified for The Run For A Million Rookie at the Cactus Reining Classic. At the NRBC, both of Taylor’s geldings qualified for the Yellowstone Paramount Network Rookie Shootout Finals, which will be held Friday, April 21.
“My goal is to always do what Mandy [Faust] tells me to do,” he said. Faust works for Craig Schmersal, Taylor’s trainer. “She is a lifesaver and gets me ready.”
Toyon Ranch sponsored the Rookie class and paid all the exhibitors’ fees, which Taylor says the competitors all appreciated.
Rookie Professional High Point Champion
Rookie Professional [2] Champion
Liam Sykes & Hope N A Prayer
Liam Sykes has been racking up the hardware this week at the NRBC aboard Hope N A Prayer (Whizkey N Diamonds x The Love Bud) owned by Eddy and Summer Gerrald. The duo is taking home the win for the second slate in the Rookie Pro after marking a 72.5 to earn $290.72. The win also picked up the Rookie Pro High Point award.
Skyes notes he showed a little more carefully because of pattern number 2 being a trickier pattern with stops up and down the middle and lead changes shifting from a large fast into a small slow.
“Running down the middle and stopping and running straight back and stopping is something you don’t do very often, it was interesting but we got it done,” Sykes said.
Sykes thanks biggest mentor and boss, Trent Harvey, for all of his help and owners Eddy and Summer for putting him on great horses like Hope N A Prayer. Sykes also thanks the people in the barn for everything they do as well as his parents and girlfriend, Emma, for their support.
Limited Open [2] Champion
Cody Guthridge & Dun With Guns
Dakota “Cody” Guthridge, of Pilot Point, Texas, hasn’t even had 30 days to get to know Dun With Guns (Gunners Special Nite x Bell Starr Dun It) but the pair successfully competed in the Limited Open at the NRBC to claim slate two’s win and the High Point award for the class.
Guthridge, 29, who works for Tom McCutcheon, has been training in Texas for five years. He started to ride “Denunzio” for owner Shawn Stratman.
“I’ve been keeping him quiet, and I got him ready at this horse show for her,” he said. “He’s a great horse. I didn’t know I was going to show him [today]. It was a hard pattern, but he was there for me. He’s a hard stopper and a hard turner.”
The bay gelding is a barn favorite, and Guthridge says everybody loves him. Originally, Guthridge was going to school the horse for Stratman.
“I decided to go for it because he was there for me,” he said. “Yesterday we were a 145 and he is consistent. He has been shown by a lot of people at the ranch and he’s great for everybody. This is my first NRBC buckle.”
The conclusion of the Limited Open seals Guthridge’s competition days at the NRBC.
“That’s it for me. Cade [McCutcheon] and some Non Pros will show some more, though,” he said. “I want to thank the McCutcheons and his owner, Shawn Stratman, for everything.”
Limited Non Pro
High Point
Dana Pastorino & Hesa Rockin Whiz
Riding her “rock steady” gelding Hesa Rockin Whiz (Topsail Whiz x A Bueno Poco Dunit), Dana Pastorino earned the first high point award of the 2023 NRBC in the Limited Non Pro. In slate 1, she and the 2016 gelding tied for first, and in slate 2, her 72.5 score earned second place for the cumulative win.
The pair have been a team for about a year. Pastorino’s seen immediate success with “The Rock,” owned by Pastorino Hay & Ranch Supply.
“I haven’t been reining for that long, so it is exciting to be so successful with this horse, so far,” she said. “We will be together a year in May. I really clicked with him; he taught me so much. He’s always there for me and the same, just rock steady. He also has a personality that is over the moon.”
The team is headed to Friday’s Finals in the Non Pro Classic.
“I was [riding] to get ready for tomorrow’s Finals, and I wanted to make sure my slow lead changes were perfect,” she said. “We are super connected, and I feel good!”
Pastorino is from Half Moon Bay, California. She thanked the Tremblay crew, especially Fred and Dany, for their support.
Limited Non Pro (2) Champion
Adele Cunningham & KB Bucks N Guns
With the go-ahead from trainer Josh Tishman to “show him off,” Adele Cunningham let KB Bucks N Guns (Gunner x Smart Whizzin Jenny) do his thing to win the Limited Non Pro with a 74 to win. The 9-year-old gelding is owned by Kaylene Cunningham who showed him before Adele, 17 years old, took the reins.
“I’ve been riding him just this year,” Adele said. “He’s laid back and will do anything you want. He will listen to me and show.”
Her winning run felt good, so Adele trusted the gelding to pick his speed in his circles.
“His stops got a little strong but he still stopped; it was just great,” she said. “He’s fun. I want to thank the entire Tishman barn and my mom and dad for helping me.”
This is the Weatherford, Texas, teens second win at the NRBC, having claimed the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 Champion title on Wednesday riding Trash Enterprises. She’s also showing in the Non Pro and hopes to do well.
Both slates of the Rookie class are The Run For A Million qualifiers. The top five move on.
Congratulations to:
1. Ada Grace Hirschfeld and Wimpys Sidewinder
2. Barbara Hanaghan and Revolvingwithmagnum
3. Pip Brown and Roosters Myra
4. Joy Deary and Chics Love Me Wimpy
5(tie). Tessa Kathleen Watchous and Mobsters Footwork
5(tie). Candice Noyce and A Trashy Anamoaly
Gunnatrashya Leads NRBC/Clark’s Pump N Shop Sire Awards
With the completion of the Classic Open preliminaries, the standings for the Clarks Pump N Shop NRBC Top 10 Leading Sire Awards program has been updated.
At the end of the show, the final Top 10 Sires will be recognized, and the representatives of the stallions will be presented with commemorative crystal trophies. The traditional blue crystal vases will continue to be awarded to the sires of the champions in all divisions.
Clark’s Pump-N-Shop, which operates nearly 70 stores in Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Florida, was established in 1976 by John W. Clark. The convenience store chain is now co-owned by John’s sons, Rick Clark and Brent Clark.
By NRBC Press Release
