David Renier Wins His First Congress Championship with Cowpuncher Cadillac in Select Ranch Trail
By Sarah Welk Baynum
Happy tears were shed after the announcement of the first-place win in the Amateur Select Ranch Trail Class, marking David Renier’s first Congress Championship.
Cowpuncher Cadillac, or “Blue” is a 6-year-old horse Renier has co-owned with Jimmy Daurio for the last few years.
Renier was draw 6 in a large class, so it was a long wait before he knew the results of the class.
“It’s tough to go out there and stand out when you know there are a lot of riders ahead of you yet. Jimmy always tells me as a judge, just go out there and the judges will remember you and reward you whether you’re first or last.”
The pair came from a show in Arizona straight to Congress.
“We definitely made the trip worthwhile today!” says Renier. “He’s a horse that has made my dreams come true. Jimmy and I jointly own him, and I could not have done anything that I’ve done without Jimmy. He’s done an amazing job with him, and it’s made it much easier for me as an amateur to be successful on Blue. I couldn’t be happier and more proud right now!”
Renier explains that this pattern was a challenging one for him, making his Congress win even more gratifying.
“This pattern was different—there were a lot of maneuvers and a lot of stuff to remember, which is a challenge sometimes for me. We had talked about the pattern, and it was a great pattern, because there are a lot of great horses out there and it really helped set us apart. Blue just seemed dialed into me today, really listening to my leg and my voice, and it felt like a winning run to me when I came out—but you can never be too sure. I was very proud of him, and he did everything that I asked him to!”
A longtime dream truly came true for Renier when he walked out of the ring with his championship trophy.
“A bunch of my friends were also successful, so I’m super happy for them, too—that’s what this is all about! I’ll be celebrating with my friends today, because I’ve never won at Congress before. It’s always been a dream of mine, and I’ve I never cried so many happy tears!” adds Renier.
Renier and Blue will head home after Congress for some much-needed rest before they head to the World show.
