Day 1-3 of Las Vegas High Roller Reining Classic
Brumley Management Group
Day 1: Kicked Off Rockin’
The 2015 Las Vegas High Roller Reining Classic got underway with the first few classes of this major NRHA competition. The eight-year-old show, which runs September 11th through 20th at the South Point Event Center, Hotel and Casino, is the crown jewel of the four major reining competitions presented annually by Brumley Management Group and the fourth largest on the worldwide NRHA circuit. This stellar designation comes with a Brumley Management’s big nod of appreciation to the major sponsors that make this show possible and put up the one million dollars in cash and prizes that attract the world’s top horses and riders to Nevada each September.
In the Priefert Arena, Martin Muehlstaetter rode Sparks Of Glory to the first major win of the show, taking the NRHA $1,000 Added Open for owners Marc and Kathy Gordon of Elgin, Illinois. “It’s a great beginning for us,” noted Martin. “It was a good class and we’re looking forward to terrific competition over the next ten days!”
Martin Padilla won the Intermediate Open on Reboks Rerun, a great follow-up for him on the heels of some strong runs and big wins at The Reining by the Bay show just a few weeks ago. Reboks Rerun is owned by Anne McLeod of Wilton, California. The winner in the Limited Open and the Rookie Professional was Daphne Thompson and Dun It Chexinic, a horse owned by Lewis Coleman of Beverly Hills, California. Daphne is a actor and professional stunt woman in Hollywood and has been working consistently in that genre. “I’m so pleased with Dun It Chexinic,” she says. “I’ve never scored this well with the horse. We did a small equipment change. It made a big difference, and it’s been a wonderful day.” Tyson Randle won the $500 Added Arabian/Half-Arabian Open on TA Khalil for Buckshot Farms of Lincoln, Nebraska.
“What a super beginning for the 2015 High Roller!” says Amanda Brumley, Show Producer. “The great group of participating horsemen, their champion horses and the sponsors of the Las Vegas High Roller Reining Classic, with their encouragement, enthusiasm and honest support for the sport of reining, make this competition possible.”
Day 2: The Youth Factor
Day two of the 2015 Las Vegas High Roller Reining Classic was filled with high action and more than a few surprises. Both the Priefert and the South Point arenas sprang to life at 8 am Saturday morning. The Priefert featuring Rookies and Green Reiners and the South Point filled with the laughter and action that always accompany youth competition.
Madison Wigen won the 10 and Under Short Stirrup on Banjo Hustler, with Raeanna Thayn a very close second on Nics Wimpy. Kate Buchanan took first and second place honors on Lucky Cee Blair and Vintage Neptune, respectively, in the Youth 13 and Under. Courtney Yohey was first and third on Imasmartlittlecheese and Spot Me Perfect in the 14-18, while Paige Barton brought home second on Diamond Oak.
Paige Neufeld and her sister, Jenna were first and second in the Youth 14-18 Breed Restricted with Black Jack Jerry and BJ The Whiz Kid. Kendall Wigen and Khaarga Escobar Slik won the Youth 13 and Under, Breed Restricted. Rookie Youth had Ashley Lynch on Boomen Hale Bopp first and Madison Lillesve second with Chex Revolver.
The Arabian Reining Breeders Classic Youth Tournament of Champions competition, which combines Quarter Horse and Arabian/Half-Arabian youth riders into Olympic-style four-man teams, had 17 sets of youngsters competing yesterday. Today’s competition will determine the team and individual results for this show and award the $15,000 in scholarships and the beautiful ARBC Youth Tournament gold, silver and bronze medallions. All of the teams will (hopefully) be back at the Wild Card Reining Challenge, a new show to be held at the South Point Equestrian venue May 25 – 29, 2016 where another $15,000 ARBC Youth Tournament of Champions will be held.
In the Priefert Arena, Mary Cachat and Wimp Daddy tied for first place with U B Groovin and Patti Blackwell in the Rookie Level 2, while Mary also won the Rookie 1 and Patti won the Prime Time Rookie. Laura Johnson teamed Vintage Sparks to a first place tie with Patrizio Fumagalli and AC Spooked in the Green As Grass. Then, yet a third tie for first turned up in the Green Reiner for Ashley Johnson on Smart Like Steady and Margaret Daly on Skeets Tricked Out.
The first of the WPR riders arrived from Australia to begin practice for the $5,000 World Para Reining Challenge on Thursday evening. Madison Liddle of Victoria, Australia arrived with her mother and spent part of the afternoon working with her coach for the event, Ashley Wilson, and a sweet little white faced mare named “Chick.” Morgan is a multiple Australia Para-Equestrian Dressage Grade 1A National Champion. She has now turned her attention to Para-Reining. More of the WPR riders are expected to arrive for the competition over the next few days.
Day 3: The Weekend Went Out With A BANG!
Yesterday, the 2015 Las Vegas High Roller Reining Classic was something of a repeat of Saturday but with greater intensity, as the 58 Youth competitors had their final runs and made their bids for the Youth Tournament prizes and Arabian Reining Breeders Classic (ARBC) $15,000 in scholarship money. Many were a bit unsure of the standings as the day progressed, and no wonder! At the end of the competition, just one point separated the Gold Team winners from the Silver Team winners and only one point separated the Silver from the Bronze Team.
The Arabian team on all three victorious groups was Black Jack Jerry and Paige Neufeld. As the highest scoring Arabian horse in his breed group, he influenced his teams and made something of a difference for them. Gold Medal Team members included Dun Its Legacy with Riley Cachat (10 & Under Short Stirrup), Reeboks Rerun with Campbell McLeod (13 & Under), West Coast Hick with Kaela Ranhoff (14-18) and Black Jack Jerry with Paige Neufeld (Arab). Silver Medal Team included Nics Wimpy with Raeanna Thayn (10 & Under), Great Grullo Pine with Kelly Carson (13 & Under), Spot Me Perfect with Courtney Yohey (14-18) and Black Jack Jerry with Paige Neufeld (Arab). The Bronze Medal Team winners were GS Red Corvette with Peyton McGowan (10 & Under), Nics Wimpy with Raeanna Thayn (13 & Under), Boomen Hale Bopp with Ashley Lynch (14-18) and Black Jack Jerry with Paige Neufeld (Arab). The Gold Medal Team members received $2,000 each in ARBC Scholarship money.
Individual rider medals went to Caroline Buchanan and Lucky Cee Blair who took home a gold medallion and $3,500 in ARBC scholarship money. Silver and $2,500 went to Courtney Yohey and Imasmartlittlecheese and the Bronze medal along with $1,000 went to Kate Buchanan and Vintage Neptune. The Youth Tournament drew much attention at the show and the youngsters seemed very excited and enthusiastic about the new competition. Next Tournament leg will be at the Wild Card Reining Challenge, South Point Equestrian facility, Las Vegas May 25-29, 2016.
In the class competition, Raeanna Thayn won the Short Stirrup with Nics Wimpy and Kate Buchanan took the 13 & Under with Lucky Cee Blair. Britt Goodlin teamed Pistol Packin Time to the top in the 14-18 and also won the Rookie Youth. In the Breed Restricted, Khaarga Escobar Slik teamed up with Kendall Wigen to win the 13 & Under and Abby Weiss rode Chic Magnet to the highest score in the 14-18.
Memorable Moments and Allen Stillwell scored a 71.5 to win the Rookie Level 2 and the Prime Time Rookie, while Stephanie Baillargeon rode Easy Otie Dunnit to win the Rookie Level 1, the DRHA Rookie and the Green Reiner classes. The highlight of Stephanie’s show was her huge win taking home the High Point Rookie Level 1 and DRHA Rookie Bob’s Custom High Point Trophy Saddles. According to her trainer David Hanson, Stephanie has never won an NRHA plaque let alone two trophy saddles, two trophy buckles, ARBC bags, etc. What an accomplishment!
Laura Johnson won the Green As Grass on her horse, Vintage Sparks. All of these classes were large and very competitive. Final class of the day was the Novice Horse Non-Pro Level 2, won by Dana Avila on Dance With A Gunner with a score of 71.5. Whiz I Was Smart and Stacy Hamilton were second by a half-point. For the next few days Novice horse and Non-Pro classes take over before the Las Vegas High Roller Reining Classic begins to gear back up on Wednesday, heading into a big money weekend-to-remember in the Reining community!
