NCHA Announces Winners of Western National Championships

More than 600 participants competed for a purse of approximately $281,000 at the National Cutting Horse Association's Western National Championships held at the Golden Spike Arena April 30 through May 10 in Ogden, Utah. Participants qualified for the cutting by competing in weekend shows across the United States and Canada during 2008. The Top 10 competitors in each of the 12 NCHA-approved classes from each affiliate were invited to participate in the Western National Championships.

Open / Non-Pro

Quite A Boon, by Peptoboonsmal, and Code Six Cat, by High Brow Cat, tied with 219 points to top the Open division on May 10, the last day of competition.

"We were second-to-last and knew what we had to do," said Brian Anderson, who rides Quite A Boon for Frank VanderSloot, owner of Riverbend Performance Horses in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Anderson, Idaho Falls, Idaho, and the 6-year-old stallion, who is out of former World Champion and NCHA Horse of the Year Meradas Little Sue, also claimed reserve of the $10,000 Novice division.

Guy Heintz, High River, Alberta, was catch-riding 7-year-old Code Six Cat for trainer Scott Hanson, who rides the horse for Ronald Bird and Francis Kornfield, Alberta.

"I just got on him for the first time a couple of days ago and he scored 216 in the first go-round," said Heintz.

Showing CD Olena Peppy at the Western Nationals was an afterthought for Norman Clark, Dos Palos, Calif., who won the 2008 NCHA $10,000 Novice Non-Pro World Finals on the gelding and finished third in the World standings.

"I knew he was a good horse, but I didn't know he was this good," said Clark, 67, who won the Non-Pro title with 219 points and the $10,000 Novice Non-Pro with 222 points.

"Historically, he's been better every day. Today, I thought he was better than yesterday, but he had to go to the corner to stop one cow and it subtracted a little."

When Clark retired from his contracting business in 2005, he purchased the 2001 son of CD Olena as a weekend mount, on the recommendation of Chubby Turner. The first time he showed the horse, he won the Pacific Coast Non-Pro Gelding Limited division, was reserve of the Non-Pro Gelding division of the same event, and placed fourth in the Non-Pro finals.

Preston Skaar, Menan, Idaho, was Non-Pro reserve champion on Stylish Windy, by To Stylish Hickory.

"We've had exceptional luck with him here at Ogden," said Skaar, who has ridden the 7-year-old gelding to win over $95,000 and 17 championships.

$10,000 / $3,000 Novice Horse

Teninas Playgirl, ridden by Mike Wood, Scottsdale, Ariz., for owner Jacque Accomazzo, Tolleson, Ariz., won the $10,000 Novice championship with 221.Quite A Boon took reserve with 219 under Brian Anderson for Frank Vandersloot, Idaho Falls, Idaho.

"I really appreciate my helpers," said Wood. "We drew late, but they found our cows and everything worked out just right."

Teninas Playgirl, an 11-year-old daughter of Teninas First, qualified as a semi-finalist in the 2001 PCCHA Futurity, but has been shown sporadically since then. "She's been passed around quite a bit," said Wood. "I rehabbed her a little bit and got her qualified for this show.

"She is her owner's pride and joy and I have five full siblings to her that we're excited about. We're going to show her more this year and try to win some more money on her and then, I think she'll be bred. She hasn't had any foals yet."

SDP Debbys Dream was "pretty much on the money," as winner of $3,000 Novice division, according to rider Greg Smith, Fort Worth, Texas. The mare, owned by the Plummer's of Fort Worth, Texas, scored 222 points.

"I could see Gerry (Hansma) was pushing me," Smith said. "He had a really good run, so I knew it was going to be close."

Little Scoot N Boot, ridden by Hansma, Canada, for Jim and Teri Paradis, Canada, marked 220 for the reserve championship.

"It took her a while to put it together, but she's always been a cool mover," said Hansma of the 5-year-old Smart Lil Scoot daughter that he rides for the Paradises.

Junior / Senior Youth

Andrea Rudkin, 15, of Calgary, Alberta, claimed the Senior Youth Championship held May 3.

Riding Right On CD, owned by her trainer, Cub Wright, Rudkin scored 222 points; Kade Smith, Fort Worth, Texas, on SDP I Got Good Genes, by Dual Rey, placed as reserve champion with 218.5.

"I've warmed him up quite a few times, but this was the first time I've shown him," said Rudkin, who took her first cutting lesson from Wright, four years ago. "I just went in there and kept kicking. "This was just for fun," she added.

Kade Smith, 19, and his sister, Sadee, 13, Fort Worth, Texas, took reserve titles in the Senior and Junior Youth, respectively, riding full sisters to leading Buffalo Ranch sire TR Dual Rey.

"I'd like to thank Buffalo Ranch," said Kade. "We wouldn't be here without them. This was the second time I showed (SDP I Got Good Genes) and it was fun. She's a great horse."

Sadee Smith claimed her reserve championship with 218.5 points, also riding 7-year-old SDP Debbys Dream, the earner of more than $100,000.

"I worked her on one cow the day before the first go," said Sadee. "I don't show much, just every once in a while. The last time I showed was in August, but I ride every day and help get horses ready for the shows."

Carly Chiarelli, 13, Basalt, Colo., won the Junior Youth championship with 219 points on Lil Peppys Advantage, a 6-year-old Hickorys Advantage daughter that she also rode as 2008 Pacific Coast Non-Pro Limited champion.

"My hand really hurt, but everything went pretty smooth," said Chiarelli, who was thrown off a horse that she was riding bareback in a pasture and broke her wrist three days before the show. She pointed out that Little Peppys Advantage was not the horse she was riding when she broke her wrist.

$3,000 Novice Non-Pro

Pleased with her performance in the first set of the $3,000 Novice Non-Pro finals, Sandy Hansma headed to the barn during the cattle change to bathe her horse, Took To Lookin.

"I'm kind of choked up," said Hansma, who learned she had won the event shortly before the awards ceremony. "I didn't realize they had reviewed my score."

Hansma's score had registered 216 points on the board, one point below Jon Strain, who had immediately preceded her on My Sporty Shorty. But a judges' review and adjustment gave Hansma the win with a mark of 219.

Jon Strain's 11-year-old gelding, My Sporty Shorty, had already carried Strain's son, Colton, 13, as a finalist in the Junior Youth, but had plenty left for Jon.

"Being second, I had pretty much any cow that I wanted to cut and my horse worked really good," said Strain, a general contractor from Black Forest, near Colorado Springs, Colo.

Strain, 49, showed cutting horses as a youth, then gave the sport up for 25 years, while he team roped.

"I've just been cutting for four years," he noted. "But we've been fortunate to have good horses and the ability to go show.

$20,000 Non-Pro

Kathy Burton, Castaic, Calif., 2008 $20,000 Non-Pro World Champion, scored 219 points riding Telerada on May 7, to claim the title of $20,000 Non-Pro Championship.

"It's been beyond my imagination," said Burton, a freelance graphic designer. "To win the World was big, but to win this on top of it is a dream come true."

Sherry Knight, Littleton, Colo., a Top 10 finalist last year, placed as reserve champion with 216 points aboard 9-year-old Mates Irish Rose, the earner of over $150,000 in limited age event competition.

"I was focused on getting cut clean and getting up (out of the herd)," said Knight, a former trick rider who, as a stay at home mom, discovered cutting four years ago.

$10,000 Amateur

Michelle Havens, Clarkston, Wash., had two things on her mind when she rode into the arena for the finals of the $10,000 Amateur.

"Squeeze and sit," said Havens, an elementary school teacher from Clarkston, Wash. "I knew if I didn't sit that my horse wouldn't stop."

Havens claimed the division title May 6 with 217 points, riding Cats Playboy Spot, a 6-year-old American Quarter Horse trained by Kenny Pugh from Walla Walla, Wash.

It was Havens first time to show in the Western Nationals. Kimberly Gustafson, Lacrosse, Wash., a friend of Havens', who rides in the same region and barn, scored 216 points to split second and third with Jessica Devries, Okotoks, Alberta.

"It's wonderful to be able to share this with one of your best friends," said Havens, who has been showing for less than two years. "I felt confident and calm. I guess that's due to the good help that picked my cows for me." Gustafson had qualified for the Western Nationals twice before, but this was her first time to obtain the finals.