Paints Rein in Big Bucks and Buckles at the 2016 Tulsa Reining Classic

[source: APHA.com]

We know APHA members can ride and slide with the best the National Reining Horse Association has to offer; that’s why APHA makes it a point to award custom belt buckles for top-placing registered Paint Horses at select NRHA major events. For the third year, these unique prizes—created by APHA Corporate Partner Gist Silversmiths and presented by APHA—were awarded to exhibitors at the Tulsa Reining Classic, which took place August 29–September 4 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Plus, the Tulsa Reining Classic is one of the many NRHA-approved events that counts toward APHA World Show qualification, where more than $600,000 is on the line this year (including $40,000+ for reiners alone!).

Congratulations to this year’s chrome-tastic winners:

Cardinal Ranch Open Derby

• Electric Snow, 2011 sorrel overo stallion by Jacs Electric Spark (QH) and out of Snow Gun, ridden by Jordan Larson for owner Andre De Bellefeuille

At draw No. 29, Jordan and Electric Snow posted a top score of 224.5 to take an early lead in the Level 4 Open with 58 horses remaining. In the end, the score held and the duo became the Cardinal Reining Horses Derby Champions.

Electric Snow was out of commission nearly all of 2015 after an injury. Now recovered, he’s and come back even stronger to take wins at major shows, including his first title in Tulsa.

“That’s the best he’s been—pretty much for the whole run,” Jordan said. “He ran in and stopped really good, he turned really, really good; he had a little tiny bobble and maybe turned a little to the left, but everything else was pretty much spot on. I couldn’t have asked him to be much better.”

In addition to the Paint incentive buckle, Jordan and Electric Snow took home an Elite custom saddle and a $7,566 paycheck for their win.

SmartPak Non-Pro Derby

• Custom Made Gun, a 2011 palomino solid stallion by Colonels Smokingun and out of Custom Made Dunit (QH), ridden by Cade McCutcheon for owner McQuay Stables

Clinching top honors in the SmartPak Non Pro Derby Level 4, Cade and Custom Made Gun scored a 223 for $4,980 and a beautiful championship saddle sponsored by Kyle Tack. Cade has picked up some nice wins with the palomino, but he says this has been the biggest-marking show for the duo.

“He’s a good horse. I didn’t have to go very hard, and he made everything easy,” Cade said. “Any time you win it feels good; it’s fun to win by a lot, but it’s fun to win by almost nothing, too.”

Whizkey N Diamonds Novice Open Derby

• Slide My Gun, a 2012 sorrel overo stallion by Colonels Smokingun and out of Slidin On Sunshine (QH), ridden by Casey Deary for owner Luga QH LLC

Tamrack Ranch Developing Horse Futurity

• Mister Dual Shine, a 2013 sorrel overo stallion by Mister Dual Pep (QH) and out of Shiners Valentine (QH), ridden by Mirjam Stillo for owner WW Ranch LLC

Turnabout Farm Non-Pro Futurity

• Customized My Gun, a 2013 sorrel overo mare by Colonels Smokingun and out of Custom Made Dunit (QH), ridden by Mandy McQuay for owner McQuay Stables
• Always Gotashineygun, a 2013 sorrel overo stallion by Mister Nicadual (QH) and out of Always Gotyer Guns Up, ridden by Cade McCutcheon for owner McQuay Stables

Novice Non-Pro Derby

• Cant Spook Me, a 2011 bay overo gelding by Spooks Gotta Gun and out of Te On The Trashy Side, ridden and owned by Michelle George

Hollywoodstinseltown Open Futurity

• HA Calico Joe, a 2013 buckskin overo stallion by Spooks Gotta Whiz and out of Da Nic A Tune (QH), ridden by Casey Deary for owner Hillis Akin Family Partnership
• Shes Got Good Guns, a 2013 sorrel solid mare by Colonels Smokingun and out of A Bueno Poco Dunit (QH), ridden by Duane Latimer for owner Roxanne Koepsell

Open

• The Dun Gun, a 2012 dun overo mare by Colonels Smokingun and out of Fabulous Footwork (QH), ridden by Jacob Schwartz for owner Jennifer Seago

Non-Pro

• Stars Are For Shootin, a 2011 palomino solid mare by Colonels Smokingun and out of Dun It On A Star (QH), ridden and owned by Teresa Goforth

Rookie

• Custom Derringer, a 2005 chestnut solid mare by Custom Crome (QH) and out of Sugar Pop Gun, ridden and owned by Avis Kelley

Youth

• Shiney Enterprise, a 2008 sorrel solid mare by Smart And Shiney and out of My Royal Enterprise (QH), shown by Carlee McCutcheon, owned by McQuay Stables

Placing in the Top Five of the Youth 13 & Under in both slates with scores of 141 and 140, Carlee was excited to win the APHA buckle, especially since her mom and brother had both won one as well.

“I have only ever won one buckle before—this is so cool,” Carlee said.

Gist trophy buckles for high-scoring Paints will also be awarded at the upcoming High Roller Reining Classic in Las Vegas and the Southwest Reining Horse Association Futurity in Ardmore, Oklahoma. All Paints that competed at this year’s Tulsa Reining Classic are eligible to use the show as qualification for the 2017 APHA World Championship Show in September—tons of great NRHA events are approved every year as APHA World Show qualifying events. Remember, more than $40,000 is up for grabs in reining events alone at the 2016 APHA World Championship Show, which takes place November 2-12 in Fort Worth, Texas; that includes world championship classes for Open (Junior & Senior), Amateurs and Novice Amateurs, as well as added money classes for 3-year-olds (Open & Non-Pro) and 4-, 5- & 6-year-old horses (Open & Non-Pro). Get the World Show scoop at apha.com/oawcs.

For more information about Paint reining opportunities, visit apha.com/reining.