by Tammy Meadows
“Absolutely great – It was one our of largest futurites to date!” is how Alberta Reined Cow Horse Association President Jim Dobler described the 13th annual Goodyear Snaffle Bit Futurity and Championship held in Claresholm, AB, August 31 to September 2.
This year’s show saw over 110 entries in total, with cash and prizes topping $50,000. Many of Canada’s most accomplished Open riders, horse owners and Non Pro competitors, came in from Saskatchewan, Montana, BC, Washington, and all parts of Alberta, to participate in what is becoming known as one of the premier cow horse events in Canada and the northwest U.S.
Dale Clearwater of Nippewan, SK, claimed the 2007 Open Snaffle Bit Championship, sponsored by Goodyear Canada, aboard Hotrod N Peponita (Peponita Lena Flo x Disco Sweetheart) a mare bred and raised by owner Len Bast of Maclin SK. Clearwater’s final aggregate score over the three days in the herd, rein, and fence earned him 430 points.
Clearwater says the win feels great. “I felt that Flo was there to win and she stepped up and performed when she needed to,” he said. “Flo felt very strong out of the herd and she was reading her cows very well. She felt better during her reined work at the show than she ever felt at home. I guess she wants to be a show horse.
“She could have been better had I not second-guessed myself on the third turn allowing the cow to go around the corner and racking up several penalties. Her turns felt really good though and luckily we drew a cow that I was able to get something done on, especially when we were in a three-way tie going into the fence work.”
Clearwater, Vance Kaglea showing Hickorys Hot Flash, and Cayley Wilson riding No Time for You, were leading the pack with a three-way tie before the fence work on the Sunday. It literally came down to the fence work as to who would reign as the 2007 Open Snaffle Bit Champion.
Clearwater added that he appreciated the herd help from fellow competitors at the show, Brad, Clint, Cody, and Doug as well as all his help at home from Evan and Conrad and most importantly his wife Teri and son Caleb.
“Flo is really fun to be around,” he added. “She nickers every time you go to catch her, and when she is standing in the barn she will flap her lips together. She makes everyone laugh. As far as training, she has been very trainable and very honest.”
Clearwater mentioned that the win was extra special for the Bast family as Flo is the last baby of their good mare Disco Sweetheart and their stallion Peponita Lena Flo, who unfortunately had to be euthanized two weeks before the show after complications from colitis.
Clearwater and the Bast family received a beautiful Len Monical bronze trophy, a Becker buckle, and a payout of $5,152 for the 2007 Goodyear Canadian Open Snaffle Bit Championship.
“I thought the show was really good,” said Clearwater. “It is so nice to go to a show that is this laid back and we are not still showing until midnight. Hats off to all the sponsors and volunteers that make this show happen!”
Cayley Wilson of Abbotsford, BC, aboard No Time For You (A Chic In Time x a Bob Acre Doc mare) owned by NWRCHA competitor Sarah Sherman of Yelm, Washington, finished as the 2007 Goodyear Canadian Open Snaffle Bit Reserve Champions scoring 426.0. The duo earned a championship buckle and $4,048 in payouts.
Wilson said he was very pleased with the mare’s performance. “I was really happy with her in the herd work and the reined work, but didn’t get the greatest run in the fence work. The horse could have done better, but her cow was very balky down the fence and hard to get into position.”
Wilson describes “Blizzy’s” personality as very sweet with a huge work ethic, quiet kind and very easy to train. “She’s unique because she is as good in the herd work as she is in the reining,” says Wilson. “I think her sire, A Chic In Time, is the only horse to have won over $1 million in the NRCHA, NRHA, and NCHA events. I think she has gotten her versatility and trainability from her sire.”
Wilson and owner Sherman are taking Blizzy to Reno for the NRCHA SBF and possibly to Calgary for the Cutting Horse Futurity.
“As a four-year-old we may take her to Paso Robles for the NRCHA Hackamore Classic, she is such a nice minded mare and has been so much fun to train – we will just play things out as they come.”
Donna O’ Reilly of Millarville, captured the Ltd Open Snaffle Bit, sponsored by GTO (2002) Ltd. Westview Acres, riding her own horse Caught a Smarty (Caught Me Looking x Highland Roseberry) with a score of 419.5, received the Goodyear Snaffle Bit Futurity Becker buckle and earnings of $1,785.
Jess Thomson Placed Reserve Champion in the Ltd Open Snaffle Bit riding Ray Antony’s horse, Xayda Zann Parr (Hansome Haida x Skip Parr Dee) with a final score of 416 points and a payout of 1,417.50.
Sponsored by Goodyear and IJD Inspections, the Non Pro Snaffle Bit as well as the Ltd Non Pro Futurity class was dominated by Steve Hoar of Longview, AB. This was Hoar’s first major win aboard his gelding Royal Smart One (My Own League x Peppyote), earning him a Len Monical bronze trophy, a Becker buckle and a payout total of 3,980 and 414.5 points.
“I was given four cows before I got one that was good to go,” says Hoar. “I got three good fence turns, but had some difficulty getting up to my cow for my circles. I think I may have used up some horsepower I needed to circle on my first three cows!
“This colt is very easy going, very trainable and very cowy,” Hoar added, and he credits John Swales for everything he has learned about showing a cow horse. Hoar plans to show Royal Smart One next year in the snaffle bit as well.
Terri Holowath from Cayley, AB, gave Hoar a run for his money aboard her mare Katchina Dude (Doc O Dude x Black Katchina) following closely with 414 points to claim the Non Pro Snaffle Bit Reserve Championship.
Holowath received a Becker buckle and $1,950 in earnings. Vance Kaglea trained and showed Katchina as a three-year-old last year and placed fourth in the 2006 Goodyear Canadian Snaffle Bit Futurity and third at the 2006 Canadian Supreme.
Holowath says, “Kat is a very aggressive horse and loves the fence work. I was hoping for a faster cow, but I drew a good one. She has such a big heart. She is confident, motivated and extremely smart.
“It took a while for the two of us to get used to each other,” Holowath adds. “Vance did a great job incorporating some of my habits into her training program to get her ready for me and coaching me to change my ways to suit her style.”
Holowath is looking forward to competing on Katchina Dude in the fall derbies and thanks her husband Bart for his encouragement, Remi and Colt Holowath for all their extra help at the shows and trainer-coach Vance Kaglea for all his support.
The Cherokee Trailer Open All Around class was won by Smilin Peppys Husker a seven-year-old gelding owned by Ray Chaplin and shown by Cayley Wilson.
“I am pleased he did so well up against all those tough horses and tough trainers,” says Wilson. “He was really good all weekend and was focused in all his events. It is also nice for Ray Chaplin to have been there to be a part of it with us!”
Wilson earned $1568.25, and a Becker buckle for his efforts over the weekend.
The All Around class shows the complete versatility of these cow horses as they have to compete in four events: the herd work, reining, fence, and steer stopping. Wilson and Smilin Peppys Husker have qualified for the NRCHA World Show in the two rein, won the WCRA Year-end Novice Horse and have placed in several large shows including Superstakes, Superslide, and the Calgary Stampede.
Wilson added that one of Smilin Peppys Hucker’s strong suits is that he is broke a cow and says that scoring the 150 in the steer stopping helped him win the class.
“I think to win this class your horse needs to have a good day in all four events and he is a freaky athlete, being a grandson of Docs Hickory, he comes with a big motor and a lot of heart,” says Wilson. “He will try all day long!”
The Reserve Open All Around title went to John Swales riding All Ready Doc owned by Doug Sapergia with total earnings of $1,219.75.
Terri Holowath also claimed the Reserve Championship in the Non Pro All Around sponsored by Cherokee Trailers, riding her accomplished gelding Pickachiclet (Fantashic) just 5.5 points and earning $560 behind Veronica Swales, who won the Non Pro All Around Championship aboard Will James Smokey with 560 points and $720.
“This class is perfect for Zorro and I,” says Swales. “Zorro is my team roping horse. He runs me up there pretty much the same every time so all I have to worry about is catching and scoring. The cutting he is really good at, although the rein and fence is his best event.”
Swales credits her horse Zorro for being so solid. “I think he is awesome, he comes through for me pretty much every time. He seems to know when it is the big one.”
Smart Tina Peponita (To and Fro x Ms Tina Peponita) and her owner Deb Steele of Spruce Grove, AB, claimed the Ltd Non Pro Snaffle Bit Reserve Championship winning a Becker buckle with 409.5 points and earning a $920 payout.
Sponsored by TankSafe, the Open Hackamore class was won by John Swales of Longview, AB, with a score of 283.5 and a payout of $930 and a championship Becker buckle.
Swales was riding a five-year-old gelding Opaletta Lena (Listo Politto Lena x Genuine Emerald) owned by David and Tammy Meadows of Blackie, AB.
Swales commented that there were a lot of really nice hackamore horses in the class. Although he was the first competitor in the class, his score held throughout the entire class for the win.
“I just wanted to make the best run I could,” says Swales. “ ‘Stretch’ is very athletic for a big horse and I was happy with his reined work. He is a very hard stopper and is very smart about reading a cow down the fence and that’s how he was on that fence run, as our cow ran quite fast.
“His fence turns were tight and he circled a hard running cow very well. He should make a good bridle horse, he also looks like a bridle horse should.”
Clint Swales, John’s younger brother placed Reserve in the Open Hackamore aboard Holly Robbin’s mare HQH Just Classy, with a score of 282.00 and earned $697.50. Classy and Clint have also had a successful year in the ARCHA landing a third-place finish together in the Open Hackamore. Clint said he was very happy with her during her run.
“She was good, but she really stepped it up in the fence work. I had a hard-running cow and she got it handled great. I may not have got it done with any other horse. She can be a little high strung, but when the chips are down she is always there for me.”
The Open Bridle Championship, sponsored by Silverado Certified Energy Equipment, was won by John Swales aboard a nine-year-old gelding Rainy Day Plan (A Master Plan) owned by Roxanne Sapergia of Okotoks, AB.
“I was very happy with the way he worked,” says Swales. “I asked for a lot and he gave a lot. We had a tough cow down the fence and he handled it well. He is a very powerful horse.” The pair scored 293.5 points, a Becker buckle, and $969.
Clint Christianson of Bracken, SK, won the Reserve Open Bridle Championship riding MTR Anuthagenuinenic (Pepinics Master x Miss Genuine King) a seven-year-old stallion owned by Clint and Susan Christianson. “ ‘Sherman’ is very easy going and an eager-to-please type horse,” says Christianson. “He is used for all types of ranch work.”
Sherman has several cow horse championships as well as numerous ranch horse competitions to date including the 2006 Canada’s Greatest Cow Horse. Initially purchased from Ed and Connie Masson, Bob Hancock brought Sherman to Christianson to train as a two-year-old.
“I liked him enough to purchase him,” says Christianson. “He is currently being shown as an all around/cow horse. We are hoping to take him to the Canada’s Greatest Cowhorse competition in 2007.” They have also bred 12 mares to him this year and he has one foal crop on the ground. “The colts are showing their sire’s good nature and athleticism,” says Christianson.
Twenty-one-year-old Veronica Swales became the 2007 Goodyear Canadian Snaffle Bit Futurity Non Pro Working Cow Horse Champion after she and her 15-year-old mount, Will James Smoky, had a solid reined work and went down the fence to score a 72 from both judges and clinch the title.
Ronnie said of her horse, “Zorro was very good for me. Being the last horse in I knew what I had to post for a mark. He did everything I asked for and more.
“My cow didn’t run real hard at first but after I turned him once, he grabbed a couple of gears! My fence run felt really good. He was great.” Her aggregate score was 286.5. Sponsored by Enerflex GTO Gas Testing, the class paid out $1032 and a Becker buckle.
Ronnie plans on returning to Stephenville, Texas, where she and Zorro claimed the NRCHA Reserve Ltd Non Pro World Championship last year. “ I would Like to have another year on him like last year… or better!”
A Rainy Day Plan ridden by Roxanne Sapergia won the Reserve Champion Non Pro Bridle with earnings of $709.50 and a score of 282.
Elyse Thomson of the 7P Ranch, Longview, AB, captured the Non Pro Ltd (Boxing class) sponsored by Four Star Farms. They won a Becker buckle and $300. A very elated Thomson was competing on Haida’s Genuine Peppy (Handsom Haida) a five-year-old stallion owned by Jess and Elyse Thomson scored a 283.
The couple raised the colt, started him, and gave him to John Swales who showed him as a three- and four-year-old winning the Canadian Snaffle Bit Futurity on him as well as Reserve Hackamore Champion at the Canadian Supreme.
Thomson mentions that this is her first year riding him and he has been very consistent, taught her a lot, and is fun to ride. “Cotton is a great horse with a lot of try and heart, he is very athletic and is a cool horse to be around,” she says. “We have a few colts on the ground now and they are beautiful babies with his personality and good conformation. We are hoping to show him in the bridle next year!”
Suzon Schaal DVM won Reserve Champion Non Pro Ltd (Boxing class) on her four-year-old mare Genuine Brown Gal (Listo Pollito Lena) with a 282, only one point behind the leader Elyse Thomson. Although she has only been showing the mare for four months in the Boxing class, Schaal plans to show her again next year.
“She is very tolerant of my inexperience,” Schaal says of her mare. Schaal says she would like to thank the mare’s breeder, Marion Stav, who insisted that they would make a good match. “And, thanks to John Swales,” she added. “Whose expertise has led to our success.” The pair earned a trophy plaque and $225.
Winning the Youth Ltd class was High O Lena, a 10-year-old reining gelding with Chase Miller aboard. Miller won the class with 284.5 points and $270. The Youth Limited was sponsored by R&R Team, Wood Gundy CIBC.
“I was sure excited to have such good success and to win my first buckle!” says 11-year-old Miller.
Miller said he has been riding “Duane” since last year. He rode him one evening and showed him the next day at an ARCHA show.
“The run at the Snaffle Bit Futurity felt incredible!” he added. “His dry work was one of the best ever, his stops were huge, he was really focused and listened to me throughout the whole run! The cow was fast, but manageable, and allowed me to use my horse to his best ability. He loves the boxing part of the run and did not allow the cow to out-maneuver him.”
Miller adds, “I would like to thank my mom especially, and my family for all their help at home while practicing and at the shows we attended this year. The hard work paid off and I would also like to thank all the members of the ARCHA for their year-long support and Snaffle Bit Futurity committee for their encouragement.”
Eleven-year-old Georgia Yozipovic claimed the Reserve Youth Ltd class just behind Miller with 281 points and earnings of $225. Yozipovic said she has only been showing in the cow horse for about six months since she purchased her Appaloosa gelding Immortal High Sign from Lisa and Lorne Christianson.
“ ‘Morty’ is a star and loves to show,” says Yozipovic fondly of her gelding. “He has amazing stops and makes the cow work easy. I had fun!”
Yozipovic says she would like to thank her coach Donna O’ Reilly for believing in her, the Christianson family for selling Morty to them, and her parents for making it all happen. “I would also like to thank all the people that encouraged me throughout the year and, of course, God for keeping me safe.”
Dobler stated: “Open entries were up and the addition of the Boxing class was a great success, especially the Youth class. Having those kids there competing was great to see and the fans loved it.
“We were a little apprehensive about our decision to make the Ltd Open and Ltd Non Pro Futurity classes stand alone this year, but it proved to be a good decision.” He adds that he and the Snaffle Bit Futurity committee appreciated all the extra effort of those participants who helped make this show such a success, including the stallion owners, sponsors, office staff, volunteers, spectators and exhibitors.
Snaffle Bit Futurity Committee Chair Darren Baumgartner added: “This year, in support of the many stallion owners that generously donated their services to our stallion auction, we were able to feature a Two-year-old Stallion Showcase on the Friday night. “This provided these stallion owners with a forum for potential buyers to preview their prospects.”
A social wine and cheese party completed the evening, and gave old friends the opportunity to gather and discuss the growth of the cow horse industry.
The 2007 Stallion Service Auction, which has become a major fundraiser for the Snaffle Bit Futurity, was also one of the most successful to date.
The Snaffle Bit Futurity committee incorporated the ARCHA awards banquet on Saturday evening with a snaffle bit awards presentation and silent auction, which also turned out to be a successful social evening for all the competitors and participants.
Competitors showed their horses over the three days to NRCHA judges Pete Bowling of California and Tom Buckingham of Idaho. Announcer Ron Anderson was entertaining and informative as ever over the three-day futurity. Anderson also jumped in to emcee at the ARCHA awards banquet Saturday evening at the Claresholm Community Hall.
The Snaffle Bit Futurity committee would like to thank all the sponsors that helped donate their time and funds toward this growing sport and event: Pedersen Training Center, Kaglea Krause Performance horses, Enerflex, Geoff Lake Holdings Ltd, San Emedio Ranch, Twister Shelters, Pollitt Oilfied Construction and Western Design, Karen Winther, and Nick Constantino. Hi Score Donors: J & M Holdings, Remax – Alder Center, Peter and Veronica Swales, and Vic Bennett Saddles.
