Scottsdale, Arizona - March 29, 2003 - At the National Reined Cow Horse Stakes in Scottsdale, Arizona, March 26-29, the final result was an exact repeat of last year as Bob Avila rode to win the Open Snaffle Bit Stakes and Dema Paul claimed the Non Pro Championship.

It all came about after a day of exemplary performance and following his victory on Light N Fine, owned by John and Loralee Vaughn, Bob Avila was quick to compliment his fellow exhibitors. "What a great finals! Run after run!'

Avila's own finals cow work run on the Grays Starlight stallion (out of Lenas Fine Freckle) was one for the record books. Aggressive and fast, the work brought a score of 225, good enough to give him a composite of 665.5 and clinch the Stakes title and $20,000 first place check.

Finishing as the Open Reserve Champion was Todd Crawford on Wright Smart Olena (Lenas Wright On X Colonel Minne). His score of 662 earned $14,345 for Mr. and Mrs. C. Ross Conner. Third place and $11,476 went to the 2002 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Champions Doug Williamson and Doc At Night (by Mr San Olen) owned by Sandie Braden for a score of 656.

Brad Buttrey rode Oak Ill Be (by Ill Be Smart) to a composite score of 655.5 and a fourth place finish for owner Joanie Cohn. That was also good enough to win the Intermediate Open Division!

Second in the Intermediate Open was Randy Paul on Dominican Starlight, a Grays Starlight son owned by Pat Warren of Scottsdale, Arizona. Shadd Parkinson rode another Grays Starlight son, Starznic, to third place and won the Limited Open Championship, as well.

If Avila was brilliant in Open Stakes, Dema Paul was blazing in the Non Pro. In Preliminary competition, she rode Primos Bob Acre (by Teninas First out of Bob Acre Angelina) to the top score in every competition – herd work, rein work and cow work. It was more of the same in the finals, and her composite score on the horse she owns with her husband, Jim, was 662 to sweep the field. The win earned the "hometown favorite" a check for $8,536.

Idaho Non Pro Annie Reynolds finished as the Reserve Non Pro champion on Hickory McLain (by Docs Hickory) with a 649, and was third on Legendinhisowntime (by Little Lenas Legend) with a 640, earning $7,012 and $4,874, respectively.

Jody Semper rode Ka Ching (by Nu Cash) to the $50K Non Pro Championship, earning $1,887. Justiin Wright was the Reserve $50K Champion on Mr Hollywood Rooster (by Gallo Del Cielo), owned by Wrights Quarter Horses.

Complete Results at www.nrcha.com