Sam Smith and Okies Check Mate Win $20K Open

Katy, TX - April 23, 2004 - Tim McQuay, Tioga, Texas rode Custom Red Berry to win the $10,000 added United States Equestrian Qualifier competition held at the National Reining Breeder’s Classic. McQuay is the National Reining Horse Association’s all time leading money earner with earnings of over $1,700,000 to his credit.

Custom Red Berry, owned by the estate of Leanne Bovet Roberts, is the NRHA's leading all time money earning mare. The partnership between McQuay and the roan mare has been a great one. In November, they earned the 2003 American Quarter Horse Association Senior Reining World Championship.

On Friday night at NRBC, the pair scored 220.5 to finish a point ahead of the reserve winner Tom McCutcheon riding Steadys Dude for owner Bradford Hattig. Steadys Dude is a former National Reining Breeders Classic Non Pro Champion.

Tom is a multiple National Reining Horse Association Futurity finalist and has twice earned the NRHA Derby Reserve Championship. He is a past NRBC Open Champion and the All-Time Leading USET Money Earner.

In third place was Craig Schmersal riding Slip Me Another Kiss owned by Holly Casey with a score of 219. Schmersal, of Menifee, California, has the distinction of winning the first Reining Gold Medal in history at an International Championship when he represented team USA at the World Equestrian Games in Spain in 2002.

In a class that ran concurrently with the USEF/CRI, Sam Smith and Okies Check Mate, owned by Joe Wolfe won the $20,000 added Open class with a 222.5 score. Smith, of Belle Center, Ohio, is a multiple NRHA World Champion and has trained reiners for over 25 years. Okies Check Mate has over $30,000 in lifetime earnings and will be shown next at the NRHA Derby in early May.

The first horse to enter the arena in the class of 29 entries became the Reserve Champion. Craig Schmersal rode Vintage Boom for owner Timorie Budge to a score of 222. Schmersal won the Reserve Championship of the NRHA Derby in 2003, was reserve Champion at the NRBC in 2002 and has multiple Saddlesmith Championship titles to his credit as well as many NRHA and AQHA Championship titles. His lifetime earnings exceed $650,000.

Third place in the $20,000 Open went to Randy Paul of Scottsdale, Arizona. Paul piloted Big League Yankee to a score of 221.5 for owner Pat Warren and Rancho Oso Rio. Randy is a multiple NRHA, NRBC and NRCHA finalist and NRHA Derby Champion.

The NRBC Show continues on Saturday at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center with the Limited, Intermediate Open finals at 1 pm and the Open Finals at 6 pm.