Horsesdaily News: World's Greatest Horseman Finalists Determined

World's Greatest Horseman Finalists Determined

World Championship Show Gets Underway

Stephenville, TX - February 23, 2005 - Preliminary competition continued Tuesday, February 22, at the Bayer Legend™ National Reined Cow Horse Association Celebration of Champions in Stephenville, Texas. The World's Greatest Horseman preliminaries started with the steer stopping first thing Tuesday morning and the cow work in the evening while the first World Championship finalists were named in the Open, Limited Open and Non Pro Hackamore throughout the day.

The World's Greatest Horseman steer stopping preliminaries ended with a four-way tie for first with Doug Williamson riding Doc At Night for D&S Quarter Horses; Robbie Schroeder on Lena Spark, owned by Claude Leach; Lance Shields riding PG Dry Fire for John Haynes; and Mark Luis riding Artistchic, owned by Dann and Molly Russell, all receiving a 148.

In the cow work, Todd Crawford rode Sailing Smart, owned by the Sailing Smart Partnership, to a 150-point, first-place finish while Russell Dilday finished second with a 149.5 on Miss Plain Plain for Scott and Darnell Trueblood.

The Top Ten horses and riders after the four events move on to the finals, which begin Thursday evening with the herd work at 7 p.m. The World's Greatest Horseman will be named following the cow work finals Saturday night with the champion receiving a check for $30,000.

World's Greatest Horseman finalists are:

Robbie Boyce riding Brother White for Dana Mandala;
Bob Avila with Rhodes River Ranch's Light N Fine; Jon
Roeser riding Very Smart Remedy for Anne Reynolds;
Russell Dilday and Miss Plain Plain;
Lance Johnston riding Smokums Prize for Winston and Ginger Moore;
Robert Chown riding Short Oak for Linda Wacker;
Todd Crawford with Sailing Smart;
Ron Emmons riding Partners N Paints' Tangys Classy Boy;
Playboys Buck Fever, owned and ridden by Mike Miller;
Nu Circle N Cash, owned and ridden by Ted Robinson.

In NRCHA World Championship competition, the Top Ten finalists were named in the Open, Limited Open and Non Pro Hackamore. Those horses and riders will compete in the finals beginning Friday. Winners are determined by combining scores from both the prelims and finals.

Open Hackamore finalists are:

Jon Roeser riding Heart Of A Fox, owned by Twisselman and Roeser;
Russell Dilday with Kevin Cantrelle's Topsails Rien Maker;
Todd Crawford and The Love Man, owned by Gary and Kathy Benton;
Don Murphy riding RS Lilly Starlight for Kurt Harris;
Jay Holmes with Roger DeArmas' Heza Texas Jewel;
Lance Shields riding Thirsty Oak for the Thirsty Oak Partnership;
Ted Robinson and Master Kaweah;
Jay McLaughlin and Lady Lean With Me, owned by Vaughn Zimmerman;
Cody Kelley riding Starlights Sam for Bart Riley;
Marilyn Peters with LDL Drag My Dor, owned by Pete and Elizabeth Testa.

Limited Open Hackamore finalists include:

Lance Shields and Thirsty Oak;
Glen Aspinal with Another Hot Chic, owned by John Pascoe;
Jay McLaughlin and Lady Lean With Me;
Instant Cutter, owned and ridden by Shawn Hays;
Jimmy Stickler on Shesa Taris Catalyst, owned by Mel Smith;
Ralph Hull with KR Why Knot for the Double HH Ranch;
Zeph Shulz riding Robb Stevens' Fritzs Little Pep;
Robert Hartford with Hickory Lil Telesis, owned by Clyde Smith.

In the Non Pro Hackamore, finalists are:

Patty Ralls and Chromium Cowboy;
Eric Freitas and My Missing Diamond;
John Showalter riding Im Real Classy;
Robin Ross with PG Rey Gun;
Rick Drayer on Fast Hickory;
John Farris riding Hickorys Remedy and Fatboy Slim;
Tammy Jo Hays with Shine Smartly;
Travis Heare riding Heza Smokum Peppy.

Celebration of Champions competition continues Wednesday with World Championship preliminaries in the Open Two Rein, Non Pro Limited, Open Bridle and Limited Open Bridle. The event runs through Saturday, February 26, and will be followed by the NRCHA World Championship Awards Brunch at City Limits Sunday morning.

The National Reined Cow Horse Association, the 56-year-old governing body of cow horse competition, is responsible for promoting the sport, insuring high standards of competition and educating members and the public about the history and tradition of the cow horse. Through the support of a Corporate Partner family that includes Bayer Corporation, Bob's Custom Saddles, Cinch, Inc., Classic Equine, EQ Solutions, MD Barns, Platinum Performance, Inc., Nutrena, Skyline Gold and Silversmiths, Sundowner Trailers, National Ropers Supply, Quarter Horse News & Western Horseman magazine, the Reno Hilton, Dan Gamel's RV Centers, Farnam products Vetrolin Liniment and Farnam dewormers IverCare, ComboCare, LiquiCare P and Continuex, Fort Dodge West Nile Innovator, Rios of Mercedes, Great American Insurance Company and the Silver Legacy, the association works to keep the vaquero tradition alive in today's equine industry. For information on the National Reined Cow Horse Association, call 580-759-4949 or visit the NRCHA Official Web Site at www.nrcha.com.