2005 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Finalists Determined

The 2005 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Preliminaries concluded with the Cow Work Wednesday and determined the elite few that advance to the Open, Intermediate and Limited Futurity Finals.

Jon Roeser, Lemoore, California, set the Open pace with a 649.5-point composite riding Playguns Doll (Playgun x Little Serena Lena) for Tony Dragt. The Open division began with 294 total entries vying for a slot in the finals, which pays $100,000 to the Champion. The field was narrowed to 25 horses scoring a 638.5 or better for a chance at the coveted championship.

Three talented riders each qualified two horses for the finals including: Jon Roeser, riding Playguns Doll and Mike and Nikki Russell’s Hesa Shiny Twist; Todd Bergen, riding Skeets Little Star for Joanie Cohn and Sum Irish Rum owned by Dawson Performance Horses, LLC; Ted Robinson, riding Nu Circle Of Light for Hunsicker and Robinson, and Sugar Fore Shiners owned by Dan and Joanna Berry; and Ken Wold, riding Dixie Chic Please for Joe Baldiviez and Jessie Meehan, as well as Shiney And Dressy owned by Doug and Cindy Granade.

The top 20 in the Intermediate advanced to the finals, with Boyd Rice leading the field. Boyd, riding Playin Attraction (Playin Stylish x Ginnin Attraction) owned by Burnett Ranches LTD, scored a 647-point composite. Riders earning at least a 637 after the herd, rein and cow work advance to the finals, which take place Friday.

The Limited Open division accepted 18 back to the finals, which was lead by Chris Dawson. Chris, riding Lil Miss Shiney Chex (Shining Spark x Lil Miss Smarty Chex) earned a 640 in the preliminaries. A 627.5 was needed to make it back to the finals.

Please visit the National Reined Cow Horse Association’s website, www.nrcha.com, for a list of each division’s finalists. The finals start with the Non Pro division Thursday, followed by the Intermediate Open and Limited Open on Friday and the Open Sunday. The 2005 Futurity, which will pay out more than $1.1 million, runs through October 2 at the Reno Livestock Event Center in Nevada. The last four days of the Futurity feature the prestigious finals, a first-class trade show and three sales highlighting the best horses in the industry.

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, 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, GASTROGARD and ULCERGARD 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.