I was at Louisville earlier in the week and saw some reining. I ordered tapes from Seehorse of some of the classes I would miss. I'm regretting not taking my gelding. I think he would have been competitive, if I'd sent him somewhere for a tune up after East Coast. I thought the quality/talent was wide ranging. A fair number of penalties messing up the scores of otherwise good rides. But that's reining!

It was neat to see 14 year old The Marshal V. Of the 3 Desperado V sons in the class, he looked the most like my boy. I guess he did better in working cow. Khalculator redeemed himself in ammy, I see, after thinking "rollback" instead of "back" in his open class. Does anyone know who Scott Harris rides with? Very finished looking rider and horse.

Crystal McNutt-Brock must be exhausted. I think she rode about 10 horses in open purebred. Seven of them made the final top 10. She must have a heck of a crew behind her. I am curious about her being allowed to ride more than 3. Is this a new rule change? Has is changed in NRHA, too?

The racing bloodlines dominated the breeding of these horses. *Pepi, *Gondolier, Wiking, Monarch AH....

How was Lee Mancini's go round? Or didn't he have a purebred this year?

I have to say that I will not miss Louisville - the show has really outgrown the facility. There was no warm up for reining horses - except the mudpit in the parking lot. The footing in Broadbent was really sticky - if you had a horse that stopped deep - the horse ended up getting hung up and eventually very sore - it was apparent that many horses who were strong in the beginning were very sore in their finals or semi finals.

Crystal does have an excellent hard working crew - the hardest worker is Crystal herself. I haven't been with many trainers - but, I have been around horse shows my entire life. She is at the show working her tail off 19 hours a day. There is no way she could take that many horses and not do that. Each horse was shown to the best of its ability on that day. She goes in to win on each horse. I commend someone who has that talent and desire. Crystal ended up Champion in the purebred and half arab open - purebred and half arab futurity and one of her amatuers won the half arab AOTR with a snaffle bit horse. There is not an NRHA rule in place at US Nationals for the number of horses shown allowed. It was determined by AHA that we do not have the scores of reining trainers to make that rule something that could be beneficial to the industry at this time (proven by just 2 trainers showing the entire top ten). Hopefully we will get some more reining trainers and that rule could become a reality. The NRHA rules govern the Scottsdale Futurity Classic. AHA rules govern the US National show - which is why they can have judges up there who do not hold an NRHA card.

I, personally had a BLAST at this show - our barn did really well - my horse worked his heart out for me. He was very sore - and gave me all he had. We ended up in a tie for 10th with another rider in our barn. I had to run back, get my poor WET horse out of the stall - torn away from his lunch - throw a saddle on him - and go out and ride first. Boy did he step up to the plate for me..........he had decent turns - started our circles beautifully - tried to hang it out there - cruising - nice - and boom - his rider's brain goes dead and we go right off pattern. He continued to do all I asked - he was tired - he had lost a ton of weight at the show - and he was sore - but, he got me in the TT tie -and I blew it. He gave me everything he had - and ###### do I have a good horse - only 6 years old - I know I have alot to look forward to. Amazing young animal. People can say all they want about crazy AYRABS - but, when you ask for heart from a horse that believes you -you get all that they have and then some.

Good Boy Wishy!



Lee Mancini had a grey horse in the purebred - he didn't make the first cut. His Amateur was reserve in the AOTR - and I think maybe that same horse was reserve again in the open half - I am not certain on that though.



Scott Harris rides with Darlene Hopkins - Great horse and rider team - Khalculator and Scott.

What about that RC in the AOTR - the bosal horse - guy from Canada came with no trainer. NICE horse.

THANK YOU, Misty and Robin, I have been DYING for news of ANY working western classes and/or photos!! I have known Crystal since she was TINY and lived down here in Region Nine w/her family. She hsa been this way since back then! I have very strong memories of walking around Will Rogers (and the downtown Dallas facility, way back) and seeing her give even smaller kids bareback rides at about 1-3 a.m. on her horses. She was always kissing and hugging and petting her horses when no one was looking. Like 3 a.m. at her stalls, for instance. This young lady LOVES horses and seems to view them like I do as essential to breathing. She was trained and mentored by the best in the biz and it shows. Even when she was little bitty, all of us big grownups in the stands would groan when Crystal rode into the ring, knowing whomever we were rooting for was gonna have ###### beating her. Many a time, we watched this itsy bitsy mite ride out a NFR rodeo ride on some hot, hot English horse in eq. or somesuch, laughing and fanning the horse w/her hat!! SHE LOVED IT!! She is one of the MOST golden nuggets this breed has, so pray we do not lose her to training only QH's - because they are courting her like crazy to do so! GO, CRYSTAL, YOU ARE STILL THE BOMB!! To be so young and yet have decades of top notch experience! Invaluable, I love her ethics! They always shine through!
I laud each of our ww competitors, I know it can be so capricious - one false move and you are out. Lots of hard work to get there, so I thank them all for doing what it took to keep the entries up! Here's to hoping OK is a much kinder/gentler place to show the ww horses, right? Woohooo, hope to be one of you guys in the next two years w/a couple of my own!! Look SO forward to that time to meet and visit w/you all. THANKS AGAIN!!

Cyclone

Cyclone - she still kisses and hugs them when she thinks no one is watching

I think people are amazed at her talent - and perhaps a bit green eyed - it is a sixth sense with her - she knows what the horse is thinking sometimes before the horse knows. I have watched it for 3 years now and I am convinced that she truly communicates with the horses - it is hard to explain. Her dad tells stories about when she was younger and they were showing - he lights up when he talks about "his baby".

We all chipped in and bought her a "Champions" jacket for this nationals. 4 names on that jacket - quite an accomplishment - and the kicker is that ALL of her open horses - Pure and Half were also shown by their amateurs - that is really hard............

I have been so happy with the care and training my horses have received - I get my money's worth time and again. My horse is happy and so am I.

good for all of you, and how kind of you to do that for her! I know if I am able, she would be first on my list of who to send a potential reiner to. Does she show at all in working cowhorse these days? Trail? Just wondering, I love those classes too, a great deal! If you and your horse are content and happy and progressing, well, it just doesn't get much better than that! The girl is a marvel!

Cyclone

We had 4 horses from the barn entered in the Half Arabian working cow - 2 of them TT - one was in for sure with the way his go was going - had about 3 steps left of the last circle of the cow - cow undercut the horse, both horse and rider went down - rider was caught up in the stirrup but rolled to his belly to get the boot off - scary moment. So that horse zeroed. Both horse and rider are fine. The 4th horse in that class had a really bad cow - worked so well, couldn't get the cow to move though - judges should have called a new cow for her - but, didn't - that's the way the ball bounces sometimes. Had a Jr. purebred and a Jr. half in the cows as well - both TT - and.................cutting horse that was RC in the Non-pro and Open. There is a guy at the ranch that helps with the cows - he is an open Working/Reined cow trainer - Crystal works alot with him and he showed a couple of her cow horses.

While she does show the QH - her clients that have the QH reiners also have Arabs or Half arabs. She can't cross over there entirely -her heart is with the Arabian.

Sounds as though Crystals show was a real WOW. That is great - she works so hard and really is talented with the horses.

Misty - so sorry you missed out on your Top Ten - maybe next year in Albuquerque - and there's always Tulsa the following year. Wish is one neat little horse. So glad he has such an adoring owner!

Tell me about Sunny's (I know they call him Slick - but Slick just doesn't come out when I talk about him!!!!) second go and what was with his first??? He Top Ten'd which I am very happy about - you know this is what Playboy did last year at Nationals - as I recall he was just so/so on his first go in the Futurity and then was terrific the second go. He Top Ten'd as well. Then he went on to win the BIG ONE in Scottsdale - hoping that Sunny/Slick will as well. For all of you that don't know - his name is Hollywood Sunset - I always called him Sunny but when I sold him and he went to Crystal's barn - they already had a Sunny - hence Slick.

Another Hollywood White went Top Ten - Captain Hollywood in HA Working Cow Horse! YEAH - Congrats to him and Eddie Ralston who rode him - he was actually 3rd by points. I hear he's been sold - hope his new owners continue showing him with Eddie!

PS - Misty - Captain Hollywood is out of your guy's grand dam - Savannah Bask!

PS - mhtokay - Didn't I tell you the racing Arab blood was good for Reining!!!

Misty - congratulations on your almost TT , and for being such a good sport .
and Missmagnus for being a winning breeder

Misty,
THANKS AGAIN, for the further update!! MUCH appreciated! Am SOOOO glad to hear they cannot take Crystal away from us, what a loss that would be to the breed!! Also want to thank my dear friend, missmagus for being one of the finest breeders (IMO, anyway) of all time in the Arab biz!!! No matter what division she chooses, her horses win,have brains, talent, and the conformation to excel at the highest levels!! Yes, I am listening to those wiser/more experienced in breeding than myself! Most every one of my PP horses carry the blood of race champions! That sure does work well in this discipline, no denying it!! Thanks, folks,for the input! Hope to be rubbing elbows w/you in the VERY near future! Take care...

Cyclone