Casey Deary Rides Lil Joe Cash to Win Mister Nicadual Open Derby

The final day of the 2103 Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic brought some of the most memorable performances of the event. With 75 horses competing in the Mister Nicadual Open Derby, it was clear that it would take an exemplary run to win the event.

And there certainly were some works that shined brightly - most notably Jordan Larson on Show Me The Buckles owned by Rebeca Martin of Wilton, California and Peter DeFreitas riding Wimpys Little Freckl owned by  Double Run Farm LLC of Leland, North Carolina.  Each scored 224.5 and when it came down to the final horse to go in the Derby, they were still tied for the lead.

That's when Casey Deary rode in on Lil Joe Cash and everything changed. Picture perfect maneuvers punctuated by flawless stops at the end of the pattern had watchers guessing. "Did he do it?"

That was asked and answered when announcer Brian Lookabill revealed the score -a  225!

Amid multiple congratulations from his peers after the event, Casey was quick to say, "I can't take the credit for this horse. Andrea Fappani trained him and did a wonderful job. He's extremely broke and probably knows more about reining than I do!"

Andrea rode Lil Joe Cash (Nu Chex To Cash X RS Lilly Starlight) to the 21011 NRHA Futurity Championship and a score of other wins, earning over $230,000 and the 2012 AQHA Junior Reining World Championship. "Andrea called me and said he'd won so much on him and he thought a change of scenery would be good for the horse. He had his owner, Russel Giles, call me and I got him about two months ago."

Casey brought the horse to Tulsa to school in preparation for the upcoming Derby in Las Vegas. "I got here and he schooled so well and was so honest, I talked to Russel and we ended up entering yesterday." 

For the win, Casey collected $7,567, a Lawson Trophy, a saddle sponsored by Tom McCutcheon's Virtual Horse Help,  Ariat Jacket, and gift certificates from Ariat Denim Santa Cruz Animal Health.

Jared Leclair topped the Level 3 and Level 2 divisions riding Arc Electrical Storm.  He got the horse a week before the NRHA Derby in June where he made the Level 2 Finals and marked a 220.5 in the finals. "He's a good-minded horse and wants to be good. He's easy to show."

According to Jared, his owner, Erin Rapp of Houston, Texas, will actually begin showing him next year in the rookie classes. He earned $4,213 for the Level 3 win and $1,374 for the Level 2 finish as well as $2,961 for finishing fourth in the Level 4 division.

The Level 3 and Level 2 Reserve Championships went to Patrice St-Onge on Custom Banjo owned by Melanie Schuckers of Gainesville, Texas.

In the Dun Gotta Gun Novice Level 4 Open Derby, Peter DeFreitas rode Wimpys Little Freckl,  owned by Double Run Farms to the win with his Level 4 Reserve Champion score, earning another $3,869. Double Run Farms raised the horse, and Peter started him and has been showing him since. He placed second in the Congress Futurity, then earned an Open Finals berth at the NRBC.

"We missed the finals at the Derby and I wanted to show him again. Today is the best he's ever shown. He'll be rested until next year when we get him ready for the derbies."

The reserve title in the Novice Horse division went to Level 2 and 3 Champion Jared LeClair on Arc Electrical Storm.

Steven Borgia Sweeps SmartPak Non Pro Derby on Electric Starlight.

When Steven Borgia rode into the arena as the sixth draw in the SmartPak Non Pro Derby, someone asked, "Who's that?"

It's for sure that everyone knows him now, as his 219.5 score on Electric Starlight (Jacs Electric Spark X Carino Del Cielo) held up through all 70 runs and he swept the Level 4, Level 3, and Level 2 Non Pro Divisions and claimed the Novice Non Pro as well.

Borgia bought the good gelding from Mike Davis after the NRBC this year and this is the third time he has shown him. At the NRHA Derby, he placed 3rd in the Level 1 Non Pro and has spent the past few months getting with him..

He's had some quality help with that as he's been riding with $3 Million NRHA Professional Shawn Flarida for the past year. "I really appreciate Shawn and all the boys from the farm for all the help they've given me," noted Steven.

Steven has been riding reiners since 2008 after he saw the World Equestrian Games featured on television. Before that he had trail ridden but he was hooked as soon as he watch the reining.

Currently finishing his Masters Degree in Organizational Management, Steven, of LeClaire, Iowa, plans to give Electric Starlight the rest of the year off. "The NRBC will be our next show."

He collected $5,019 for the Level 4 win and a boatload of prizes, including a Lawson trophy, saddle sponsored by Global Reining Sport Group, Ariat Jacket, and gift certificates from Ariat Denim and Smartpak.  He netted an additional $2,806  in the Level 3, $1,275 in the Level 2, and  $996 in the Novice Horse.

The Level 4 and Level 3 Reserve Championships went to Indy Roper for a score of 219 on Chicsdundreamin owned by Tim Roper of Hobart, Indiana. They were worth $3,055 and $1,708, respectively.

Winning the Level 2 Reserve title was Gloria Bradley of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, scoring 218 on Colonel G (Smokin Bueno Dell X Lady Kali Jac) owned by Bill Bradley. Gloria also won reserve honors in the Novice Horse division.

Flis Sassella, of Marietta, Oklahoma, rode Tickle My Whizkers,  by Remin Whiz and out of Tivito Norma, to the championship in the Prime Time Non Pro. She raised the gelding, and owned both his dam and granddam.  The now 6-year-old gelding that she owns with her husband, Richard, was a bit of a late bloomer. "It took a long time to get him trained, " she said.  "He wasn't ready at 3 or 4 but now he's got it all together and just wants no trouble. He's a huge stopper - really easy to ride and after the slow beginning, it looks like he'll be a long-term performer."

She missed all the major events this year, as her daughter, Rachel was a senior in high school and the family was involved in college selection. "Every week that there was a big event we'd have a trip to check out a college so that was the priority this year instead of showing."

The Reserve Champion in the Prime Time was Polly Hilliard of Lexington, Kentucky. Polly rode Little Man Spook, by Smart Spook, out of Miss Satin Whiz.

Quarter Horse News Tulsa Reining Classic Stallion Service Auction Winning Participants

The Quarter Horse News Tulsa Reining Classic Stallion Service Auction ran through the month of August with a select lineup of premier reining stallions available for bid.Thanks to Quarter Horse News, each participating stallion owner was entered to win one of two stallion promotion packages custom-designed  to contain both print and electronic advertising - each valued at $5,000.

The drawing was held on the final day of the event and Bevilacqua Quarter Horses,  owner of Star Spangled Whiz and Robert Thompson, owner of Yellow Jersey were the two lucky winners.

Event Champions and NAAC Qualifiers Making History at the Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic

The first day of September was the last day of the Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic and the intense competition continued in the Mustang Arena, with the last of the  National Reining Horse Association Classes and more South Central Region Affiliate Finals classes that qualify top finishers for the North American Affiliate Championship at the NRHA Futurity.  

 James Michael Phillips of Hartshorne, Oklahoma rode Shining Shoes to a score of 145.50 to win the Non Pro class, with Dee Dee Boeckman of Kingfisher, Oklahoma riding Peppy San Whiz to a score of 143.5 to take reserve. The two had identical finishes in the Non Pro South Central Region Affiliate Finals.

Dee Dee also won the Intermediate Non Pro and the Regional Affiliate Finals title with that score, edging Valerie Nalbantian of Aubrey, Texas with a 143 score on Custom Fourtyfour Mag.

In the Limited Non Pro, Paige Vernon of Ashland, Wisconsin on Goodtime Starbuck and Barbara Bergin-Nader, of Austin, Texas on Starbucks for Chex split the title with identical scores of 142.5.

The Limited Non Pro Affiliate title went to Bergin-Nader, with Kaylan Marks on Tagged My Chic and Nancy Stillwell on Doctor Dually Pep tying for second.

The Prime Time Non Pro class boasted 28 entries. The win went to Valerie Nalbantian and Custom Fourtyfour Mag. Barbara Bergin-Nader and Teresa Goforth of Dallas, Texas riding Little Lenas Solano split the reserve titles. Barbara and Teresa also Tied to win the Prime Time South Central Region Affiliate Finals.

Cappy Dryden of Lexington, Kentucky rode Starbucks Summer to win the USA Reining Amateur class.

Youth Activities Continue in the Super Duty Arena

 In the Short Stirrup Class, Andie Wells of Valley View, Texas, continued to dominate, winning the class for the second time in two days, with a score of 70 on Forest Cabin Cowboy.  The Short Stirrup reserve championship went to Madison Gustin of Weatherford, Texas on Mark This Dun for a 69 score.

In the NRHA Youth 13 & Under, Kenleigh Wells rode The Ultimate Magnum to the win with a score of 142, edging Molly Mitchell on Playgun Chic Olena who scored 140.5. Kenleigh also won the SouthCentral Region Affiliate Finals 13 & Under, with Gainesville, Texas rider, Emily Adloff on Chex This Melody Out tying with Taylor Zimmerman, of Springfield, Missouri on Trinitys First Step.

Tori Cartillar, of Wynn, Arkansas, rode Gimme Major Bucks to a 144.5 marking to win the NRHA Youth 14-18. Shelby Reine of Laplace, Louisiana was second with her score of 143.5 on Topsail Oak. Tori also won the Youth 14-18 South Central Region Affiliate Finals and Shelby tied for the Affiliate Reserve Title with Jack Medows. The three placed exactly the same in the AQHA Youth Reining.

Cartillar also won the Rookie Youth class, with Anna Dupre of Houma, Louisiana taking the Reserve Rookie title on Electric Footwork.  Anna won the Novice Youth Reining as well, and second in that class went to Kaylan Marks, of Yorktown, Texas with Tagged My Chic.

Emma Katherine Taylor of Martin, Tennessee won the USEF Youth 13 & Under on Royal Chexy Lady, with a score of 138. Tori Catillar won the USEF 14-18 Youth on Gimme Major Bucks, with Kaylan Marks winning second on Tagged My Chic.

In the USA Youth Reining, Tori Cartillar was the winner, with James Michael Phillips of Hartshorne, Okalhoma finishing second on Shining Shoes.

The show is produced by Global Reining Sport Group, a Texas and Oklahoma-based partnership of industry leaders whose vision has created innovative events and leading-edge classes. The events have grown both in prominence and size. 

Youth Team Tournament Prizes