Ranch/Stock Horse

SL Jaybird Wins At Battle In the Saddle With R.L. Chartier

Open Champion R.L. Chartier, Weatherford, Texas, worried that his late draw in the Open Finals of the Mercuria NCHA Cutting might leave him short of good cattle for his horse, SL Jaybird, on Independence Day. There was no need for concern, the Smart Little Jerry gelding provided the fireworks that resulted in a 223 winning score, and a check for $10,860, during Battle in the Saddle, Oklahoma City, Okla.

SL Jaybird (Smart Little Jerry x Peyote Bird x Hickoryote) was bred by Renee Carter, Santo, Texas, and had Equi-Stat earnings of $371,380 before this show. Chartier came in with $963,016 in earnings.

Other Open finalists included Reserve Champion Lee Francois and Reys Desire (Dual Rey x Playguns Desire x Playgun), marking a 222. Reys Desire was bred by Woody Bartlett DVM, Pike Road, Ala., and had prior earnings of $356,274; Sean Flynn on Cat Man Blue (High Brow Cat x Quintan Blue x Mecom Blue), 218.5; Terry Hollis and Smartys Lil Curly, 217.5; Sam Shepard and Playing With A Cat, 217; Ed Dufurrena and Auspicious Cat, 216; and Lee Francois on Miss Smokin Garfield, 210.

Non-Pro

 

In the Non-Pro Finals, Mary Ann Rapp, Weatherford, Texas, was happy with the consistency of her mare Toy Engine (Playgun x Cool The Engines x Smart Little Lena), who marked a 219 in the first round and a 218 in the finals. That finals score aboard the flashy gray Playgun mare earned Rapp the win, and a check for $10,610. Rapp said several people have inquired about buying the mare and one of them just might get that chance, but only after Rapp completes her own show plans for the mare later this year. Toy Engine had previously earned $160,495 in the show pen, mostly with Mary Ann aboard, who has earned $3,948,926, and she and her husband, Phil Rapp, also bred the mare.

 

Other Non-Pro finalists included Reserve Champion Kaitlyn Larsen and Laredo Montana (Light N Lena x Little Memory Maker x Peppy San Badger) with a 217.5. Laredo Montana was bred by Larsen’s father, Billy Martin, Millsap, Texas, and came to town with earnings of $140,487; Don Boone and NQH Tom Cat (High Brow Cat x Spooky Lucy x Grays Starlight), 217; Mary Jo Milner and Smooth Asa Zee, 211; Crystal Jaya Lehrmann and So Sweet Santana, 211; Wade Rust and Aljerita Annie, 210; Daniel Jaeggi and Ginas Cat, 208, and Ken Sitton and Intention Del Rey, 201.