VikiWilliamson-web

Amateurs Win Big At The Non Pro Plus The Open

VikiWilliamson-webViki Williamson and Reys Your BetFor Viki Williamson, Argyle, Texas, Sunday night’s win in the 4-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur on Reys Your Bet represented a breakthrough. They had earned three reserve championships at major shows this year – but at The Non-Pro Plus the Derby in Oklahoma City, Okla., they emerged Champions.

Williamson bought Reys Your Bet (Reys Dual Badger x Bets Pretty Sue x Bets CD), bred and trained by Kobie Wood, at the NCHA Futurity in December. She rides him in Amateur classes while her trainer, Clay Volmer, shows him in the Open.

Williamson drew 10th of 12 finalists and marked a 216, good for a payday of $4,668. Mindy Johnson, Canyon, Texas, was Reserve Champion on her homebred mare, Dandy Miss Wood (Nitas Wood x Dandy Miss Hickory x High Brow Hickory). They marked a 213 and won $3,614.

In the 4-Year-Old $50,000 Amateur, Larami Stewart, Munday, Texas, continued a hot streak aboard Maradas Mate, a mare she calls “Salty” because “she’s not very sweet.” But the 2009 mare wins, so all is forgiven.

Stewart and Maradas Mate (Cats Merada x Adobe Creek Mate x Smart Mate) scored a 217.5 to win their share of the $19,213 purse in the class, which came to $3,916.

Claiming the Reserve Championship was Gary Reichart, Frankton, Ind., on Boons Playin (Mr Boonsmal To You x Aristocrats Playgirl x Smart Aristocrat), scoring 215.5 for a $2,944 check. Reichert and his wife, Michelle, purchased the gelding in April.

A day earlier it was the other Reichart in the hot seat when Michelle won a nail-biting 5/6-Year-Old Amateur finals that involved a revised score and a work-off for the Championship.

MichelleReichart-webMichelle Reichart and CD To The MaxReichart and her 2007 mare CD To The Max (CD Olena x Max Donna X Dual Pep) originally marked a 218 that was adjusted after a judge’s review to a final 219. That left her tied with Lisa Bankston and Fort Worth Pipeline (Cats Merada x Fort Worth Skyline x Mr Skyline Peppy). A runoff resulted, with Reichart repeating her 219 to win while Bankston, Fort Worth, Texas, marked 215 for the Reserve Championship.

Reichart earned $3,532 for the effort, while Bankston’s Reserve Championship was good for $2,593. On Sunday night, Reichart competed against other Amateur and Non-Pro winners in a Shootout that netted her a winner-take-all $2,000.