A Time For Jazz & Zane Davis – Photo by Scootemnshootem PhotographyThe Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell, Mont., hosted the Montana Reined Cow Horse Futurity Oct. 11-13. Doug Williamson, of Bakersfield, Calif., was the judge for 135 entries. The show was originated and nurtured by Dave Vietor, assisted by a loyal group of board members who have kept it going. Unfortunately, Vietor passed away last year shortly after the Montana show, and this year, it was dedicated to his memory.
Bridle and Two-Rein classes were comparatively large, something of a change from past years. Williamson remarked that he had judged the Montana show back in the late ’90s, and was pleased to see how the level of showmanship and horsemanship has advanced.
A Time For Jazz marked a 219.5 for the Futurity Open Championship under Zane Davis. Owner Harry DeHaan was on hand to gather up his buckle. Davis remarked, “We sure miss Dave, and it’s great to come here to his show with such a nice horse.”
The Fence Work Challenge has been a fun event for several years, but the 2013 winner is the first to be inscribed on a perpetual trophy for the Dave Vietor Memorial Fence Challenge. The C.R. Morrison bronze trophy will be displayed at cow horse events where Vietor was long-time competitor, trainer, mentor and judge. Riders in both the Open and Non-Pro Challenge were also vying for custom-order Tom Balding spurs. In addition, a memorial saddle was up for grabs for the high fence work score of the show, all classes.
The Open Challenge yielded a three-way tie with 74.5 scores from Justin Warneke on Heza Diamond Spark, Becky Hurst on Nics The Smart and Dan Roeser riding Nic A Roan.
A runoff had the crowd on their feet as Hurst laid down a 75 to win. The score held throughout the show to also win the first Dave Vietor saddle. Hurst was radiant as she described Nics The Smart, owned by Lyndon Farms, of Alaska, as being “a pleasure to ride and train. I hope I get to keep him and put him in the bridle.”
Travis Young piloted his own mare, That Lady Blue, for the Futurity Limited Open win. The Level 1 Open winner was Colter Schlosser on Ketch A Later. Mel Mabbot, of Canada, rode to wins in both the Futurity Non-Pro and the Futurity Amateur on A Genuine Listo.
Nics Shiney Dresser, ridden by Zane Davis for owner Dallan Jeppeson, marked a 219 to win the Derby Open. Jeremy Meador, on Little Peppys Legend, was reserve, and also won the Derby Intermediate Open. Limited Open Champion Smart Shiner Nic, owned by Quarter Circle 9 Quarter Horses, was ridden by Travis Young. Bill Fischer piloted Charley Hahn’s Legends Dandi Lena for the Level 1 Open Championship.
The non-pros were just as competitive down the fence. Doug Sapergia, of Canada, rode Nu Kinda Remedy to the Non-Pro Fence Challenge Championship. “We bought him as a yearling, and he won the Canadian Supreme at 3. He’s been off healing up an abscess, and this is his first show back,” said Sapergia. Greg Beiker rode his Nic A Roan to finish as the Non-Pro Fence Challenge Reserve Champion.
Diane Edwards, of Idaho, won the Derby Non-Pro on Sanjo Senorita. “I’ve owned her almost since she hit the ground, and had her full brother, too,” said Edwards with a big grin. The Derby Amateur Champion was OSR Tangys Little Peppy, owned and shown by Lily Brogger.
A total of 22 stallions are nominated to the Montana Stallion Stakes, making the accumulated purse pretty impressive. The 2013 futurity had only one entry, Smart Smokin Dually, owned by Kent Blough, who stands the horse’s sire, Muchacho Dually. Cody Halford rode him to win both the Futurity Open and $2,500 Limited. The Stallion Stakes Derby winner was Irish Royal Flush, ridden by Tim Unzicker for Jill Roberts, owner of both the gelding and his sire, Peps A Dynamo. Megan Winderl was the Derby $2,500 Limited Champion on Irish Picinic, sired by Hickorys Irish Pep.
Complete results are available on the MRCHF website.
