Vintage Chrome & Mandy McCutcheonMandy McCutcheon topped the Southwest Reining Horse Association (SWRHA) Level 4 Non-Pro on Vintage Chrome (A Sparkling Vintage X Smart Custom Chrome) with a score of 219.5 to win $5,321. McCutcheon and her husband, Tom, purchased the mare in March, from Harper and Petra Conner.
The decision was proven sound early on, when McCutcheon won the North Central Reining Horse Association Futurity on her.
McCutcheon gave credit to trainer Debbie Arballo for “doing most of the work on the mare” and said that Tom helps out occasionally, too. Referring to the mare, McCutcheon said, “She’s so solid and physical – really gritty.”
She also tied to win the Co-Reserve title – with herself! She rode MJG Colonel Dry (Gunner X Hollywood Dry) and Shootin Forthe Stars (Gunner X Dun It On A Star) to scores of 219 to earn $2,834 each. Both horses are owned by her parents’ McQuay Stables of Tioga, Texas.
The Level 3 and Level 2 Non-Pro titles ended in a tie between Flis Sassella of Marietta, Okla., and Ryan Birkenfeld of Nazareth, Texas. Each scored 217.5 and each earned $1,739 for the Level 3 and $981 for the Level 2.
Sassella was riding Chic Magnito (Magnum Chic Dream X Tivito Norma) owned by her husband, Richard. The Sassellas raised her dam and she has produced 7 National Reining Horse Association money earners, four of which Sassella has gotten to ride.
She earned money at the Tulsa Reining Classic, then swept all the divisions of the recent Warmup Futurity in Waco, Texas. “He’s super-easy to show,” she said of Chic Magnito. “I know I can go in there and trust him.”
Birkenfeld was riding Cant Spook Me (Spooks Gotta Gun X Te On The Trashy Side). A recent graduate of Texas A&M University, the 22-year-old has been riding reiners about 10 years but this is his first reining futurity horse – and his first major win.
It was also his first time to attend the SWRHA Futurity. He added to his laurels by winning the Level 1 Division, with Theresa Putman riding HA Casper (Lena Spark X DA Nic A Tune) to the Reserve title.
Sassella also won the Prime Time with John Dergo of Whitesboro, Texas, picking up the Prime Time Reserve Title on Shining Chic Dream (Magnum Chic Dream X Shining Moonstone).
