Mathieu Buton & Ms Mercedes Whiz • Photo by Kelsey PondThe big winner at the Tulsa Reining Classic, which ran Aug. 31-Sept. 6, was Mathieu Buton, who swept all three levels of the Hollywoodstinseltown Futurity Open with Ms Mercedes Whiz. It was a meaningful win for Buton and his wife, Angela Rybar, who own the horse.
“She’s very special. We raised her. I showed her dam several years ago and then we decided to breed her,” said Buton, of Overbrook, Oklahoma. “To be here and be able to show her was already very cool, and then to win all three divisions made it a great day.”
The pair marked a 221.5, besting the rest of the field by 2 points. Buton said that the mare (Cromed Out Mercedes x Ms Hollywood Whiz x Topsail Whiz) is small in stature, but has a big heart.
“She did everything I asked for. I know she can do everything really hard. She circled beautiful, turned good and her stop is definitely what makes the difference with her. She has an incredible way of stopping,” he said.
There was a three-way tie for Reserve in the Level 4 Open among Gunners Special Glo, piloted by Gabriel Diano, of Purcell, Oklahoma, Woodys Toy Gun, ridden by Tim McQuay, and Xtra Ruby Step, shown by Trevor Dare. Each duo marked 219.5 to win $7,482.
Gunners Special Glo (Gunners Special Nite x Paps Last Glo x Major Vaquero) is owned by Alpha Quarter Horses LLC, of Purcell, Oklahoma.
McQuay, of Tioga, Texas, and Dare, of Purcell, also tied for second in the Level 3 Open, earning an additional $3,004. Woodys Toy Gun (Hollywoodstinseltown x Gunner Pearl x Colonels Smoking Gun [Gunner]) is owned by David Silva. Dare and Xtra Ruby Step (Wimpys Little Step x HA Ruby N Diamonds x Shining Spark) took Reserve in Level 2, worth an additional $1,470. Xtra Ruby Step is owned by Xtra Quarter Horses, also of Purcell, Oklahoma.
Derby Level 4 Open
Early in the day, Tom McCutcheon, of Tioga, Texas, and The Wizster posted a 224, taking the Level 4 Open lead, meaning he had to sweat through 40 more horses before the results were finalized. In the end, the score held, making McCutcheon and the 5-year-old gelding Cardinal Reining Horses Derby Level 4 Open Champions.
McCutcheon knew there wouldn’t be any fresh dirt available for his first run-down, since he drew last before the arena drag. Still, he was confident in his horse’s abilities.
“He’s such a big stopper that I just decided not to look for the ground and just run right through the middle of it and say, ‘Whoa.’ That’s what I did, and he was perfect,” he said.
