Lucas Oil Level 4 Open Champions Platinum Vintage and Andrea FappaniAfter an exciting day of action in the Protect The Harvest Derby Non-Pro, the fun at the Cactus Reining Classic continued with the Lucas Oil Derby Open on Saturday, March 5. With 70 horses in the class, the competition promised to be entertaining, and Platinum Vintage held up his end of the bargain.
A 226 marked from draw 46 by 2014 National Reining Horse Association Futurity Open Co-Champions ARC Gunnabeabigstar and Jordan Larson appeared to be the ticket for a win, but the duo settled for the Reserve Championship after Platinum Vintage came in from draw 64 to mark an impressive 230.
Platinum Vintage (A Sparkling Vintage x Starjac Miss x Hollywood Jac 86), bred by Petra Zeitler Conner, of Valley View, Texas, entered the pen with his new jockey – Equi-Stat Elite $4 Million Rider Andrea Fappani. After a successful career with Todd Bergen, also an Equi-Stat Elite $4 Million Rider, the 6-year-old palomino stallion has taken quickly to his new Scottsdale, Arizona-based trainer’s program.
“It’s always good when you win,” Fappani said. “This is the first time I’ve shown this horse, so I had a little bit of pressure put on myself.”
Platinum Vintage and Fappani garnered a $12,958 paycheck for owners Harper Conner and Silver Spurs Equine. This win brings the stallion’s lifetime earnings to more than $165,000. ARC Gunnabeabigstar (Gunnatrashya x Wimpys Little Chic x Wimpys Little Step) picked up a $7,888 check for owner HDC Quarter Horses.
The Level 3 Open Championship went to Matt Mills riding Gotta Trigger Man (Colonels Smoking Gun [Gunner] x Gotta Git Ya Dun x Hollywood Dun It) after the team marked a 223.5. The 6-year-old stallion took home $5,859 to owners Mary Beth and Tim Ruckman. Riding Wimps Cool Breeze, Mills also finished in a tie for second in Level 3, worth another $3,121.
Nicolas Barthelemy, of Ramona, California, brought Sheri Jamieson’s reined cow horse All That Boon to prove his reining savvy and did just that when he piloted the 5-year-old stallion (Peptoboonsmal x All That N Cat x High Brow Cat) to a 219 and the Levels 2 and 1 championships. Altogether, the duo amassed $7,231.
For complete coverage of the Cactus Reining Classic, subscribe to Quarter Horse News.
