MagnumStarlights 070216

Magnum Starlights and Casey Deary Secure NRHA Derby Open Title

MagnumStarlights 070216Magnum Starlights & Casey Deary • Photo by Alex LynchSix National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Million Dollar Riders, one Two Million Dollar Rider, two Three Million Dollar Riders, one Five Million Dollar Rider, past NRHA Futurity Open and Non-Pro champions, past NRHA Derby and Nation Reining Breeders Classic champions, and an impressive number of horses with earnings that surpass the $100,000 mark in lifetime earnings. All these things made up the NRHA Derby Open finals on Saturday, July 2, in Oklahoma City.

Winning the Derby Level 4 Open Championship with a 223 was NRHA Million Dollar Rider Casey Deary aboard Magnum Starlights (Magnum Chic Dream x Starlights Sugarwhiz x Little Bay Starlight), a 5-year-old stallion owned by Antler Ridge Ranch LLC and nominated by George Lawrence with $84,379 in earnings.

The win was especially sweet for Deary. Not only did he show Magnum Starlights’ grandsire, he also showed the talented stallion’s granddam.

“We have a long history together, and Magnum Starlights was raised on our ranch,” said Deary following his win. “We’ve always felt that he would achieve a major win sometime.”

Two riders posted a 222.5 for the Co-Reserve championship: NRHA Million Dollar Rider Jason Vanlandingham and NRHA Four Million Dollar Rider Andrea Fappani.

Vanlandingham rode NRHA Triple Crown champion Not Ruf At All (A Sparkling Vintage x All Ruffed Up x Lil Ruf Peppy), a 6-year-old stallion owned by Vaughn Zimmerman and nominated by Petra Connor with $416,766 to his credit. Fappani rode Pinesail Jac (Tinsel Jac x Sailin Lil Ruf x Lil Ruf Peppy), a 5-year-old gelding owned by Rancho Oso Rio LLC and nominated by Raul Leal, who has won $93,487 to date.

Levels 3 &2 Open

Fernando Salgado and Electric Cha Ching (Jacs Electric Spark x Kipper Lady Nic x Boomernic) set the bar high early in the second section of the Derby Open finals by posting a 221. The 5-year-old sorrel mare is owned by Heritage Farms/Silver Spurs Equine, and was bred and nominated by Haworth Family Partnership Ltd.

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