At the inaugural Reno Snaffle Bit Futurity, held Sept. 11-17 in Reno, Nevada, Reymageddon proved lightning can strike twice. The full brother to 2009 National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champion Reymanator carried professional Zane Davis to an exciting win at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center.

Reymageddon (Dual Rey x Savannah Hickory x Doc’s Hickory) and Davis, of Blackfoot, Idaho, started finals morning off with some momentum when they marked a 214, although the trainer admitted he thought that score was evidence that the win was out of reach.

Davis was concerned Reymageddon’s rein work would be the most challenging run; however, the 3-year-old stallion put those worries to bed when he earned a 218 from the judges to tie for the high score in the event. That left the duo with a 432 total on two, which was 5 points short of the lead Davis had aboard Metallic Cajun.

With several horse-and-rider teams in reach of the victory, it all came down to the fence work. Reymageddon went in with confidence and showed everyone he came to win. Surprising even Davis with his grittiness and abilities, the stallion marked a huge 226 to push his composite score to a 658. That total held for the Futurity Open Championship.

“It’s always exciting when you win a Futurity,” Davis said. “I know this wasn’t the big [NRCHA] Futurity, but it was exciting to win here eight years after his brother won here.”

Owned by John “Sandy” Semanik, of Jacksonville, Florida, Reymageddon garnered $30,000 for the performance and is headed to Fort Worth, Texas, for the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity. Davis, who also finished third with Lightning 7 Cattle Co. LLC’s Metallic Cajun (Metallic Cat x Jennys Spark x Shining Spark), amassed $47,000 total.

The Open Reserve Championship went to Daddys Checks (Im Countin Checks x Playguns Courage x Playgun), owned by Todd and Chrissy Rogers and ridden by Lance Johnston. The mare’s 656 composite score (219.5 herd/212 rein/225 cow) also landed her and Johnston the Intermediate Open win, bringing their paycheck to $32,000.

Master Pici and Holly Marsh finished at the top of the Futurity Limited Open for owner Dann Russell, of San Simeon, California. The mare (Smart Little Pepinic x Masters Miss Pici x Master Remedy) amassed a 637 composite score (208 herd/217.5 rein/211.5 cow) to take home $7,500.

Futurity Non-Pro

When Cori Shields decided to buy a 3-year-old to compete in the first-ever Reno Snaffle Bit Futurity, her plan was just to support the show. She lives less than 100 miles from the show grounds, and felt she owed it to the event.

Little did she realize she would sweep the Non-Pro divisions for three titles and an impressive $14,700 payday. Aboard George Booney (Pretty Boy Boon x Drivin Ms Ruby x Hydrive Cat), bred by Jan Little, of Emmett, Idaho, she showed that consistency is the name of the game in cow horse.

From draw four in the herd work, Shields and her gelding marked a 213.5. They came back in the reining to mark a 207.5, giving them a lot of points to make up in the fence work if they wanted a chance at a title. While most of her competitors struggled in the cow work, Shields and George Booney shined with a 215, the second-highest score in the field.

With a 636 total on three, Shields and George Booney topped the Futurity Non-Pro and Intermediate Non-Pro by 1 point. They defeated their nearest competitors in the Amateur by a huge 10-point margin.

“It was the best herd work we’ve ever had. My goal was a 210 and I told myself I’d be happy with a 208,” Shields said of her run, thanking her trainer, Wade Reaney, and other helpers for their assistance. “We know the rein work is our downfall. He’s not a huge stopper, and this ground didn’t encourage him. I was wanting a higher score, but I was happy with him.

“He was feeling pretty tired, but that cow came out and he kind of jumped,” she continued of her fence work. “It was cool. He felt great in the boxing. We got a long start at the corner and left good. When we made those turns, the cow’s head was on my knee, and I was like, I’ve never been this close before!”

With a 635 (215.5 herd/207.5 rein/212 cow) and a ripped shirt from her fence work, Molly Russell and Rey Out There (Rey Dual x Lost The Farm x Doc’s Hickory) secured the Reserve Championship in the Non-Pro and Intermediate Non-Pro. Altogether, the mare and Russell garnered $8,250.

The Non-Pro Limited win was awarded to Laura Campbell riding A Total Rock Star (That CD Rocks x Spats Lil Spitfire x Colonel Spats), bred by Vivian Robertson, of Paso Robles, California. A 203 in the herd work, 203.5 in the reining and 210 in the boxing paid off with a 616.5 composite score and a $2,500 check.

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