shine-smarter-sarah-dawson

Shine Smarter Proves Smartest at Hackamore Classic

With a 433.5 composite score (143 herd/145.5 rein/145 cow), Miller and “Sioux” earned four championships. Not only did they win the Hackamore Classic Non-Pro, Intermediate Non-Pro and Novice Non-Pro titles, but their rein and fence work scores also garnered the Non-Pro Hackamore horse show class win. Their total paycheck exceeded $12,000.

Miller started Dare To Sioux, bred by Carol Rose, when the horse was a 2-year-old. That gave her and the little horse a unique bond, she said, adding that she and Sioux both like to goof off and have fun.

With this win, Miller’s lifetime earnings surpassed the $85,000 mark. Sioux has earnings of nearly $60,000, according to Equi-Stat records. He is the leading money-earner out of Tari Darlin, who garnered merely $1,930 in her own career as a cutter. 

The Amateur Champion was Jesse Spence, of Yamhill, Oregon, who guided A Stylish Spark (Stylish Rey Gay x Just A Sparknshine x Shining Spark) to a composite score of 423.5 (138 herd/144 rein/141.5 cow). They also placed in the Hackamore Classic Non-Pro, Intermediate Non-Pro and Novice Non-Pro divisions, as well as the Non-Pro Hackamore horse show class.

All told, Spence and the Don Murphy-bred gelding secured more than $4,000. While the young Oregon horseman admitted he will attend community college to earn a degree, he has his sights set on becoming a horse trainer like his father, Jim.

Workin Mans Blues & Jessica Draper • Photo by Kelsey Pecsek

After winning the herd work and rein work rounds, and scoring well in the cow work, Jessica Draper held on to win the Hackamore Classic Non-Pro Limited division with a 425.5 composite (142 herd/141 rein/142.5 cow), taking home $1,215. She rode her gelding, Workin Mans Blues (Yellow Roan of Texas x Topi Chexx x A Cowboy At Heart).

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