Smart Twinkeltown, pictured with Ruben Vandorp at the 2016 High Roller Reining Classic. • Photo by Waltenberry

Adequan® NAAC Show Novice Horse Open Level 1 & 2 Champions Crowned

Shauna Larcombe and Setting Off Smart (Smart Spook x Setting Off Sparks x Shining Spark) earned the Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show (NAAC) Novice Horse Level 1 Open Championship. The 6-year-old mare, owned by Hall of Fame inductee and Million Dollar Owner Rosanne Sternberg, scored a 219 for the title.

“We were up fairly early and marked a 219 and kept the score through the whole day, so that was a little bit lucky,” said Larcombe, an NRHA Professional representing the Southwest Reining Horse Association (SWRHA). “She was good. I showed her on Thursday in the NAAC Intermediate Open, and she was pretty good, but I thought she had a little bit more. Today she turned a lot better, and I’m very happy with her.”

The Adequan® NAAC Novice Horse Level 1 Open Champion received a Silver Spurs Custom Saddle, a custom Montana Silversmiths Trophy Buckle, a Platinum Performance Gift Certificate, a Classic Equine fleece cooler, Bluebonnet Feed product, a $150 SmartPak Gift card, an embroidered halter from Brandt Blankets and an Avila Pro Shop Blanket. 

The Adequan® NAAC Novice Horse Level 1 Open Co-Reserve Championship honors went to Guy Vernon and Samantha Musanate. Vernon and Outwestkid (Out West Whiz x Shes A Bella Kid x Brennas Kid), a 5-year-old gelding owned by Betsy Hardy, earned a 218 for their run.

“He was really good today; I showed him in the Open earlier, and he didn’t stop as well as he did today,” said NRHA Professional Vernon. “He is a fun horse and is so nice and easy to show.”

The gelding, bred by Tildon Whitehurst, also earned the Reserve title for this class at the 2016 Adequan® NAAC.

“He is pretty quiet, so going faster for him is sometimes a challenge, but he was a trooper today,” Vernon said. “He circled better today than he did at the Mountain ARC, and he is typically a really good turner, which he showed today.”

NRHA Professional Samantha Musanate rode Shiners Cable Chic (PT) (Shiners Voodoo Dr x Cable Commander [PT] x Commander Riminic [PT]). “She did really good today and was so with me,” Musanate said. “She circled and turned big and has such a big heart.”

Owned, bred and raised by Robert Anderson, the 5-year-old mare keeps getting better, she added. The pair, representing Keystone RHA, has been together for two years and is looking forward to their continued success.

NAAC Novice Horse Level 2 Open

NRHA Professional Jared Leclair and Smart Twinkeltown (Hollywoodstinseltown x Smartys Little Jewel x Smart And Chromed) earned a 220 and the Adequan® NAAC Novice Horse Level 2 Open title for owner Ronald Meyer. The 4-year-old stallion was bred by Catherine Wright.

“He’s a big stopper, good turner, and he’s really pretty out there in the pen,” Leclair said. “He’s got a lot of style, and he’s definitely got a lot of personality. He’s a really fun horse to show, and today was his day, and he did really well.”

The pair came to the Adequan® NAAC representing the SWRHA.

The Adequan® NAAC Novice Horse Level 2 Open Champion received a custom saddle from Silver Spurs, the official saddle sponsor of the NRHA, a custom Montana Silversmiths Trophy Buckle, a Platinum Performance Gift Certificate, a Classic Equine fleece cooler, Bluebonnet Feed product, a $150 SmartPak Gift card, an embroidered halter from Brandt Blankets and an Avila Pro Shop Blanket. 

Mistress Gotta Gun (Dun It Gotta Gun x Shiners Mistress x Shining Spark) and NRHA Professional Mark Rafacz earned Adequan® NAAC Novice Horse Level 2 Open Co-Reserve Championship honors. The 10-year-old mare, owned by Peter Morgan and Courtney Morgan, earned a 219.5 to complete their successful year together.

“She is a really nice mare,” Rafacz said. “I have been showing her all year, and we won at the 2017 All American Quarter Horse Congress [NRHA Prime Time class] together. She has been a super mare for me to show, and the Morgans are thrilled. This was a great way to finish our year.”

The pair came to the Adequan® NAAC representing Southeastern RHA.

“These are tough classes with really talented horses,” he said. “The fun thing about her is how hard she can turn. Today she stopped big, turned huge and really stepped it up.”

Also earning the Adequan® NAAC Novice Horse Level 2 Open Co-Reserve Championship was NRHA Professional Dany Tremblay and Misters Temptress (Mister Dual Pep x Colonel Pepinic x Smart Little Pepinic). Tremblay and the 5-year-old mare, representing Oklahoma RHA, scored a 219.5 for owner Adh-Mor Ranch.

All Adequan® NAAC Reserve Champions received a custom Montana Silversmiths Trophy Buckle, a Classic Equine fleece cinch, Bluebonnet Feed product, an embroidered Halter from Brandt Blankets, an Avila Pro Shop Blanket and a gift from KO Trading. Adequan® NAAC third place winners received Classic Equine Legacy System Boots and Bluebonnet Feed product. Fourth place winners received Classic Equine Dyno No-Turn bell boots, and fifth place winners received Classic Equine hanging groom bags. All finalists placing in the top ten received a jacket sponsored by SmartPak equine.

NRHA Ancillary Action

Winning the $1,000-added NRHA Novice Horse Level 1 Open and $1,000-added NRHA Novice Horse Level 2 Open was Abigayle Mixon and Electric Mercedes (Jacs Electric Spark x Best By Benz x Smart Starbuck). The NRHA Professional scored a 221 for the honors aboard the 6-year-old mare, owned by CDJ Performance Horses.