Earthly Riches & Daniel Sanchez • Photo by Kristin Pitzer

Sanchez and Earthly Riches Score NRCHA Open Bridle World Championship

The National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Celebration of Champions, held Feb. 9-17 in Fort Worth, Texas, is three shows rolled into nine days of competition.

Although the calendar says 2018, the World Championship portion of the Celebration of Champions marked the official conclusion of the 2017 show season by determining World and National Champions in 15 different Open and Non-Pro divisions. World Championship qualifiers earned an invitation to compete in Fort Worth by qualifying at NRCHA-approved shows last year. The World Championship contestants showed in a preliminary round, with the top 10 in each division advancing to the clean slate finals for a shot at the title.

Friday, Feb. 16 marked the penultimate day of competition, with World Champions in six different divisions vying for glory in Cowtown.

In the Open Bridle, Daniel Sanchez, of Santa Maria, California, captured the World Championship when he guided Donna Russo’s Earthly Riches (Tulare x Cmon Tell Us x King Fritz Two) to a 440.5 composite (216 rein/224.5 fence). The Championship came with a check for $9,842. Oasis Ranch Inc.-bred Earthly Riches’ lifetime earnings were elevated to more than $40,000. Sanchez’s now stand at $50,947.

The Open Bridle Championship prize package included a Don Rich Custom Saddle, a Gist buckle and CR Morrison Trophy sponsored by Dom Conicelli/Kinda Silly Farm, a Stockman hat from JW Brooks Custom Hat Company, a World Finals jacket from CR RanchWear, and product from Platinum Performance.

Open Hackamore

Gunna Be A Smartie & Shane Steffen • Photo by Kristin Pitzer

The 2012 mare Gunna Be A Smartie (Very Smart Remedy x Gunna Be Mine x Gunna Smoke) made the last hackamore run of her career a memorable one, earning the top score in the Open Hackamore Finals to win the World Championship with Powell Butte, Oregon, professional Shane Steffen aboard. Gunna Be A Smartie, who was bred by Joyce Pearson, is owned by Linda McMahon’s McSpyder Ranch in Bend, Oregon.

Besides the Championship paycheck, a pile of prizes went home with the newly crowned World title holder, including a Don Rich Custom Saddle, a Gist buckle sponsored by Rent A Stall Mat, a CR Morrison Trophy sponsored by Dom Conicelli/Kinda Silly Farm, a Stockman hat from JW Brooks Custom Hat Company, a World Finals jacket from CR RanchWear, and product from Platinum Performance.

Non-Pro Bridle

Terra Micek & Nic N Chics • Photo by Kristin Pitzer

Terra Micek, of Weatherford, Texas, captured the Non-Pro Bridle World Championship riding her gelding, Nic N Chics (Nic It In The Bud x Desire A Chic x Smart Chic Olena). The pair worked their way to a 432 composite (211.5 rein/220.5 fence), earning $4,913.

Micek also won a DC Cow Horse Gear custom saddle, a Gist buckle sponsored by Rent A Stall Mat, a CR Morrison Trophy sponsored by Dom Conicelli/Kinda Silly Farm, a Stockman hat from JW Brooks Custom Hat Company, a World Finals jacket from CR RanchWear, and product from Platinum Performance and San Juan Ranch/Santa Cruz Animal Health.

Nic N Chics, bred by Eric Storey, boasts $58,383 in lifetime earnings. Micek’s stand at $36,787.

$1,000 Non-Pro Limited

Tiffany Buschhueter, from Tracy, California, had all the right moves with Dressed Wright (Lenas Wright On x Shiney And Dressy x Shining Spark), riding to a 433 composite score (215.5 rein/217.5 cow) to earn the $1,000 Non-Pro Limited World Championship title and a $1,770 paycheck. Buschhueter also won a Bob’s Custom Saddle, a Stockman hat from JW Brooks Custom Hat Company, a Gist buckle sponsored by Dom Conicelli/Kinda Silly Farm, a CR Morrison Trophy sponsored by Paul and Amy Bailey, a World Finals jacket from CR RanchWear, and product from Platinum Performance and San Juan Ranch/Santa Cruz Animal Health.

Youth Bridle

Cutter McLaughlin & CD Dee Vee Dee • Photo by Kristin Pitzer

The perennial champion team of Commerce, Texas, youth Cutter McLaughlin and CD Dee Vee Dee (CD Lights x Shiners Missy Jay x Shining Spark) added another title to their résumé when they won the Youth Bridle World Championship on Friday in Fort Worth. Cutter piloted the gelding, owned by his parents, Jay & Wendy McLaughlin, and bred by Carol Rose, to a 427 composite (213 rein/214 fence). The win paid $595.

Cutter also took home a DC Cow Horse Gear Custom Saddle, a Gist buckle sponsored by Brazos Valley Equine Hospital, a Stockman hat from JW Brooks Custom Hat Company, a $2,000 NRCHA Youth Scholarship from the National Reined Cow Horse Foundation, a CR Morrison Trophy sponsored by Brazos Valley Equine Hospital, boots from Rios of Mercedes, a jacket from CR RanchWear, and product from Platinum Performance and Santa Cruz Animal Health.

Youth Limited

Anna Adams, a freshman at TCU, finished her NRCHA Youth career in fine style, winning the Youth Limited World Championship with Wanna Winna Prize (Smokums Prize x Ill Be A Winning Gal x Ill Be Smart). Adams and the Winston and Ginger Moore-bred gelding, owned by her mother, Andrea Adams, scored a 430.5 on two events (213.5 rein/217 cow).

The California native won a $710 paycheck and collected some great prizes: a DC Cow Horse Gear Custom Saddle, a Gist buckle and CR Morrison Trophy sponsored by Brazos Valley Equine Hospital, a $1,250 scholarship from the National Reined Cow Horse Foundation, a Stockman hat from JW Brooks Custom Hat Company, boots from Rios of Mercedes, a jacket from CR RanchWear, and product from Platinum Performance.