The highly anticipated National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Celebration of Champions got underway Thursday, Feb. 14 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, with the Tres Osos Cow Horse Derby Open herd work.
The Tres Osos Cow Horse Derby features 4- and 5-year-old reined cow horses shown two-handed in a hackamore or a snaffle bit competing in the herd work, reined work and cow work triathlon unique to NRCHA competition. No finals will take place in any of the limited-age event divisions held during the Celebration of Champions. Champions are determined at the conclusion of the cow work based upon the highest composite scores. The Tres Osos Cow Horse Derby boasts $76,000-added across all divisions.
Ninth out in the second set on day one, Clay Volmer, of Brock, Texas, and SDP Hy Rey Bound took a commanding lead with their score of 224. The 2015 stallion (TR Dual Rey x SDP Hydriven Hicapoo x Hydrive Cat) is owned by SDP Buffalo Ranch and was bred by Shane Plummer. Volmer teamed with the talented cow horse to capture the 2018 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Intermediate Open Championship and $30,000.
The duo is in hot pursuit of a piece of the total Derby Open payout, with $50,000 in added prize money. Metallic Chrome Cat (Metallic Cat x Teletrona x Little Trona), ridden by Corey Cushing for owner Kirk Johnston, sat second in the herd work after the first section of the Open with a 222.
In the Derby Intermediate Open herd, the high-scoring run, a 221, belonged to Peptos Stylin Time (One Time Pepto x Stylin Jewel x Docs Stylish Oak), shown by Kyle Trahern for Peptos, LLC.
Leading the Derby Limited Open was Hes Pistol Packin (Smooth As A Cat x Shiners Lil Pistol x Shining Spark), shown by Clint Allen for owners David and Stacie McDavid to a 218.
Leading the Derby Novice Horse Open herd work was Cats Wooden Heart (WR This Cats Smart x Gay Wooden Heart x Doctor Wood), ridden by Brad Lund for owner Jack Bogart to a score of 217.
In the Derby Level One Limited Open, the lead belonged to Ms Becaco MagThree (CD Son Of Magnolia x Ms Becaco Threeflo x Mr Haida Flo), ridden by John Snyder for owners Kennedy Snyder and Todd Bean to a score of 215.
Three sets of Derby Open division herd work remained to wrap up on Friday, Feb. 15 in the W.R. Watt Arena. Upon conclusion of the Open herd, the herd work for the Derby Non-Pro, Amateur and Non-Pro Limited divisions was scheduled to take place Friday, as well.
Visit www.NRCHA.com for the latest results and a free, live broadcast provided by NRCHA Official Videographer Equine Promotion.
