Karen Stallings has won several championships in the years she’s been riding reined cow horses, but said the National Reined Cow Horse Associaiton (NRCHA) Non-Pro Bridle stands out as particularly special. Of course, it’s because of the horse.
The Camp Verde, Arizona, rider and her husband have a long history not only with her winning mount, Sheza Voodoo Dr, but with many of the mare’s ancestors.
“We raised her and my husband, Kevin, who trains professionally, has actually rode eight of the horses on her registration papers,” she said.
That includes the mare’s sire, Shiners Voodoo Dr, who Stallings said they started before he was sold to become a reining horse. However, it’s the mare’s paternal grandsire, NMSU Truckin Chex (Nu Chex To Cash x NMSU Doc Truckle CJ x CJ Sugar) that is especially meaningful to Stallings. The 1998 stallion bred by New Mexico State University won $185,329 in the show pen, including with Stallings in the saddle.
“He won the World six times, five of em with me, and it’s pretty cool because that horse always made me look like I knew what I was doing but he was really just packing me,” Stallings said. “So, since then I’ve had to learn and so it’s just extra special to have so much history in her bloodlines.”
She and Sheza Voodoo Dr, a daughter of NMSU Truckin Chex’s daughter, Leapin Lindy Chex, won their own NRCHA World title on Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 21) by marking a composite of 433.5 (216.5 rein/217 cow) at John Justin Arena at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth.
The 2012 mare bred by Stallings and her husband, Kevin, earned $5,130 for the win. That bumped the mare’s lifetime Equi-Stat record to nearly $20,000. Stallings is approaching $175,000 in lifetime earnings.
Although Stallings expects the mare to be sold — “I’m married to a horse trainer so everything’s for sale,” — she plans to continue to keep showing her as long as she can. The gifted mare reminds her a lot of many of her ancestors that Stallings has been able to be around.
“She is incredibly honest. She has a ton of feel. She is thoughtful about everything and she just tries so hard. And, I think physically she is absolutely perfectly balanced. She moves so well the job is easy for her, whatever it is,” she said. “She’s a pretty mover, a huge stopper and then with that great attitude it just makes for a great horse.”
Reserve Champions Lyle Proctor and SJR All Time Cash marked a 428.5 (213.5 rein/215 cow). Owned by Proctor, SJR All Time Cash is by One Time Pepto out of Shesa Lota Cash (by Nu Cash). They earned $4,104 for the runner-up placing.
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