Cade McCutcheon and Shes Got Good Guns roared to a 227.5, winning the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Level 2 and Level 3 Open Derby. It was McCutcheon’s first NRHA Derby in the Open division, and he said the win gave him a lot of confidence.
“It’s really special to win two levels here — it’s my first Open derby, so [to] get off to the start that I’ve gotten off to; I’m very fortunate, you know, to have my family back me [and] all the people at the barn there helping me,” McCutcheon smiled. “And, [I’m] very fortunate to have a great owner, Roxanne Koepsell, that trusted me with her mare.”
McCutcheon’s equine teammate, known as “Gidget”, is a 6-year-old mare by Colonels Smoking Gun (Gunner) and out of A Bueno Poco Dunit. A Bueno Poco Dunit (by Hollywood Dun it) won $49,443 during her time in the reining pen and has produced 12 money-earning foals, according to Equi-Stat. Gidget has become her top-earning offspring, overtaking sibling Ms Whiz Dunit with her NRHA Derby victories.
Gidget was bred by owner Roxanne Koepsell and had earned more than $90,000 prior to the 2019 NRHA Derby with Equi-Stat Elite$2 million rider, Duane Latimer and Equi-Stat Elite $4 million rider Todd Bergen in the saddle. McCutcheon has also earned paychecks on Gidget prior to the NRHA Derby.
“She’s just a really solid, consistent mare. I’ve shown her three times, [and] I’ve won the level 2 every time,” McCutcheon said.
He said her trustworthiness in her rundowns and stops makes her a reliable and enjoyable mount. Although Gidget is 6 years old this year, her future is bright as a producer of reliable reining horses.
Trevor Dare took Reserve and third-place in Level 3 on Xtra Dun Step and Xtra Gotta Step with scores of 225 and 224.5, respectively. Both stallions are owned by Silver Spurs Equine.
Lorinaldo S. Gomez and Snip O One were Reserve Champions in Level 2, scoring a 224.5 for owner Kathy H. Thompson.
For more news and information from the Western performance horse industry, subscribe to Quarter Horse News
