Bet He Sparks and Clayton Edsall made quick work of the National Reined Cow Horse Associations’ (NRCHA) Open Hackamore Classic, taking the event by storm with a 668 composite and earning $15,173 for owner K & L Phillips LLC of Corona Del Mar, California.
“It’s great, he’s been a really good horse,” Edsall recounted, reflecting on Bet He Sparks’ level-headed personality throughout their time together.
“Even if we didn’t do good, he’s always been a good horse. Good heart, lot of try. We’re real excited and Kathryn [Phillips] wasn’t [initially] really interested in standing a stud so she gave us a number — ‘If he reaches $200,000 [in earnings]’ — maybe she’ll breed some mares to him.”
And with Bet He Sparks’ most recent win, it seems love may be in his future as his lifetime earnings push to more than $188,000, according to Equi-Stat. The 2014 red roan stallion, sired by Bet Hesa Cat and out of Sparking Train (by Shining Spark) was bred by Garth and Amanda Gardiner of Ashland, KS.
“He’s super simple, he’s not study,” Edsall said. “He likes to be engaged, he likes to be rode [and] he’s good to rope off of.”
“Sparky” outpaced the reserve champion by 7.5 points, marking a 222 in the herd, 222.5 rein and 223.5 down the fence. Edsall praised the stallion, recalling their history together. He and a Louis Schuette partnered on Sparky as a yearling with the intention to put him through a sale.
“I started him, we had him all along, [and] it was kind of bittersweet that we were going to put him in the two-year-old sale. And we did put him in [the sale] and luckily a good customer of ours, Kathryn Phillips bought him at the sale and gave him back to us,” Edsall said.
Edsall concluded his thoughts with a wonderfully common phrase in the horse industry.
“There’s so many [people to thank]. First, my wife and Kathryn for standing behind us and doing everything; my family, and of course all of our sponsors that help get us up and down the road, it’s not easy at all so, there are just so many people that play a part in it,” Edsall said.
Reserve Champion in the NRCHA Open Hackamore Classic was Opus Cat Olena (WR This Cats Smart x Opus Chic x Smart Chic Olena) ridden by Matt Koch for Box O Quarter Horses of Gordon, NE. The pair earned $11,380 with their 660.5 composite (220 Herd/222.5 Rein/225 Cow).
Intermediate Open Hackamore Classic
Helomynameisjohnycash & Lance Johnston
14S (Cee Mr Hickory x Smart Card Chex x Ill Be Smart)
Owner: Lance & Tammy Johnston, Lindsay, CA
Breeder: Marcy Campbell, Creston, CA
659 (218.5 Herd/219 Rein/221.5 Cow) | $4,636
Limited Open Hackamore Classic
Travalinonmoonshine & Wyatt Fisher
16G (Cats Moonshine x Travalin Miss Mosa x Travalena)
Owner: Jayson & Teresa Fisher, Nipomo, CA
Breeder: Randy Free, Grandview, TX
646 (209 Herd/ 216 Rein/ 221 Cow) | $1,897
