The Idaho Reined Cow Horse Association (IRCHA) Futurity, Derby and Horse Show, which took place at the Ford Idaho Horse Park in Nampa, drew cow horse exhibitors from all over the country. The Futurity Non-Pro finished up Friday, Nov. 1, and Power, Montana, resident Karnell Perry and Uno Smart Fritz swept the Non-Pro, Intermediate Non-Pro and Amateur with a composite score of 430.
“It was pretty amazing,” said Perry, who works for CHS selling livestock feed. “I haven’t had a whole lot of opportunity to school him because I live in Northern Montana, and we have had snow three different times already this fall! But he felt really good. I’m still kind of in shock.”
The rein work was up first, which Perry said has been “Uno’s” strong suit thus far in his career. She added that the big colt lopes pretty circles and stops hard, which the judges rewarded with a 143.5.
Next was the herd work, and the duo drew up toward the bottom of their set. They cut a tough cow on their first cut, but Perry said Uno “cowed up” and met the challenge with no problem. They earned a 142 score, putting them first in the total on 2 going into the cow work.
There, Perry boxed her cow for a while, but it still ran hard as they went down the fence. She said their first turn on the fence was “unreal.”
“There’s a picture where you can only see his front end because there’s so much dirt flying! His whole butt is just covered in dirt,” she said.
Uno is a 2016 gelding by One Smart Response and out of Roosters Miss Fritz (by Gallo Del Cielo [Rooster]). He was bred by J C Paint Ranch in Wapato, Washington, and Perry purchased him from Roeser Ranch.
Perry periodically gets help from Dan Roeser, but she keeps her horses at home and trains them herself. She was excited to see her training pay off at such a large event.
“It’s pretty cool because the level of competition at this show, it’s intimidating,” Perry said. “There’s a lot of big names and really good trainers here.”
Taking Reserve in the Futurity Non-Pro, Intermediate Non-Pro and Amateur were Andrea Otley and A Genuine Mr Pepto, who scored a composite 429. The homebred stallion (Little Mister Pepto x Dox Genuine Tango x Dox King Gilligan) belongs to Dick and Peggy Otley, of Summer Lake, Oregon.
Futurity Non-Pro Limited
Hydroboom & Vanessa Stevens
16G (Hydrive Cat x Smart Chica Boom x Boomernic)
Owner: Charles Stevens, Paauilo, HI
Breeder: Erin Ellison, Somis, CA
Score: 411 (136 herd/134 rein/141 boxing)
Derby Non-Pro
Sparking Metallic & Hope Miller
14M (Metallic Cat x Sparking Train x Shining Spark)
Owner: Hope Miller, Brush Prairie, WA
Breeder: Garth & Amanda Gardiner, Ashland, KS
Score: 435.5
Derby Intermediate Non-Pro
Checkers N Crown & Sophia Buttars
14G (Im Countin Checks x Pet Squirrel x Playdox)
Owner: Brandon & Sophia Buttars, Snowville, UT
Breeder: Jo Goertz, Hamilton, TX
Score: 432
Derby Amateur
Chromed Out Rockstar & Angela Vogt
14G (That CD Rocks x Uno Smart Starlight x Smart Little Pepinic)
Owner: Chet & Angela Vogt, Elk Creek, CA
Breeder: Paula Hardy Bremel, Kingsburg, CA
Score: 424.5
Derby Non-Pro Limited
One Time Ona Tuesday & Francesca Lord
13M (One Time Pepto x Cat Tuesday x High Brow Cat)
Owner: Jaton Lord Horses Inc., Mountain Home, ID
Breeder: Jack & Sherry Cowan, Payson, AZ
Score: 431
