Shes Reddy On Line and trainer Gunny Mathison stepped up in response to the electric atmosphere to win the Level 3 Open at the National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC).
Mathison and the 2016 mare by Shine On Line and out of Guns R Reddy (by Nic It In The Bud), owned and bred by Mary Jansma, won $21,875 and a load of first-class awards thanks to their 225 score on Saturday, April 24.
“I saw all the people in the crowd, and it just changes your perspective,” Mathison said of the increased confidence he felt after hitting his first stop on the run-in finals pattern with Shes Reddy On Line. “I ran in and stopped, and it felt good because she’s a great stopper. It felt amazing.”
The charismatic horseman, a Houston-area native, said he knew he had to achieve a flawless performance with Shes Reddy On Line in order to win the ultra-competitive Level 3 Open. He was pleasantly surprised to also finish fifth in the Level 4 for $22,500.
“I knew I could, but it feels good to pull it off once in a while,” he said. “The hardest part is staying focused enough just to get it done.”
Mathison Reining Horses makes its home in Tioga, Texas, where Mathison says he’s grateful for the support team behind his winning program.
“[Thanks to] Mary Jansma for breeding this horse, [and] my owners Tom and Cindy at Bozidar Ranch who have been with me literally through thick and thin. I know they always have my back,” he said adding an emotional tip of the hat to his other half. “I’d like to thank my wife, Monica, for all she does for me. All of my employees—Hava Vital and Dakota Guthridge. There are so many people to thank. I don’t think I really deserve the credit for this. It’s all the people that helped me get here and the horse, she deserves it, she didn’t quit.”
