Kreyzy Horse and Kelby Phillips
Kelby Phillips and Kreyzy Horse Qualify for The Run For A Million * Photo By Amy Olsoln

Kelby Phillips and Kreyzy Horse Take Long Awaited Championship

The National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Mars Equestrian Hackamore Classic presented by Oswood Stallion Station has almost come to a close, but the action packed week in Tulsa, Oklahoma has not been disappointing. Wrapping up the Open Bridle Spectacular and Run For A Million Qualifier, Kelby Phillips and Kreyzy Horse brought home a championship they’ve been waiting for.

“I’m just happy to finally get him shown all the way through because it’s usually something I do wrong. I was just happy that I didn’t mess up,” Phillips said.

The EquiStat Elite $1 Million Rider has piloted Kreyzy Horse through many show pens, although they’ve never been able to capture a Bridle Spectacular Championship. The Run For A Million qualification isn’t a first though.

The 2015 stallion owned by Bosque Ranch Performance Horses ran with Kelby Phillips last year in Las Vegas, Nev. at The Run For A Million.

Kreyzy Horse (Dual Rey x Shes Twice As Smooth x Smooth As A Cat) has been a finalist at the Stallion Stakes in the Open Bridle Spectacular, Worlds Greatest Horseman and many other events.

Scoring a 220.5 in the herd work was a strong start to the show. The pair followed that with a stylish 222 in the rein work and handled their cow with finnesse to mark a 224 down the fence. A 666.5 is a massive score to earn over three events and the competition was stiff, but the pair prevailed.

Their rein and cow work scores earned them a composite 446, enough for the reserve slot in the last The Run For A Million 2023 qualifier.

Other riders that made the cut for The Run For A Million are Tyler Merrill on Bet Hesa Boon ( Bet Hesa Cat x Flo N Blu Boon x Pretty Boy Boon), Lee Deacon and Back In The Boon (Metallic Cat x Shinin Melody x Lynx Melody), EquiStat Elite $1 Million Rider Phillip Ralls on Call Me Mitch (Metallic Cat x Miss Hickory Hill x Docs Hickory) and EquiStat Elite $2 Million Rider Chris Dawson and Smart Chic An Tari (Smart Chic Olena x Shiney Tari x Shining Spark).

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Bet Hesa Boon & Tyler Merrill * Photo By Amy Olson