The Hardy Murphy Coliseum welcomed the annual Southwest Reining Horse Association Futurity and Horse Show, with Novice Horse classes beginning October 19. The Novice Horse Non Pro class brought 39 entries across three levels, while the Novice Horse Open ran well into the evening with 155 entries.
Find complete results and live stream the show at http://www.swrha.com.
Nov. Horse Non Pro L1 Champions—Lindsey McCutcheon and Cash Mi Out
Lindsey McCutcheon opened the 2021 SWRHA Futurity & Horse Show by topping the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 1 with a 70.5 aboard Cash Mi Out (Lil Joe Cash x Mi Mega x Marthas Mega Jac). Shown by her father Scott McCutcheon as a futurity horse in 2020, the now-4-year-old mare is now finding success with Lindsey in the novice horse classes. Lindsey noted was proud of both herself and her mare for working through some challenges in the first class of the SWRHA Futurity.
“She was pretty good, just a little nervous in this pen today. My run was a bit faster than I wanted. I just went with it, thinking that we’ll see what we can get done,” Lindsey said. “She’s super smooth to ride. I mean unbelievably smooth; you could lope her all day. She’s so comfortable to ride, and she has a lot of try.
I think this pen made her a little nervous and she just over-tried everywhere. But it’s good because it
teaches you as a rider to stay slow with your hand and be quiet as a rider.”
Keeping her cool throughout a run that doesn’t feel ideal in the moment is a skill Lindsey’s learned through years of showing. “I just try to do the best that I can with what I have. I know it doesn’t always look as bad as it feels,” Lindsey said. “I try to show through it, and a lot of times you can still place or get something done if you just stay on pattern. You have to make adjustments as you go, but I think that’s the best way you can learn is just making adjustments as you go in the show pen.”
Lindsey and Cash Mi Out will show again Wednesday before the mare gets a well-deserved break for the rest of the year. “This is one of my favorite shows. I have to for sure thank all of Cheryl Cody’s staff for everything they do, because I know there’s even more that goes on than we have any idea,” Lindsey said. “I thank everybody who’s a part of the show and makes it such a great event for everybody.”
Nov. Horse Non Pro L2 Champions—Raeanna Thayn and Roseswhiz
Raeanna Thayn rode Roseswhiz (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Rose Electric Step x Jacs Electric Spark) to a score of
71.5 to win the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2. Thayn says her runs this week are helping her prepare for
the big ancillary classes at the National Reining Horse Association Futurity in December.
“My run today was really good. It was a schooling run, getting ready for Oklahoma City with her,” Thayn
said. “I started showing her at the beginning of this year. She’s been really consistent and good for me.”
The 4-year-old mare is a businesswoman in the arena, Thayn says.
“She’s really fun. She’s always ready to go into the show pen and be really consistent and focused all the
time,” she said.
Nov. Horse Non Pro L3 Champions—Kary Key and Cant Spook Me
With a score of 71.5, Kary Key and 10-year-old gelding Cant Spook Me (Spooks Gotta Gun x Te On The Trashy Side (APHA) x Trashadeous) took home the Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 championship. Key can always count on the levelheaded gelding and says he’s a joy to show and be around.
“He’s the best; he’s the unicorn pony that everybody looks for. He takes care of me when I screw up. I can
go have fun on him, and then I have to think with the 3-year-olds,” Key said with a laugh. “He turns awesome, always circles great. We don’t run down to our stops like we need to, and part of that’s him and
part of it’s me, so we’re just going to keep working on that this week while we’re here.”
Cant Spook Me has a special place in Key’s family. Bred and raised by Key’s mother Pat Fletcher, he was sold as a 2-year-old, started by Melanie Wilhem and eventually ended up with Kirk and Michelle George. The gelding has since come back full circle to his forever home.
“His dam we loved; we’ve had several babies out of her and they’re all money earners. He was my mom’s
unicorn pony, and I made her sell him as a 2-year-old because we had a bunch, and she never forgave me,” Key lamented. “Getting him back was a major deal. Kirk and Michelle George made that happen, and we’re forever grateful to them. He was their unicorn pony as well, so he has shared the love everywhere he’s been.
Melanie did a great job with him and made him who he is. He is in a league of his own.”
Cant Spook Me has a busy week ahead of him in Ardmore with Key in Non Pro classes, and then hopefully
Fletcher will take the reins in the $1,000-added Outta Dough Masters Non Pro on October 22.
“My mom is 75, so if she feels good, she wants to do it,” Key said. “He’s better for her than me most of the time. I hope she gets to do that, because that would be the most fun of all.”
The Futurities and ancillary classes will be streamed via live webcast, and that link, as well as draws, results, latest news, and schedule, can be found at www.SWRHA.com.