Mandy McCutcheon Wins Level 4 Championship on Coronas At Night
Mandy McCutcheon’s entry, Coronas At Night, has shown she has all the talent to compete in the upper echelons of reining competition – but a win hadn’t happened yet. “She has had her ups and downs this fall. She’s always had enough talent, and all her maneuvers have been good. She’s just had some quirks we’ve had to overcome,” McCutcheon said. “We were just trying to see what we need to do to get her ready for the big futurity.”
If Friday’s run is any indication, the pair is on the right track, marking a 219.5 to win $5,594. “She just walked in and did everything I asked her to do. She stayed real hooked up. She walked in and turned well. We might have had a turn penalty on my first turn, but I was really happy with her,” McCutcheon said. “She was much better this week than she’s been at other shows.”
Mandy and her husband Tom raised Coronas At Night, by Gunners Special Nite out of One Last Corona. “We had raised a couple others out of her dam that I did well with,” she said.
With 30 horses at the SWRHA Futurity and Horse Show, the McCutcheon crew is going in many directions. “Cade, Carlee, Tom, Fernando, and Debbie are all showing here, so we’re staying busy,” she said. “It takes a whole village. All the people in the barn play a part in getting me where I need to go. We are all always looking out for each other.”
Ginger Schmersal Wins Non Pro Level 3 and Non Pro Prime Time on Mobstop
Ginger Schmersal hadn’t been in the market for a futurity horse. She’d won the Rocky Mountain Reining Horse Association Non Pro Futurity on Black Gun Face. But when her daughter Addisyn’s horse was lost to colic, it was a no-brainer for her to pass him on. “It was hard to give him up, but there was no hesitation. She needed a horse. She works hard at it – harder than I do. She eats, breathes, and sleeps it, and puts the time in,” Schmersal said.
The search was on, and she found Mobstop, a three-year-old mare by HF Mobster out of Stop Little Sister. “I purchased her from Connie and Amy Stoney in Tulsa at the beginning of September. She’s new to me and to the program, but the Stoneys did a great job getting her to where she is, and then she’s had a crash course with our program,” she said.
Schmersal took the mare to the Best of the West, finishing near the top of the leaderboard and pocketing close to $5,000. “She was super out there. I’m tickled with her.” She added, “She is super-minded. She has handled all the pressure we put on her.”
At the SWRHA Futurity, Schmersal and the mare marked a 217.5 to finish second in the Level 4, and win the Level 3 and Prime Time, collecting $6,792. “She was fantastic today. In the makeup pen, she was a little uptight. It was cold and we didn’t have anywhere to lunge yesterday or today because of the weather, and she’s the type that needs to be out to play a bit. “I got her out early and took my time warming up. I missed, like, six lead changes out there on her, but the minute we walked through the gate she took a deep breath and was with me the whole time. I was stunned,” Schmersal said. “She showed like a champ. She did that with me at the Best of the West. I think she’s a show horse and wants to be by herself and have the stage.”
Schmersal noted that Friday’s performance gave her more confidence going into Oklahoma City for the Futurity. “I thank my husband. Without him I wouldn’t be where I am. Of course, I thank Connie and Amy Stoney, as well as our staff, friends, family, and customers that are there to support us,” she said.
Kelle Smith and Spookadoodlede, by Tricked Out Spook out of Tivitos Top Starlet, finished reserve in the Level 3 and Prime Time with a 216.5, and also placed fourth in the Level 4. All totaled, Smith won $4,380.
Addisyn Schmersal & Black Gun Face Win Non Pro Levels 1 & 2
Addisyn Schmersal has never shown a futurity horse, with Black Face Gun she has now won big money at two of the three events they’ve competed at. Scoring a 215.5, the pair won the Non Pro Levels 1 and 2, and placed in Levels 3 and 4, for earnings totaling $5,339.
“I showed him in Tulsa but overspun, and then I showed him at Best of the West and won the Level 1 & 2. He’s a really fun horse. I love to circle him, and his stops are fun, too. He’s really sweet,” she said of Black Gun Face, by Pale Face Dunit out of Blazing In Black. “The first couple of days riding him were difficult because I’ve never had a three-year-old to ride, but it’s been fun ever since.”
Despite a small bobble, Schmersal noted most of Friday’s run was good. “He spun really well both ways. I overspun a bit on the second one. Our left circles were good. When we changed leads, he spooked at the judges, but everything else was really good,” she said. “It was fun to watch my mom show today. I didn’t get to watch all of it because I was right after her.”
Schmersal is done showing in Ardmore but will be helping her father with his futurity horses on Saturday. “I thank my parents for letting me show this horse, and all our help, my friends, and my family,” she said.
Ronny Colston and Colonels Special Gun, by Gunners Special Nite out of Miss Cielo, finished second in the Level 2, and placed in levels 3 and 4 to win $3,181. Robin Mazzocca rode My Dad Is Shiney to finish reserve in the Level 1 and place in levels 2 through 4, for $2,678. My Dad Is Shiney is by Smart And Shiney out of Miss Whizarima.