Layton Atwood Wins Green Reiner Level 1 & 2 (2) and Green Reiner Level 1 & 2 High Point
With an impressive 72.5, Layton Atwood and Chics Love Me Wimpy swept the Green Reiner Levels 1 & 2 classes and secured the high point buckle for both classes. It was only the third time for Atwood to show the talented reiner who is owned by Debbie Good.
“I pushed him a little harder today than yesterday, and he stayed with me pretty good. He had his turns working better so that was even more fun,” Atwood said. “My husband Josh helped me with some of my circles, but other than that we stayed consistent.”
Chics Love Me Wimpy is a nine-year-old gelding by Wimpys Little Step out of Dream About Magic. His owner Good will be showing him in classes at the NRHA Futurity. “Debbie has been really gracious to let me show him here.” She added, “I thank Debbie. She is awesome and so sweet and kind to let me use him. I also thank Josh for helping me and the whole Deary team.”
So will Atwood be getting a reiner of her own? “The seed has been planted. I would love to, but we will see. I’m definitely hooked,” she said.
Finishing second in Green Reiner Level 2 was Faith Horner and Dreamin Ruf with a 72. Reserve in the Green Reiner Level 1 was Abigail Zuch and Dun Smarter, who also marked a 72.
Debbie Rhodes & Mercedes Gotta Gun Win Green Prime Time High Point
Consistency paid off for Debbie Rhodes and her horse Mercedes Gotta Gun. They paired two solid runs to win the Green Prime Time High Point Championship. “I’ve been playing at reining for about four years, but I’m getting serious now,” Rhodes shared. “Today was ok. It wasn’t as good as yesterday, but she did good for me. It was all rider errors.”
Rhodes gave credit for her win to several people. “I thank Pierre-Luc Phaneuf, my trainer. I couldn’t do it without him. I thank my husband for being supportive, and my friend Mindy Grey who is always there for me. I also thank my daughter-in-law, Olivia, who is always helping and pushing me,” she said.
Mercedes Gotta Gun, by Cromed Out Mercedes out of Gun Zandwich, will be spending the winter with Phaneuf. “She’s going back to P. Luc’s for a few months, and we will start back showing in February. I hope by then we will have improved more,” she said.
Denise Severson-Hobbs Wins Green Prime Time (2) on Spin N Wimp
Denise Severson-Hobbs believes age is just a number, and proved that when she began riding reiners a few years ago. On Friday night, she competed in the Outta Dough Non Pro Masters Shootout, and on Saturday, she won the Green Prime Time class.
“I’m thrilled to win and be here riding in prime time. I have to tell everyone it is never too late to start,” she said. “Today was really fun, and the Masters last night was very exciting. I think the Masters and Prime Time are so important to our industry.”
Hobb’s found her equine partner, Spin N Wimpy, through her trainer Josh Crawley. “My horse is a big boy. Josh found him at the McCutcheon’s. He called and told me he found a one in a million horse, and this horse is that!” Severson-Hobbs shared. Spin N Wimp is by Wimpys Little Step out of Spinning Beauty.
“I thank my trainer Josh Crawley who has been completely dedicated to me and my horse, and my husband who has to drag me home. I also thank the organization for having this event. It’s been a great show.” There’s no denying that Severson-Hobbs jumped in with both feet. “I own a futurity horse, too, that Josh is showing today. Then we’re going to show at the Futurity in Oklahoma City,” she shared.
Kahlayah Rehkopf finished second in the Green Prime Time on her horse Annies Custom Pistol.
Renata Lemann & Survivorman Win Ride & Slide Non Pro Level 2 (1)
On Friday, Renata Lemann won the Ride & Slide Non Pro Level 2 (1) with her horse Survivorman. “It was our second run of the day. We were a 70 in the Green Reiner, and our second run was steady. I just went in to school, and in the end, we marked another 70, so that was a nice surprise,” she recalled.
Lemann, of Miami, Florida, has been riding reiners for several years. “I have been riding on and off. I am a person who has never been close to my horse because I live in the city. I’m a clinical psychologist and work with tough patients, so the horse is an escape from my world. I don’t get to train like everyone else,” she said. “I live in Miami and I see patients online in Brazil and I’ll go to Brazil to see patients, too.”
Lemann made sure to thank several people, including her trainer Eduardo Salgado. “Thank you to Eduardo for all his hard work with me, and his wife Tatiana. Thank you to my cousin. She always supports me through the competition, and thank you to the sponsors here,” she said.
Finishing second in the Ride & Slide Non Pro Level 2 (1) was Emily Ramsay and Montana Code.
Barak Perera Wins Ride & Slide Open Level 2 (2) and High Point on Guns Fortunate Son
Consistency paid off for Barak Perera and Guns Fortunate Son in the Ride & Slide Open Level 2. They marked identical scores in both slates, winning the class both days and securing the high point buckle.
It was the first buckle for Perera, who works for Yonathon Baruch. “It’s very exciting to win the buckle,” he said. “He’s an easy horse to ride. It was pretty much the same run as yesterday.”
Guns Fortunate Son, a six-year-old by Colonels Smoking Gun out of Custom Made Dunit, is owned by Kristin Catacuzene. “I appreciate the opportunity the owner gave me to ride this horse. I also thank Yonathon,” Perera said.
Taking second in the Ride & Slide Open Level 2 (2) was Jose Arturo Sanchez with Tinseltown Sniper.
Yoshichika Ando & Redd Snapper Win Ride & Slide Non Pro Level 2 (2) and High Point
Yoshichika Ando resides near Osaka, Japan, but several times a year flies to the United States to ride reining horses with Joe Schmidt. At the SWRHA Futurity and Horse Show, Ando piloted his horse to back-to-back wins in the Ride & Slide Non Pro Level 2, securing the class’s high point buckle.
“For me she is difficult, but she is very good to study reining,” Ando said of Redd Snapper, by Master Snapper out of A Ruf Mistress. “I have been riding her for two years.”
The next stop for Ando will be the Futurity in Oklahoma City. “I thank my wife, Joe Schmidt, and the Joe Schmidt Reining Horses staff,” he said.
Zoe Campagna Wins Ride & Slide Open Level 1 (2) and High Point on Steppin Down
Zoe Campagna rode Steppin Down to win the Ride & Slide Open Level 1 (2) and high point championship. The duo won the class both days.
“It went pretty good today. We had some things we did today that were better than yesterday, and I was happy,” Campagna said. “I took more time and was more relaxed than yesterday. I was glad to win the buckle.”
Steppin Down, by Wimpys Little Step out of GS Shot Gun Wedding, is owned by Susan Meyer. “I wanted Zoe to have the opportunity to have a horse that was experienced to ride in the show pen,” Meyers said.
Campagna, who has only been riding reiners for a year, was thankful. “I thank Susan, Jared Leclair, and Shotgun,” she said.
Meyers added, “Thank you to all the people that help us get ready for these shows.”
Candice Noyce & Traditional Fudge Win Ride & Slide Non Pro Level 1 (2)
Candice Noyce grew up riding hunter-jumpers, but recently decided to try her hand in the reining pen. On Saturday, she competed twice, finishing tied for sixth in the Green Reiner Level 1 and winning the Ride & Slide Non Pro Level 1 on Traditional Fudge.
“I thought today went really well. Normally I zero because I overspin on my first turnarounds, and I was really proud of myself that I didn’t do that today,” she said.
Traditional Fudge is owned by J.D. and Stacey Roberson. “I lease him from J.D. and Stacey. They were kind enough to lease him to me after my mare got hurt. I’ve been showing him all summer, and it’s been fun,” she said.
Competing in Ardmore was a last-minute decision. “I wanted to show here because I knew the ground would be good, and this is a really fun show to be at, so I decided to come,” she said. “I definitely thank J.D. and Stacey, and Mike Keller has been a huge help for me. My husband, Kyle Noyce, helps me, too, but as you can expect, sometimes having a husband tell you what to do doesn’t always work so well.”
Taking second in the Ride & Slide Non Pro Level 1 (2) was Sarah Catherine North and Serenades Dream.