Morgan Holmes and Smart Shooter.
Sarasota, FL – October 13, 2013 – Show by Appointment’s inaugural Championship Finals concluded on Sunday at the Triple J Ranch in Sarasota, FL. Youth, Level One and Level Two Boxing, and Two Rein riders came out for their second go, and champions received generous cash awards and prizes sponsored by Skyline Vaquero, Don Rich Saddlery and J. W. Brooks Custom Hats.
Jay Holmes, who owns and operates Triple J Ranch with his wife, Rhonda, was happy to host the Finals.
“It was great to have it here,” Holmes said. “It was a wonderful show and a good family climate. We need to have more shows like this. The judging was good – everybody who won a championship earned it. Everyone should be tickled to death. The cattle were very nice this weekend, and you’ll never hear a complaint about the footing in our arena.”
The final day kicked off with the Open and Non Pro Two Rein Classes. The Open Two Rein was a competitive division with several high-scoring runs. Ultimately, Rick Steed and 177 Performance Horses’ Justa Merada Nut came out on top with an impressive overall score of 290.
Morgan Holmes continued her streak of top finishes at the Finals by claiming two championships: the Non Pro Two Rein with Im Dun R U and the Youth Bridle with Smart Shooter. She earned total scores of 206 with her own Smart Shooter and 284.5 with Im Dun R U, who is owned by her father, Jay Holmes.
“The weekend’s been great,” Holmes said. “I really like all of my horses that I’m showing this year, so that makes it fun. I love Im Dun R U. We bred, raised and trained her. I started showing her when she was 3 and she’s 6 now. So we’re pretty good together.”
“Smart Shooter is my old horse,” she continued. “I’ve shown him in everything – he’s won world championships two times in the cow horse and one time in the roping with me. He’s my baby.”
John Jacobs was recognized as the Intermediate Open Hackamore champion on Blair Bynum’s Miss Chic Dun It with a score of 280.5. The division concluded on Saturday but results were finalized Sunday morning after a video review by judge Bill Enk. SBA’s policies to ensure fair judging allow competitors to request a video review of their ride if they have questions about how they were scored.
“Our cow work was good,” Jacobs said of his ride on Saturday. “We had the luck of the draw and drew a good cow. He pushed on the horse a little bit, which helped us have a higher degree of difficulty and score well. I think Miss Chic Dun It will be a great horse for a non pro rider, since she is quiet and has a good mind.”
Jacobs said he enjoyed being a part of the inaugural SBA Championship Finals. “It was a lot of fun,” he said. “Everyone I talked to was really happy with how it went. It was a good year to be here, and I think there will be a lot of people here next year. Their payout was great and they did a nice job with the show.”
Kristin Cosentino paired with Hannibal Lecter, owned by Murray Logan, for the Level Two Boxing championship. Their score of 285.5 earned them the top spot.
“I’m happy with my cow work,” Cosentino said. “It was really fun. I can’t wait until next year!”
The championship in the Level One Boxing went to Tracy Jo McFadden, also riding Hannibal Lecter. McFadden earned a composite score of 293.5 over two days of competition.
“I feel really good about the weekend,” she said. “Today I tried to correct mistakes from my previous runs, and it came together really well. I wanted to keep my lines a little bit straighter and work on making my circles nice and round.”
“I feel so blessed for the opportunity to do this,” she continued. “I’m from Nevada, and I’d like to get some more people on the West Coast involved so we can get some of the shows going over there. The atmosphere here was great, and it was extremely nice to be at a show where you didn’t have to stand around and wait. I could just focus on my ride. The arena was great, the dirt was good and the people were wonderful.”
Haily Findeisen and Suz Mountain Dew, owned by Barry Spinweber, took home the Youth Boxing championship with a score of 291.5. Christina Cross stayed on top of the Little Britches division to claim the championship with a total score of 286.5, despite a determined effort by twin sister Victoria to overtake her in the standings. Another set of sisters, Carolina and Cecilia Sanchez, also had great rides in that division on Sunday.
Blair Bynum and Rick Steed of Show by Appointment said they were pleased with the season finale.
“It was a huge success,” Steed said. “We want to thank everyone for their support, and we look forward to seeing you next year.”
“We want to thank Jay for the use of his great facility and all of his help throughout the Finals,” Bynum added.
Now that its first Championship Finals have concluded, Show by Appointment will be making plans for a full season of competition around the country in 2014. For information on Show by Appointment sponsorship opportunities, contact Mary Adelaide Brakenridge at mab@phelpsmediagroup.com. Like SBA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ShowByAppointment and visit their website at http://www.showbyappointment.com for news and updates about the upcoming season.
About Show by Appointment
Show by Appointment’s fresh approach to reined cow horse competition has been an unprecedented success in its first season. SBA aims to make showing “Fun, Fair, and Affordable” for competitors. To accommodate those traveling long distances to show and help busy riders fit showing in at their convenience, SBA allows riders to reserve their own ride times in advance. This cuts down on usual travel expenses such as stall rentals and hotels and encourages competitors to make the trip and join in the fun.
Each SBA series includes four shows. Riders who compete at three out of the four shows earn a place in the Championship Finals, slated for October 10-13, 2013, at Triple J Ranch in Sarasota, FL. The Finals offer over $100,000 in cash and prizes. Competitors may also qualify for the Finals in absentia by simply sending in entries and payment to each of the four shows. This system is designed to allow riders a chance to compete in the Championship Finals without spending the season chasing points and incurring excessive competition expenses.
Mary Adelaide Brakenridge for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
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