November 19, 2011
By Samantha EckertThe American Quarter Horse Journal
Rita Crundwell accepts her eighth Oklahoma City Leading Owner Award at the 2011 AQHA World Championship Show. Journal photo.
Rita Crundwell of Dixon, Illinois, and her band of show horses earned more than three times the points than the next-leading owners. As the 2011 Oklahoma City Leading Owner, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce presented Rita with a specially commissioned bronze and bouquet on the evening of November 19, the last day of the 2011 AQHA World Championship Show.
“It’s been a wonderful world show,” Rita says. “We’ve done really well and the horses have done really well. It’s been really kind of a high and a low. We have had some problems. But we’ll get through it and we’ll be fine.”
The award is presented to the owner who earns the most points with horses entered and shown in the 2011 FedEx Open World Championship Show. At least three horses must be entered and shown for an owner to be eligible for the award. All horses must be in the same single ownership identification as listed on the official entry form.
This is the eighth year in a row that Rita has won the award, which has been presented by the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce since 1984.
“Well it’s very important to me,” Rita says, “because I have studs that I stand for breeding and it’s just a good reflection on them.”
Rita entered 19 American Quarter Horses in a total of 35 amateur and open classes and has a stall-front in the Superbarn gleaming with gold, silver and bronze World Show trophies.
This was a very special World Show to Rita, as she is retiring her 2005 sorrel mare Pizzazy Lady, who won both the amateur and open aged mares halter class at this year's World Show.
“She Scores, who had seven world championships, I’m showing her babies so its really special, makes we want to cry," Rita says. "They’re all special to me in a certain way. Pizzazzy Lady, this is probably her last World Show so its really kind of a climactic ending.”Rita's 2011 AQHA World Show world championships include:Amateur 2-year-old mares with Sacreds ExecutionistAmateur 3-year-old geldings with Im Sacreds TouchdownAmateur Aged Stallions with Cowboys StyleAmateur 3-year-old mares with I Execute ClassAged mares with Pizzazzy LadyAmateur Weanling Stallions with PizzazacuteAmateur Yearling stallions with Execute A ScoreOpen 3-year-old geldings with Im Sacreds TouchdownOpen aged mares with Pizzazzy Lady
Her reserve championships include:Yearling stallions with Execute A ScoreWeanling Stallions with PizzazacutePerformance Stallions with Touchdown Cali3-year-old Mares with I Execute ClassAmateur Hunter Under Saddle with Moneys Moxie
Rita took home bronze trophies in:Amateur 2-year-old Stallions with ACoolest Touchdown2-year-old stallions with ACoolest Pick