FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2005

The 2005 Western Veterinary Conference last week in Las Vegas focused on a several hot topics in equine veterinary medicine, including West Nile Virus, the influenza vaccination challenge, drug compounding and the veterinarian’s role in detecting and fighting bioterrorism.

Rocky Bigbie, D.V.M., M.S., director of field veterinary services with Fort Dodge Animal Health, began the conference by reviewing some of the basics of WNV infection in horses, its life cycle and transmission and its dynamics in herds, TheHorse.com reports. Almost the entire virus resides in the bird population; mosquitoes become infected by feeding on infected birds, then they pass it on to horses and humans when they feed on them afterward, he said.

Bigbie showed a video of an affected horse to illustrate the severity of neurological compromise. The horse was shown in a field, where he kept floundering around in circles and falling with greater incoordination in his hind limbs than his forelimbs.

"This horse lived; he never lost the ability to get up, and that is often the discriminator between loss and survivability," he reported. Mules and donkeys are just as susceptible to WNV as horses, he noted, adding that all horses are susceptible but older ones are more likely to die.

"Mortality may result from injuries incurred during acute disease, such as severe lacerations, head trauma, fractures, sepsis, or from an owner's thin wallet (if an owner is unable or unwilling to provide the care these horses need to recover)," he added.

Treatment of affected horses includes supportive care, padded stalls, deep bedding, head protection and hydration, he said, adding that antiviral drugs could be effective but are expensive. 

However, vaccination can prevent or mitigate clinical signs of the disease in horses, he said.

"But like all herd health endeavors, if you just vaccinate and ignore all the other measures you can take (to minimize mosquito activity around your horses), any vaccination is doomed to fail in the face of high levels of exposure," he warned.

Bigbie also critical of the theory of “herd immunity,” where some believe that vaccinating some of the herd decreases any viral shedding and minimizes the challenge to all in the herd.

"But in a herd of horses, if you had 100 and you vaccinated 99 (against WNV), that 100th horse is just as susceptible as he was with no vaccination of his herdmates,” he said. “The disease isn't transmissible from horse to horse, so you don't reduce shedding with vaccination. Each horse stands alone when it comes to this disease."

For more on the 2005 Western Veterinary Conference, click here.

 FEI Reining Masters Final in Italy this Year

The 2005 FEI Reining Masters Final is September 22-25 in Manerbio, Italy.

AQHA Professional Horseman Todd Crawford aboard Matt Dillon Dun It (Hollywood Dun It x Rosalie Dillon by Kemar’s Bar Chex) won the first World Reining Masters, which was during the National Reining Horse Association Futurity near the end of 2004 in Oklahoma City. Jeannette Kraehenbuehl of Switzerland on ARC Golden Boy (Surprise Enterprise x ARC Topsail Lady by Topsail Cody) won the restricted category.

The FEI Reining Masters is a competition defining the best individual reiner in the world. Qualifiers for the final event are offered in several countries around the world. The second qualifier in the United States is March 17-19 in Gifford, Illinois, during the Gordyville Breeders Cup.

The 2006 World Masters Final will return to the United States.

California Riders Leave the World Behind on Trails

Dirk Werkman of the Sacramento Bee wrote a story yesterday focusing on how many Californians escape the everyday hassles of their life through the AQHA Horseback Riding Program.

In the story, he writes “Sitting atop her horse, SS Bunnys Dasher, at an Elverta boarding stable, Carmel Curtis could have been at a lonely Texas ranch or an isolated farm on the Nebraska plain.

“Granted, there were some telltale signs of civilization.

“A car occasionally would dart by on the nearby East Levee and Elverta roads, but one could hardly hear the engines. The tops of Sacramento's tallest downtown buildings were visible to Curtis from atop her horse.

"‘I can see downtown, but there is none of the hustle and bustle,’ Curtis said. ‘I can get away from the world if I just hop on my horse.’

“Curtis, who lives in Natomas Park, a five-minute car ride from the stables where nearly 90 horses are housed, spends a lot of time riding "Bunny," as she calls the 6-year-old Quarter Horse, and two other Quarter Horses: TCB Annie Sage, 10, and Earth Born, 30.

“That's just fine with the American Quarter Horse Association, which encourages people to ride their horses by providing certificates and gifts as numerical milestones of hours logged in the saddle.

“The association recently recognized Curtis for 250 hours of riding. She expected to send the Amarillo, Texas-based association computer-produced log sheets putting her past the 500-hour mark last month.

“More than 13,000 people are logging the hours they ride horses, said Stephanie A. McCommon, manager of membership services for the 350,000-member American Quarter Horse Association, an international organization.

“The recognition program for time spent riding a horse was started by the organization in 1994 "to encourage people to spend time with their horses," McCommon said.

"‘They just want you on the back of a horse,’ Curtis said. ‘The reward is riding.’

For more information or to sign up for AQHA’s Horseback Riding Program, click here.

 Horse Addicts Anonymous Brings Riders Together

Ever wish there was a way to get together with a support group of like-minded riders just for friendship and fun? A horsewoman in Clermont, Florida, had that wish and did something about it.

Sherry Boas of the Orlando (Florida) Sentinel writes that Vicki Lester-Smith was lonely before she developed Horse Addicts Anonymous. The woman had many friends and professional contacts but kept feeling something was missing. She had no adult friends who understood and shared her passion for horses.

"There are all sorts of clubs and organizations like 4-H for kids who love horses, but nothing for adults. I felt sort of isolated," she told Boas.

”Rather than ruing her lack of camaraderie, Lester-Smith decided to do something about it,” Boas writes.

”A customer of Clermont Equestrian Saddlery and Feed Store, Lester-Smith asked store owner Carol McDaniel if she could use space at the store for a monthly club meeting. McDaniel agreed, and Lester-Smith promptly set about printing up fliers announcing the formation of an adult riding club.

”The flier asked, ‘Wouldn't it be great if you could bring fun back into your riding?’ It stated that the club's purpose is to share news, information, camaraderie and fun. Horse ownership was not required.

”About six people showed up at the first meeting in November 2004, and Lester-Smith began making new friends.

"’I met someone at that first meeting who was able to take care of my horses over the Christmas holiday when I had to be away,’ she said.

”Fast forward four months. The club, officially named Horse Addicts Anonymous at the February meeting, has 20 members. Three are men, and more men are encouraged to join. They meet at the feed store the third Tuesday night of every month. There is no fee to join.

"’My best friends are people I met through the club,’ said club secretary Michele Allen of Clermont.

”Allen, who has been riding for only two years, joined hoping to meet other women with whom she could go on trail rides and travel to events.

"’It's so hard to meet people anymore,’ Allen said. ’People won't go riding their horses without someone to go with and, let's face it, riding alone in the woods can be dangerous. It's good to have a companion.’"

— Tonya Ratliff-Garrison

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2005

Journal Field Editor Christine Hamilton turned in this report today from Weatherford, Texas. She’s out on the road doing a couple of stories for upcoming issues.

“Did you know that Weatherford, the county seat of Parker County, is the cutting horse capital of the world? If you love Quarter Horses and you happen to be in Fort Worth, take a short drive west on Interstate 20 and spend an afternoon driving around Weatherford.     

“Stop first at the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce and see the statue by local sculptor Kelly Graham, honoring Parker County’s cutting horse folk. Some notable names (national and local) supported the statue’s placement and are inscribed in the brick at the statue’s base: Helen Groves, daughter of past AQHA president Bob Kleberg Jr.; Phil and Mary Ann Rapp; Lindy Birch and the National Cutting Horse Association, just to name a few. 

The statue in front of the Weatherford, Texas, Chamber of Commerce honor's Parker County's cutting enthusiasts.

The informational plaque notes that, “Beginning in 1946, three of the eight founders of the National Cutting Horse Association, the first three presidents, and the first three [NCHA] world champions were from Parker County.”

If you step inside the chamber, you can pick up a map and location guide for most of the area’s cutting horse farms. Then head out to visit some cutting Quarter Horse greats! You might want to call ahead just to make sure someone’s at home; the handy location guide also includes phone numbers.

Directions to the chamber: Off Interstate 20, take exit No. 408 (U.S. Highway 51/171) and go north into town until you run into the historic Parker County Courthouse. Go right around the courthouse and follow U.S. Highway 180 east and the chamber will be up ahead on your left.

Happy cutting hunting!

Equine Herpesvirus Type-1 Findings Released

TheHorse.com reports that new equine herpesvirus type-1 findings were recently released. The findings are part of a research collaboration between George Allen, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center in Lexington, and Nicholas Davis-Poynter, Ph.D., head of equine infectious diseases at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, England.

Allen writes in a lay press release, "We have developed methods to identify genetic differences between strains of EHV-1 circulating in the field. Isolates of EHV-1 recovered from over 100 outbreaks of abortigenic (abortion-causing) or neurologic disease in several countries around the world over the past 40 years have been examined. Some of the strains are unique to North America and others to the European continent.

"The strain-typing method has been used to verify transmission of infection between outbreaks of EHV-1 neurological disease in different locales. An important observation from the studies was the discovery that a mutation within a single EHV-1 gene is associated with strains of the virus recovered from neurological disease cases.

"Current work is directed at determining the effects of the mutation in this gene (viral DNA polymerase gene) on the biological and pathological properties of the virus. Alteration of the viral enzyme's replicative efficiency would explain many of the properties unique to paralytic strains of EHV-1--e.g., their increased replicative vigor, ability to cause a log (tenfold) greater magnitude of post-infection viremia in the horse, enhanced capacity to infect cells of the central nervous system, and the relative failure of vaccines to prevent infection by such replicatively aggressive mutant strains of EHV-1.

"We have also begun to investigate whether the frequency of EHV-1 isolates carrying the mutation associated with neurovirulence is increasing over time. Another unanswered question central to prevention and control of EHV-1 paralytic disease is whether the identified mutation arises de novo (newly) with each outbreak or whether a subpopulation of horses carry the mutant virus in the latent state with the capacity for reactivation and initiation of new outbreaks of the neurological disease (i.e., carrier horses)."

EPM Parasite Isolated in Healthy Horse

Scientists recently isolated the parasite that causes the neurological disease equine protozoal myeloencephalitis from the blood of a normal, healthy horse. This research could lead to a better understanding of the way the single-celled protozoan parasite Sarcocystis neurona (which causes EPM) attacks a horse and the best ways to prevent and fight EPM, TheHorse.com reports.

A Michigan State University student Mary G. Rossano, M.S., Ph.D., who was the lead author on the study, performed the research at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, because opossums, which are responsible for infecting horses by shedding the S. neurona sporocysts, are extremely rare in that area of the country. Therefore, a very low percentage of horses have been exposed to S. neurona in that area and, thus, the investigators knew that the horses in the study received only the parasite under study. This assured that the results would be valid.

In an attempt to recreate the natural infection scenario most horses likely encounter, six yearling colts received small oral doses of S. neurona sporocysts each day. Linda Mansfield, V.M.D., Ph.D., head of the Enteric Diseases Laboratory at Michigan State University, president of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists, and Rossano's advisor, said, "We did as many studies as possible with this group of horses so we didn't have to experimentally infect so many horses."

Blood was taken regularly from the horses, and the researchers attempted to culture S. neurona in vitro (outside the horse's body) on cells grown in petri dishes in order to demonstrate the presence of the parasite. "In our study, we only saw the parasitemia in one horse," Mansfield said. The horse that cultured positive for EPM showed no apparent clinical signs despite careful observation.

"Our study showed that horses have some degree of resistance to S. neurona. Having said that, there's always a chance that we didn't recover the parasite in the sample because horses are large and they have a lot of blood, so it is possible that blood could have been drawn from a place where the microorganism was not directly circulating."  Mansfield said that it's extremely difficult to find microorganisms in blood. "If you think about a horse, they just have a huge amount of blood in relation to the amount of microorganisms that might be present at any one time," she said.

The researchers' long-term goal in performing the study was to produce better diagnostics and better preventive measures and treatments for EPM.

Mansfield emphasized that horse owners can reduce the risk of EPM by eliminating opossums from the premises and cleaning up the barn (after spilling grain, etc.) to avoid attracting opossums and other vermin.

— Tonya Ratliff-Garrison

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2005

The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is open once again.

The Professional Bull Riders recently donated $50,000 to help reopen the facility, which was closed earlier this year by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

Ty Murray of Stephenville, Texas, the PBR president and 2000 PRCA Hall of Fame inductee, is passionate about the Hall's historical significance.

"The Hall of Fame was intended to immortalize the sport of rodeo and its legendary athletes," Murray said.

"The PBR is honored to be in a position to provide resources that will enable the Hall to open its doors once again and preserve the legacy of rodeo and its notables. The PBR felt compelled to help ensure that the history of professional rodeo be immortalized and made available to the public as soon as possible."

Speaking of ProRodeo …

For the third straight year, the Outdoor Life Network will bring coverage of the top PRCA rodeos on Sunday nights, beginning April 3.

CBS will again air final-day coverage of the three Pace series championship events, starting on June 25 with highlights from the Pace Picante ProRodeo Chute-Out in Reno, Nevada.

For up-to-date television listings, go to www.prorodeo.com.

Tips for Improving Your Show Performance

I belong to a few horse forums, which are great for getting advice and conversing with other horse owners and fellow show performers.

In a reining forum, Shannon Raymond recently wrote about why she watches contestants perform before she enters the ring. I thought it was interesting and was something worth passing on.

Raymond writes, “I have to say that I completely believe in watching others complete their patterns before one shows. Why? Well, it gives you the opportunity to look at where the good ground is. Who is getting stopped where and what is working.

“I highly suggest memorizing all of the patterns. It builds a confidence. If you can memorize them all and know them like you know the back of your hand then that is one less thing you need to worry about in the show pen. It gives me a chance to then work on making my maneuvers right and also making up ground where I need to. By knowing those patterns stone cold, I don't have to sit there and go ‘Oh, where am I going next?’

I know at the rookie level that nerves are what really need to be overcome first, and the only thing that takes care of that is time and repetition. Maybe this doesn't work for everybody, but we teach it and it is part of our day-to-day programs. Our rookies know the patterns and all the penalties that can be incurred. That way if they commit one in the pen, they know where they are sitting and can then plan on how they will make those penalties up.”

Ford Makes $500 Incentive Easier

Garnering the benefits Ford offers AQHA members just got easier. An AQHA Corporate Partner since 2002, Ford has made accessing the $500 AQHA member incentive certificate trouble-free.

Ford continues to team with AQHA to provide a $500 member incentive toward the purchase of any Ford vehicle. Since the member incentive began in 2002, AQHA members have purchased 22,321 vehicles, receiving more than $11.1 million in member incentives. 

Previously, AQHA members obtained the incentive certificate through a Ford dealer. Now, members can simply visit www.aqha.com/partners/index.html and have an e-certificate in seconds. Before you begin, locate your AQHA membership information to access your rebate certificate. If you need assistance, call AQHA customer service at (806) 376-4811, ext. 312. 

Ford has also renewed its AQHA Corporate Partner contract for another four years. Since 2002, Ford has served as the official car, truck and Sports Utility Vehicle of AQHA, and it will continue in that capacity along with its sponsorship of numerous programs and events.

For more on the incentive program, including the terms and conditions, click here.

— Tonya Ratliff-Garrison

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2005

The March issue of the American Quarter Horse Journal is out, and has several good articles for the foaling season as well as training tips from AQHA Professional Horseman Jason Smith and advice from veterinarian Nancy Roth on how to beat hoof thrush.

As a horse breeder, one of my biggest concerns is foal rejection. I experienced an aspect of it for the first time last year when my son’s maiden mare foaled. I knew she was going to be tough when, just a month before foaling, she wouldn’t let me anywhere near her udder. A normally docile mare, she would put her ears back and cow kick each time I tried to put my hand near that area.

Foreseeing problems, I made a point of being present for the birth to help her adjust to the new foal. She did everything normal after the foal was born: she nuzzled it, licked it and was somewhat protective of it. But as soon as it stood and tried to nurse, she would put her ears back and move away from it.

I immediately called my veterinarian to come out and help me, as I had never experienced this before. He arrived, checked the mare and foal and announced they were both healthy looking. He then pushed the foal toward his mother and encouraged him to nurse. However, the mare wasn’t going to have anything to do with it.

That’s when I took over helping the foal, and he twitched the mare’s lip. With a little bit of a struggle, she finally settled down and allowed the foal to nurse. After he had his fill, we released the mare and allowed her to bond to the foal. When he wanted to nurse again later that evening, she again acted irritable toward him, but I was able to twitch her on my own as the foal nursed.

After that, the mare started to realize that the nursing was actually relieving the pressure and pain in her udder. From then on, she allowed the foal to nurse on his own with no interference from me.

This was only a very mild case of foal rejection, and had to do more with the mare’s discomfort than it had to do with any real rejection of motherhood. However, in Christine Hamilton’s story in the March issue, a broodmare manager told her about a case where a mare rejected her foal for the second time.

“When she foaled, she acted like she was going to be OK,” Lee Burns told Hamilton. “She nickered at it, and she even licked it a few times.

“As the foal got a little bit older, by the hour, she just got very aggressive toward it. She did let it nurse when we held her.

“The more the foal nursed, you would imagine the better she’d get. In fact, this mare just got nastier and nastier, and tried to kick it, pinning her ears. She tried to turn around and lunge at it if you didn’t have hold of her.

“We gave her a good 24 hours. We sat with her and tried to let them bond as best we could, while not endangering the foal. We were trying to do it somewhere in between, giving her time to see if she would bond with the foal but at the same time not putting the foal in danger’s way. She just wanted nothing to do with it at all.

“We ended up taking the foal away form her and raising it on a nurse mare.”

Hamilton’s story has good advice on how to deal with a mare that rejects her foal as well as how to deal with a foal that has been rejected and now must be raised by a human or a nurse mare.

Check out the story in the March issue of the American Quarter Horse Journal. If you’re not a subscriber, you can click here to subscribe and read it online.

Florida Horsewoman Develops Successful AI Business

Jim Tunstall of The Tampa (Florida) Tribune wrote an interesting story on a Dunnellon, Florida, horsewoman whose artificial insemination company she started 13 years ago has blossomed into a business that stretches across the United States and Canada.

Karen Berk’s Equine Reproductive Services has grown despite the fact that some breed associations, most notably Thoroughbreds, have resisted the science. Dick Hancock, executive director of the Ocala-based Florida Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association, said the main reason the Thoroughbred industry doesn’t use AI is because “associations that register horses can't limit the number of foals produced within their breed each year. Where a stallion might entertain 150 mares a year via live breeding, AI raises his potential to 2,000, Hancock says, adding that it discourages diversity, too.”

But Berk isn't worried about the holdouts. She told Tunstall there's plenty of business because AI's pluses outweigh any minuses.

“’Sure, if you allow a stallion to produce 200 or 300 babies a year it lowers the price of the babies,’ she said. ‘But people who value their foals are going to limit reproduction.’

“Berk spends most of the first half of the year at her farm in Florida, and that's when the bulk of the artificial breeding is done. The second half of the year, she's on the road with her mobile lab, collecting and freezing semen as well as teaching clinics about equine reproduction.

“While she works with several breeds, her 20 clients are Quarter Horse owners. She usually has eight to 10 stallions on her farm, including Kid Conclusion, a 6-year-old she owns.

“Most of the studs belong to other farms, including Ohio's Stricker Quarter Horses, which stands its 6-year-old stallion Ziprageous here.

“’He's our flagship horse,’ Berk said.

“Despite breeding being her business, it contradicts one of her strongest personal views.

“’I talk a lot of people out of it,’ she said. ‘I'm against it except for investment-quality horses.’

To find out more about Berk’s business, click here.

— Tonya Ratliff-Garrison 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2005

The world has another great horseman.

Very Smart Remedy (Smart Little Lena x Remedys Response by Doc’s Remedy) carried Jon Roeser to the 2005 World’s Greatest Horseman title on Saturday night. The pair earned $30,000 for the win. Roeser joins fellow World’s Greatest Horseman winners Teddy Robinson, Ron Ralls and AQHA Professional Horseman Bob Avila. 

Jon Roeser calls his wife to tell her he just won the title of World's Greatest Horseman.

Roeser has ridden the 1999 sorrel, owned by Anne Reynolds of King Hill, Idaho, since the stallion was a 2-year-old. The LeGrand, California, trainer has seen phenomenal success with the young horse, having won the National Reined Cow Horse Association Derby two years in a row and the Hackamore Classic.

“I was really happy with him,” Roeser said. “He’s a phenomenal horse, just a great horse. He’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime individuals that can dominate events like he has. I feel fortunate to have been able to ride him.”

The stallion’s win is impressive considering his age. At just 6, Roeser had limited time to work with the horse in the bridle, the final phase of the California vaquero tradition of training, before the World’s Greatest event.

The pair entered the finals on Thursday night in third place, just behind Robbie Boyce and Bob Avila. They did well in the herd work, which was the first of four phases in the World’s Greatest event, scoring a 146, just two points behind the leaders Avila and Light N Fine.

On Friday, they came back tied for second with Robert Chown and Short Oak for the dry work and steer stopping. Roeser and Very Smart Remedy once again proved their stuff, taking the highest score in the rein work with a 146.5. They were then tied for first with Avila. 

Eight of the 10 World's Greatest Horsemen finalists lineup for the awards presentation.

However, after the steer stopping, they took the top spot. They scored a respectful 144.5, putting them in fourth for the event. Avila’s steer stepped through the loop, causing him to score a 134.

The cow work competition was the final event of the World’s Greatest Horseman. They entered the arena with a cumulative score of 437, just four points ahead of their nearest challenger Ron Emmons and the Paint stallion Tangys Classy Boy. 

They scored a 147 in the cow work. They were third in the event, but their cumulative score of 584 was enough for them to win the World’s Greatest Horseman title.World’s Greatest Horseman runner-up for the second consecutive year was Russell Dilday on Miss Plain Plain (Just Plain Colonel x Miss Master Blaster by Master Remedy), owned by Scott and Darnall Trueblood. They took first in the steer stopping with a 149 and the cow work with a 150. They also had a 144.5 in the herd work. However, a couple of scotches in the dry work cost them the ultimate title as they only scored a 137. Their cumulative score of 580.5 earned them $22,500.

In Other NRCHA News …

The NRCHA world championships were also decided in Stephenville, Texas, at the Bayer Legend Celebration of Champions.  

AQHA Professional Horseman Don Murphy and Sparking Train make their first turn down the fence in open bridle.

The World Show opened Friday morning with AQHA Professional Horseman Don Murphy earning the open two-rein title riding Sparking Train (Shining Spark x Sister Train by Reminic) for Tony Costa. He earned a 300.5 in the reined work and 293 in the cow for a 594 composite. Murphy has worked with the 1998 sorrel mare since she was a 2-year-old. He made the finals at Santa Ynez with her and then took her to the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity.

“This is more for myself probably than for my horse,” Murphy said about the two-rein win. “Most of the time I always show for my horse but this is the first big show that I’ve been to since last August. I just needed to have a good run sometime to get my head back into it.”

The industry suffered a huge loss last fall when Murphy’s wife, Melene, lost her battle with cancer. While Don was spending time with his wife and family, Todd Crawford kept Murphy’s string of horses in shape and in competition.

“Todd rode her (Sparking Train) and kept all of my horses going, and I have to give him a lot of thanks for everything he’s done for my horses from September until January,” Murphy said. “He showed them all and took care of them all. I have to give him a lot of credit.”  

Carter Metcalf, the son of AQHA Professional Horsemen Stephen and Carol Metcalf, took the youth title despite having to share his horse, Mr Mini Macho, with his mom.

In the novice non pro bridle finals, Amy and Paul Bailey of Sparta, Tennessee, battled for the title. Paul topped the preliminaries riding Dry N Play (Freckles Playboy x Dry Sweetie by Dry Doc), but his wife came back in the finals to steal the world championship, leaving Paul with the reserve. Amy Bailey rode Genuine Cross Tie (Smart Retsina x Genuality by Genuine Doc) for the title.

“It was amazing yesterday,” Paul said. “I had a 297, and her, with the experience of going down the fence, she (Amy) told me, ‘You may be seven-and-a-half points ahead of me now, but you will not be ahead of me tomorrow going down the fence.’ And that’s exactly what happened.”

Dana Mandala of Temecula, California, rode her talented gelding Brother White (Smart Little Lena x White On Wright by Doc Quixote) to win the non pro limited world title. “Preacher” worked overtime last week at the Celebration of Champions. Along with his performance in the non pro limited, the 1996 gelding was also a contender in the World’s Greatest Horseman, ridden by Robbie Boyce.

Mandala and the gelding dominated the non pro limited, scoring a combined 598.5 to win the class by 10.5 points. Robbie and the Preacher showed in the World’s Greatest herd finals Thursday night so the gelding was already in shape and ready to go for Dana the next morning.

“Today, I just knew that after he was tuned up for the herd work last night, all I had to do was hang on and just pray I’d stay with him,” Mandala said. “He was a ball. He is a once-in-a-lifetime horse; I’ll never have another horse like him.” 

Chris Littlefield and 2004 AQHA Superhorse Real Gun took the limited open bridle title but lost the open bridle championship after their steer became tangled in the reins and Littlefield had to touch the steer to get it loose.

Coming into the finals, Chris Littlefield and 2004 AQHA/Sooner Trailer Superhorse Real Gun (Playgun x Miss War Chips) were leading the limited open bridle and sitting in fourth in the open. With a two-run composite of 597, the duo picked up their first world title in the limited open bridle.

“This is not a weekend picnic. It never has been,” Littlefield said of the competition. “This thing is tough. You can’t weaken or coast anywhere. It’s all out every time.”

The pair lost the open title on Saturday when, during the cow work, the steer got its head stuck in Real Gun’s reins. To get it free, Littlefield had to reach down and touch the steer, which caused him and the 1997 stallion to be disqualified.

Carter Metcalf of Pilot Point, Texas, and his mother, Carol, shared Mr Mini Macho (Hollywood Macho Jac x Lassie Lady Jaguar by Mr Jaguar) during the World Championship show. Carol finished reserve in the limited open bridle before she handed the reins over to Carter. He topped the 10-horse youth bridle finals with a 592 composite.

“He’s got a great attitude about everything, he’s very friendly and he’s bombproof,” Carter said of “Macho.”

This was Carter’s first appearance at the World Show, although he did have a mare qualified to compete at last year’s event. Carter suffered a knee injury and was forced to watch from the sidelines.

Lance Shields’ family bought Thristy Oak (Doc’s Oak x Im Thirsty Smoke by Doc Gunsmoke) when the colt was just a yearling. Shields and the horse earned a two-round composite of 584 to take home the limited open hackamore world title.

“He was a lot better today in the finals. He showed a lot better and just everything felt a lot better,” Shields said. “He usually feels better the second time around at an event for some reason. It just seems like he gets better every time you do it.” 

Russell Dilday nearly lost his prescription Oakley glasses while circling up his steer on his stallion Topsail Rien Maker.

On Saturday, Kevin Stallings qualified two horses for the open bridle finals and walked away with the world championship riding his stallion, NMSU Truckin Chex (Nu Chex To Cash x NMSU Doc Truckle CJ by CJ Sugar).

“He was very good. He just answered everything I asked,” Stallings said of “Elvis.” “In the fence work, he was just really awesome.”

The pair marked a 149.5 in the rein work and a 151 in the cow work, which brought their two-round composite to a 599.

In the non pro bridle, Nelle Murphy and Bald N Shiney (Shining Spark x Leos Raffle Lady by Hank Leo) earned the title after an impressive 600.5 two-round composite.

“He was way better in the reined work tonight, just because he was waiting on me,” Murphy said of her gelding’s finals performance compared to the preliminaries. “He was just as good in his fence work.”

Russell Dilday earned his first NRCHA world title riding Topsails Rien Maker (Topsail Cody x Jameen Gay by Toby Gay Bar), a 1999 stallion co-owned by Dilday and Kevin Cantrell. The race for the Open Hackamore title was close as Dilday and Todd Crawford, riding The Love Man (Meradas Money Talks x Lovie Lena by Doc O’Lena), tied with a 593.5. But Dilday’s 152 in the finals’ cow work determined the world champion.

“I thought I had a really good chance at second,” Dilday said about coming into his finals run. He had a half point lead over Crawford after the prelims and drew up last in the 10-horse finals. “I really didn’t think I could pull first off.”

Dilday has worked with “Slider” since he was a 2-year-old. The stallion will continue his show career and will also stand at Ward Ranch.

“He is super; he’s the easiest horse in the world to train,” Dilday said of the stallion. “I haven’t even really trained him. He’s just good.”

Katie Combs earned the youth limited title riding Gotta Have Cash (Nu Cash x Nancy McLain by Ima Cougar), a horse owned by her mother, Sheila Combs, of Caldwell, Idaho. 

Patty Ralls aboard Chromium Cowboy circle up their steer to win the non pro hackamore championship title.

The Combs bought “Cash” from Anne Reynolds after her trainer, Shawn Deal, suggested the gelding.

“He’s laid back and calm but the instant you put a cow in front of him, he fires up,” Katie said of the 1999 gelding.

Patty Ralls dominated the non pro hackamore finals riding Chromium Cowboy (A Chic In Time x Marvelous Miss by Mountain Creek) to a 591.5 two-round composite. "Cowboy" was the 2003 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity open reserve champion with her husband, Ron, riding.

“He has a heart of gold,” Ralls said. “The more you ask of him, the more he’ll try. He’s still really fresh in the showpen. He doesn’t cheat; he’s 100 percent.”

The Southwest Reined Cow Horse Association Derby also finished Saturday morning.

In the open, Ron Ralls of Gainesville, Texas, rode Spooks Starman (Grays Starlight x Lynx Star Lady by Doc’s Lynx) for the championship title for owner Jose Maria Gomez of Mexico. Jake Telford of Caldwell, Idaho, captured the intermediate open riding A Time To Spark (There Comes A Time x Lenas Sunny Girl by Lenas Sonny Boy) for Mary Alice Mason of Red Bluff, California. Shawn Hays of Saint Jo, Texas, rounded out the open champions with the limited open title aboard his 2000 gelding Instant Cutter (SR Instant Choice x Lil Cuttin Lou by Peppy San Badger).

In the non pro, Mike Miller of Big Piney, Wyoming, earned the non pro derby title riding Play Fire N Cash (Freckles Playboy x Firecat Cash by Miss N Cash). In the intermediate non pro, Eric Freitas of Guadalupe, California, rode Pennys From Smokum (Smokum Oak x Penny Starlight by Grays Starlight) for the title. The derby amateur title went to Robin Ross of Tishomingo, Oklahoma. She rode PG Rey Gun (Playgun x Miss Freckles Reed by Colonel Freckles).

Country Singer Trent Willmon to Sing at Road to the Horse

Country singer and songwriter Trent Willmon will sing the National Anthem on March 6 to open the second day of festivities at The Road to The Horse, a horse training competition to be at Murfreesboro, Tennessee's Tennessee Miller Coliseum. He’ll perform at noon as part of the day's opening ceremonies.

"We're thrilled to have Trent with us," said Road to the Horse producer, Tootie Bland. "He is traveling all night from a gig to make it to Road to The Horse on Sunday."

The artist will be right at home with the event's horses and trainers. Willmon, an Afton, Texas native, was raised on a cattle ranch and grew up participating in 4-H and FFA activities. When he received a gift guitar at age 16, Willmon's music took center stage. He studied animal science, then music at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas.

"I got involved in 4-H and FFA ... and that's also where I started singing," Willmon reported to CMT's Craig Shelburne. "For country kids, that's just about the only way to stay out of trouble – to get involved in 4-H and FFA.”

Being involved with ranch culture in Texas also introduced Willmon to the live music scene.

"In the summertime, there's a rodeo somewhere every weekend. If there is a rodeo, there's a dance after it," Willmon told Shelburne. "If there's an excuse, there's a dance, for anything. So I grew up listening to live music."

Willmon moved to Nashville in 1995 to pursue a career in music. Before signing with Columbia Records, Willmon worked at area Nashville farms – caring for horses by day and playing and singing in area honky tonks. His first single, “Beer Man,” debuted as part of his self-titled album in October 2004. Now, Willmon is climbing the charts with the long-titled “Dixie Rose Deluxe's Honky Tonk, Feed Store, Gun Shop, Used Car, Beer, Bait, BBQ, Barber Shop, Laundromat.”

The Road to the Horse features three of the world’s top horse clinicians, who will meet three virtually un-touched young horses. A team of judges watch each trainer demonstrate his unique way of gentling a young horse and preparing it to be ridden. After working with the horse for three hours, each horse and trainer will have to negotiate an obstacle course. A winner will then be chosen.

This year’s event is already sold out. The 2006 event will be at the Hoosier Horse Fair in Indiana. For more information on the event, click here.

— Tonya Ratliff-Garrison