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AMATEUR YEARLING GELDINGS A HOMEBRED YOUNGSTER AND A DESERVING MARE. BY CHRISTINE HAMILTON, FIELD EDITOR Rita Crundwell opened November 14, the last day of amateur halter competition at the 2008 World Show, with another world championship, this time in amateur yearling geldings with her homebred STKS Coolest. She led horses in two additional classes before taking the win in amateur aged mares with Bob Bob Barann, a mare she bought to eventually be a broodmare. Her last class of Bank of America Amateur Week, Rita led the mare around with her to throw her signed world champion t-shirts to the crowd. Q. How do you make it through a long day of showing halter, class after class? Rita: I just don’t think about it. I just have everyone in the back, getting horses ready for me. I have my mind kind of set on getting through the day and I don’t think about it until I’m done. Q. You started off the morning again with a win, tell me about this gelding. Rita: He’s out of one of my good show mares that is retired and, actually, I’ve had several people trying to buy him and probably, after this show, he’s sold. Somebody else will get to enjoy him. Q. How did you get this mare? Rita: I’ve wanted to buy her for a long time. Finally, last year Jim Miller sold her to me. I actually flew him out here to watch me show her, and I ended up reserve. And he was tickled. We just called him to tell him I was world champion, and he was crying. (She laughed.) It was very cool. Q. What caught your eye about her? Rita: She’s just such a nice mare and so pretty and good across her back for her age. And I have another mare that was kind of bred like her that’s been a great broodmare and that’s what I wanted her for, was to be a broodmare eventually. But I wanted to try and show her and get that world championship for her. Because she just, to me, she deserves it. Q. She seems so good to be around. Rita: She is a sweetheart. In fact, (AQHA Pro Horseman) Jim (McKillips) is always after me to wake her up, but I hate to do anything to her because she’s so kind. Q. Anything to add? Rita: It’s really great, people work really hard for me. It just seems like it all comes together, it’s like a well-oiled machine. I’m lucky enough that the judges appreciate my horses. It’s been just a wonderful, wonderful show. Fun Fact: Rita has bred and led the winner of the very first halter class for each day of Bank of America Amateur Week halter competition – she’s earned seven 2008 amateur halter world championships. WINNER STATS Horse name: STKS Coolest Total class entries: 14 Horse name: Bob Bob Barann Total class entries: 16 World Champion Prizes: Custom-designed gold-tone trophy, Montana Silversmiths buckle, neck wreath, gold medallion, Cripple Creek-logo jacket, world champion patch, Justin boots, Tex Tan product
RESULTS
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