AMATEUR REINING

SMART PAUL OLENA AND MEG GRIFFITH-RALSTON SHINE AT THE WORLD SHOW.

BY TONYA RATLIFF-GARRISON, INTERNET MANAGER

The first time Meg Griffith-Ralston saw Smart Paul Olena two years ago she wasn’t impressed.

The 1994 stallion had just been pulled off a Colorado ranch, where he had been pastured with about 40 broodmares.

“He was pretty sorry looking,” she said.

But her husband, trainer Aaron Ralston, knew the stallion was a diamond in the rough.

Doug Milholland, who Ralston had once worked for, had trained “Paul” and showed him as a 3- and 4-year-old. The stallion had made the finals in the National Reining Horse Association Futurity and Derby before his former owners decided to retire him to stud and produce ranch horses.

“They took him home and threw him out on the mountain with 30 or 40 head of mares, but after about four years, he wasn’t producing the ranch-type horses they wanted. They were a little bit too fancy for what they were doing so they decided to sell him,” Griffith-Ralston said.

Ralston convinced his wife to purchase the stallion as a show horse. But after picking him up, Griffith-Ralston wasn’t so sure her husband had made a smart decision.

“I was not real glad when we first picked him up,” she said. “They took him out of the pasture, and he was all beat up and not in very good condition. It took about a year to put weight back on him and get him going.”

However, when she began to show him, she knew he was worth the effort.

They came to the 2003 World Show, where they placed sixth in amateur reining. The next year, they were reserve champions in amateur reining and senior reining. This year, the big pay off.

Meg Griffith-Ralston and Smart Paul Olena won the amateur reining world championship title. But not before having to compete in a runoff with Gina Hunter and Mr Cocoa Chex.

Griffith-Ralston and Paul entered through the Gateway of Champions 15^th in a draw of 17 for the amateur reining finals. Gina Hunter of Manteca, California, and Mr Cocoa Chex were leading the event with a 214.5. Griffith-Ralston had confidence Paul could beat that score, though.

Paul’s spins in both directions were perfect. He began his right-lead circle, staying smooth and consistent. However, in his left-lead circle, he put a scare in Griffith-Ralston.

“We had a little bit of trouble because coming across the middle, he was wanting to kind of change,” she said. “I got him through it, but it was touchy.”

But then it was time for his signature move: sliding stops. Paul came into a hard, fast stop, dropping his head almost to the ground as he paddled through the slide.

“He’s a huge stopper,” Griffith-Ralston said. “That’s his best thing.”

With the crowd cheering, Paul slid into this last stop and backed smoothly to the middle of the arena. Griffith-Ralston reached down to pet the stallion’s neck and moved out of the arena.

It was a good ride, but the judges awarded a score of 214.5, and with the other two riders not beating the score, it meant a run-off.

Hunter and Mr Cocoa Chex entered the arena first, and turned in a flawless run. It was Paul’s and Griffith- Ralston’s turn.

“I knew I would need a ride that was a little bit more fluid and just a step up there from the first run,” Griffith-Ralston said. “I knew I needed to be the pilot and go for it a little bit more.”

And Paul stepped up for Griffith-Ralston in the second run.

“He felt really good,” she said. “The run felt a lot better than the first run.”

But as she and Paul left the arena, the announcer came over the PA saying the winner would not be announced until the end of the award presentation.

“That was nerve racking … getting into the runoff and holding the scores to the very end,” she said. “We thought they would at least announce the scores before the final results, but it was kind of nice, too, to have the surprise.”

And what a nice surprise. As Hunter and Griffith-Ralston sat their horses next to each other on the rail, they nervously waited. But Griffith-Ralston was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Hunter was named reserve champion. Finally, she and Paul had their world championship.

“It feels so good,” she said. “It’s just kind of hard to believe.”

Paul will show again next week in senior reining with Griffith-Ralston’s husband aboard. They hope to add another gold trophy to their shelf. He’ll also head back to the NRHA Futurity this year to show in the open and in the freestyle reining.

“But Aaron also wants to give him some new events to work on, too,” Griffith-Ralston said. “He wants to try him in the cow horse pen and maybe do some roping and cutting on him.”

Will they maybe try for the Sooner Trailer Superhorse award next year?

“I don’t know. Maybe,” Griffith-Ralson said. “We’ll just have to see what we get done this next year. The pressure is on.”

WINNER STATS Horse name: Smart Paul Olena Pedigree: Smart Chic Olena x Paula Tari by Tari Glo Owner/Exhibitor: Meg Griffith-Ralston, Silt, Colorado Trainer: Aaron Ralston, Silt, Colorado Breeder: Jim Babcock, Valley View, Texas Total Class Entries: 70 Purse: $33,880 World Champion Prizes: Gold trophy, Montana Silversmiths buckle, Cripple Creek jacket, Tex Tan AQHA spurs, Justin ostrich Tekno Crepe boots, Professional's Choice products, Nutrena feed, neck ribbon