The second leg of preliminary competition - the rein work - was completed Thursday, June 18. Now, entries in the 2009 National Reined Cow Horse Association Derby have a good idea of what they will need to score in the final phase of competition - the cow work - to claim one of the coveted spots in Sunday's clean-slate finals.
The Open Derby Champion will receive a check for $45,866, while the Non Pro Champion will be awarded $11,960.
Taking the top spot in the Open Rein Work was Jay McLaughlin, who piloted CD Dee Vee Dee (CD Lights x Shiners Missy Jay x Shining Spark) to a high score of 223. Fast spins and hard stops helped McLaughlin and the CD Lights gelding out of a Shining Spark mare, owned by Carol Rose of Gainesville, Texas, climb to a tie for tenth place going into the cow work.
Currently leading the Open Derby preliminary composite is Todd Bergen and Nics Black Diamond (Nic It In The Bud x Shinersdiamondjackie x Shining Spark). Bergen marked 217.5 in the herd work and 222 in the rein work for a 439.5 total. Nics Black Diamond is owned by Mark and Kelly Gowing.
In the Intermediate Open Derby Rein Work, Brad Barkemeyer and Zipper Nic tied Shad Parkinson and Just Plain Deal with a score of 219. Just Plain Deal (Dealin Dirty x Just Plain N Taffi) is owned by Sharon Dorociak, while Zipper Nic, whose score also topped the Limited Open Rein Work, is owned by Allan Kaplan.
Kaplan also owns Cash R Rooster, currently leading the Intermediate Open preliminary composite by 5 points - with Parkinson at the reins! Parkinson guided Cash R Rooster, by Gallo Del Cielo out of Cash R Chex to a 216 in the Herd Work, and followed that with a 218 in the rein work.
Tyler Merrill marked the high Limited Open score in the Herd Work on Circle Six Spark 205, held on the preliminary composite lead after marking a 214 in the rein work. Circle Six Spark 205, by Shining Spark and out of Begay 295, is owned by Troy Herthel.
Michelle Cowan and Wheres My Shine, by Shining Spark and out of Boomerita, tied for the high score of the Non Pro Herd Work with a 216, and returned Thursday to mark big in the rein work - once again topping the division with a 217.5. The rein work score gives Cowan and Wheres My Shine a one-point lead in the composite.
Steve Greenberg rode Bos Not Foolin, by Little Bo Badger out of Lil Robyns Lulu, to a 216 in the Rein Work, topping the Intermediate Non Pro division. Unfortunately, tough luck in the herd work resulted in a low score, so Greenberg is currently tied for fourteenth in the division.
Kristi Locatelli and Last To Dance grace the top of the Intermediate Non Pro leader board with a 426 total on two. Locatelli and Last To Dance (Boonlight Dancer x Lassie Doc) marked 211 in the herd work and 215 in the rein work.
Twenty Open riders will advance to the Finals on Sunday, June 21, as will the top 13 Intermediate Open, six Limited Open, nine Non Pro, and six Intermediate Non Pro entries. And while the riders in those divisions are riding to make it to the finals, the exhibitors in the Amateur division are already riding for a title, as the Amateur Champion is decided during the preliminary competition.
Danielle Stanton and Panda Lena Prize marked the Rein Work high score with a 214.5 - giving them a ten-point advantage over the rest of the field going into the cow work on Friday. Panda Lena Prize is by Smokums Prize out of Pand Delight. The Amateur Champion will be awarded $2,595. The NRCHA Derby, which began on June 16, is held at the Paso Robles Event Center in Paso Robles, California.
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