her speed and no hands. Amelia Baker and What A Hug won the Mr 4X4 Freestyle with a score of 143. The Nationals is the showcase for our great sport and on Thursday night we got our first taste of what we can look forward to over the next few days. The big guns came into the arena for the first time in search of the 2016 titles on offer.
The Thomas Arena Products Non Pro shared the spotlight as the Feature Class of the night. The winner of the Non Pro also wins the Michelle Halliwell Memorial Non Pro trophy and buckle. These awards are made in remembrance of many wonderful days shared with our friend and to reflect on a life taken too soon from our reining family. The best of the best of our Non Pros fight every year to win the Michelle Halliwell Buckle, a magnificent piece designed and made by master silversmith, Annie Wieden.
The competition was fierce! Reserve Champion for 2016, with a 141½ showing, was Mick Taylor and My Dads A Wimp. The Non Pro Champion for 2016 was Guy Laurie aboard Bec Laurie ' s Wimpys Red Chilli, with a fabulous 142 run before the large and very enthusiastic crowd.
The other feature class on Thursday evening was the Thomas Arena Products Open. This class was run concurrently with the Non Pro and our best trainers and horses were on display side-by-side with the best non-professional combinations. Shaun Saunders rode Whiz Destiny into 2nd place with 142, but the man who took the title was Warren Backhouse aboard Checkout Hollywood. The pair scored 145½ in a scintillating run that had the crowd hooting and hollering the rafters off AELEC.
Friday started early with the Southern Cross Saddlery Rookies class. The huge field of over 60 competitors was set to ride for something special! Southern Cross Saddlery, a major sponsor of this year ' s National Show, supplied the winner of the Rookie Level 2 class with a magnificent purpose-built Reining saddle. Ben Ditzel and Onya Wotshername( 139½) claimed the Championships in both Rookie Level 1 and Level 2. This achievement was a fitting exit for this outstanding mare and marks her retirement to broodmare duties.
The Youth events continued the theme of high achievement. Sophia Johnson on Hollywood Skiptide won the Short Stirrup class for riders 10 years and under. Amelia Baker and What A Hug had the crowd cheering wildly during their run in the Spooks Gotta Whiz Youth event. The run clearly impressed the judges and the combination received a score of 140 and with it the Champion’ s Buckle for the Youth 13 years and Under class. The rules for judging Reining are not relaxed in any way for Youth competitors, so Amelia’ s was a great run as well as a great win. Hannah Lloyd and Whizzel Me Lucky scored 138½ to take home the Champion’ s Buckle for the Youth 14 to 18 Years class.
After a quick break, spectators made themselves comfortable in the stands with high expectations for the 2016 Gold Buckle Futurity. Congratulations to all the connections for presenting such beautiful horses and for educating, guiding and working them over so many hours to get to the very high standard that we saw.
John Wicks and Onya Ima Cool Step won the 2016 Reining Australia Gold Buckle Futurity with a fabulous 142 run. They took the Title by a narrow margin ahead of Noel Watson and Colonel Einstein with 141½. Reining Australia thanks Neylon Performance Horses and Thomas Arena Products for their support of the event and Southern Cross Saddlery for sponsoring the magnificent trophy saddle.
The Gold Buckle program is structured to promote the Futurity to horses and riders at every level of open competition. All nominated horses contest the Open Futurity but there are buckles and prizes on offer for three restricted divisions. Cameron Halliwell and Wimpys Little Terminator( 139) won the Intermediate Division of the Open Futurity. David Simons and His Diluted Gunner( 138½) were successful in the Limited Division and Carolyn Gorrill( 138) took home the buckle for the Level 1 Division of the Open Futurity.
Incentive Awards attached to the Gold Buckle Futurity were made after the main presentations. Ray Gabbert, owner of Ima Cool Step, picked up the Reining Trainer ' s Australia Bonus for having his winning horse in training with John Wicks, an RTA trainer. Winners of the AQHA Incentive Awards for the Open Futurity were Noel Watson riding Colonel Einstein and Ed Smith riding Hi Tec Genetics. AQHA offered Reining Australia members cash incentives just for having their AQHA memberships up-to-date!
The Back On Track Limited Open and WA Reining Limited Non Pro opened the competition on Saturday. A personal best of 142 on Whizzel With Me was more than enough for Mel Sporry to pick up the Champion’ s Buckle in both events. Mel ' s score
Checkout Hollywood Open Derby
Cameron Halliwell Gottagetagunner Non Pro Derby
Greg Smith Int Non Pro
Erin Neylon Ltd Open Derby
Page 42 • The Australian Quarter Horse Magazine January • February • 2017