AQHA Magazine May/June 2016 | Página 46

Errol and Gita Thomas also incorporated a 4 year old Incentive Program into this prestigious ARBC Derby event. This 4 year old Incentive Program included $1000 going to the highest scoring 4 year old ridden by an Open Rider/ Trainer and this was won by Ed Smith riding Me Lil Beamer, owned by Lisa Tietz. The highest scoring 4 year old ridden by a Non Pro won $500 and this was won by Mick Taylor riding My Dads a Wimp, owned by Mick Taylor. These awards were presented by way of a BIG Cheque on the Saturday evening at the ARBC VIP dinner. Congratulations to you both and to all connections to these great 4 year olds. Ron Wall, Rick Young and their crew worked tirelessly with Errol Thomas to ensure there was a great surface for the dry work and a great set up with good cattle for the cattle work side for this event. The first go round judges of the Stockman’s Challenge divisions were Michael Lancaster and Steven Shepherd, a big thank you to these men for their diligent work at the ARBC Challenge. Ken May and Leah Read Big Cheques on offer at the ARBC ARBC Stockman’s Challenge The ARBC Derby Show welcomed the Stockman’s Challenge competitors with 41 of Australia’s top Challenge horse and rider combinations competing for $27,175 prize money, along with an ARBC Trophy Cup, ARBC Trophy Buckle and ARBC Show Bridle, hand crafted by Rick Meredith, Garland by Bec Laurie and a beautiful embroidered Smarty Rug, for the winners of both the Open and for the Leah Read really showing us what Cowhorse is all about Classic Events. This year the ARBC incorporated a go round system where competitors competed in both dry work and cattle work as part of the competition. From the go rounds the top 15 scores in the OPEN and CLASSIC went on to compete in a clean slate final to decide the winners in each division. The ARBC also paid out to the top 3 horse and rider combinations in each division with $1500 for 1st place, $1000 for 2nd place and $500 for 3rd placegetters in the first go round. Judges Susan Camferman and Darren Simpson then judged the clean slate final on the Saturday. This final showcasing 30 dynamic horse and rider combinations attracted a big crowd from both the challenge discipline as well as the Reiners helping cheer these competitors on in their cowhorse patterns. T PAID OU Steel Open Stockman’s Challenge winners. The top 15 horse and rider combinations in the ARBC OPEN Challenge clean slate final included. The ARBC Classic Challenge winner Ken May riding One Moore Bar Doc thrilled the crowd as he too had a dynamic run in this final. Prizes Ken picked up included an ARBC Trophy Cup, ARBC Rick Meredith hand crafted Buckle and hand crafted bridle, embroidered Smarty Rug and Garland by Bec Laurie as well as a BIG cheque. Second Place went to Charlie Barker riding Docs Chisum taking home hand crafted wooden stirrups Third Place went to Leah Read riding Master Lucky, taking home hand crafted leather spur straps. Nominated Sire owners also received 5% of the placed horse’s earnings as part of the ARBC Stallion Nomination Register, with the winning nominated sire receiving a $1000 cheque. The top 14 horse and rider combinations in the ARBC CLASSIC Challenge clean slate final included: in 2016 $64,705 in cash and $18,577 in trophy buckles and prizes for the ARBC Prize money was paid down to 15th place for the ARBC Open Stockman’s Challenge winners. The ARBC Dalby General Steel OPEN Challenge winner Leah Read was exciting to watch as she and her pony Captains Tiger Lilly completed a faultless run. Congratulations to Leah Read and all connections on a fantastic run. Prizes Leah picked up included an ARBC Trophy Cup, ARBC Rick Meredith hand crafted Buckle and hand crafted bridle, embroidered Smarty Rug and Garland by Bec Laurie as well as a BIG cheque. Second Place went to Ed Smith riding PV Treyson owned by Paul Sharp, taking home hand crafted wooden stirrups. Third Place went to Rob Leach riding Terminator Whizz owned by Kevin Perrin, taking home hand crafted leather spur straps. Prize money was paid down to 15th place for the ARBC Dalby General Page 46 • The Australian Quarter Horse Magazine • May • June • 2016 The Saloon where HAPPY HOUR was well received It’s worth mentioning the excitement in the main arena for the presentation to the ARBC Stockman’s Challenge winners; these guys do a full run down and stop right beside one another when their name is called, an exciting end to the ARBC Stockman’s Challenge week of events. Congratulations to all involved it was a great turnout of competitors and yet again this year the comradery was commendable between reiners and challenge competitors alike. It may have been in part due to the $2 Corona evenings at the ARBC Saloon which offered a happy hour for everyone to come together over the competition evenings. It was great to see two disciplines coming together and embracing the skill both brings to the pen. It was the goal of ARBC Event creator, Errol Thomas, that once again built on the foundations laid last year to incorporate an Open and Classic division to the ARBC Stockman’s Challenge event and he is already planning next year’s ARBC Stockman’s Challenge to step it up another gear again.