It was another full day of competition in the Adequan® Arena at the State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. The Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships award some of the most prestigious titles a reiner can win outside of aged event competition. With horses and riders across North America traveling to the Sooner State, the competition only gets tougher. On Sunday, riders competed in the Novice Horse Open classes.
Devin Warren Wins Adequan® NAAC Nov. Horse Open Level 2 on Outlaw Dreams
With a score of 218.5, Devin Warren and Outlaw Dreams clinched the Adequan® NAAC Novice Horse Open Level 2 championship for owner Megan Mulqueen. The pair also won the ancillary class, bringing total earnings to $1,611. They also won several great prizes, including a saddle from Continental Saddlery, an Adequan® champion vest, a Platinum Performance jacket, a custom Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, gift certificates to Bluebonnet and SmartPak, and Classic Equine product.
“I was really pleased with him today. I liked feeling how hooked he was in the circles. They had a really good song playing, and it was fun. It was one of those rides you could sit back, take it in, and enjoy it,” Warren said recounting the run on Outlaw Dreams, by Magnum With A Dream out of Mollie Montana. “I’ve had this horse for three years now. He’s been an awesome little horse that goes and does his job. He pulls double-duty in the open and non pro, and has been consistent all year.”
Warren, who’s representing the Rocky Mountain Reining Horse Association in the Mountain Region, was excited to win the NAAC title. “This has gotten so much more prestigious, and they’ve been working hard with the sponsors to make this a bigger part of the show. The owners are more apt to send them down here, so that makes it nice,” Warren said.
The Colorado native will stay busy this week, not only showing his futurity horses but also working with his youth and non pro riders. “I thank my wife Joleen. She’s at home holding down the fort with my son who just had his tonsils out. I couldn’t do it without her. She’s always behind the scenes giving me so much support,” Warren said.
Shauna Larcombe and Gunners Bar Fly took reserve honors in the Adequan® NAAC Novice Horse Open Level 2, and a check for $685, with a 217. Gunners Bar Fly, by Gunner and out of Blonde At The Bar, is owned by Rosanne Sternberg. Thanks to generous sponsorship, each Adequan® NAAC Champion wins a champion vest, a Platinum Performance jacket, a custom Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, gift certificates to Bluebonnet and Platinum Performance, and product from SmartPak and Classic Equine. Larcombe represented the Southwest Reining Horse Association in the South Central Region.
Jeromy Lipps & Some Likeit Hot Claim Adequan® NAAC Nov. Horse Open Level 1 Championship
Some Likeit Hot is a special mare, and on Sunday, with NRHA Professional Jeromy Lipps, the talented mare added a new title to her resume – that of NAAC Novice Horse Open Level 1 Champion. In addition to a check for $622, the pair took home a saddle from Continental Saddlery, an Adequan® champion vest, a Platinum Performance jacket, a custom Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, gift certificates to Bluebonnet and SmartPak, and Classic Equine product.
“I’ve had her in my barn about two years now, and she has been very fun to have. She’s very special. I have showed her in some derbies and had a lot of success with that,” Lipps explained. “Today she loped off real quiet, and drug her hiney when she got to the end, and rolled back really hard. She stopped hard all three times and circled really quiet. She turned really hard like she always does and managed to get shut off without overturning.”
Lipps knew what score he and Some Likeit Hot, by Wimpys Little Step out of Princessontheprowl, would have to beat. “I felt pretty good about it. I knew I needed to be quiet and consistent, and stay out of the penalty box. We sure don’t like being there,” he said.
As for future plans for Some Likeit Hot, Lipps shared that the owners Deana and Kenny Nell were planning to sell her. “We will just see what happens. I thank Deana and Kenny for supporting me, my family, and just everyone around who has helped,” he said. Lipps represented the Midwest Reining Horse Association in the North Central Region.
Tying for reserve in the NAAC Novice Horse Open Level 1 was Drake Johnson with Gunners Special Chic and Jared Leclair with Codes Lady Kippernic with scores of 212. Gunners Special Chic, by Gunners Special Nite and out of Smart Chico Lashes, is owned by Kristle Raile. Codes Lady Kippernic, owned by Susan Meyer, is by Electric Code and out of Kipper Lady Nic. Each took home $430.
Each Adequan® NAAC Reserve Champion receives an Adequan® champion vest, a Platinum Performance jacket, a custom Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, gift certificates to Bluebonnet and Platinum Performance, and product from SmartPak and Classic Equine.
Hava Vital & FM Cottonwood Win Ancillary Nov. Horse Open Level 1
Riding FM Cottonwood, by Gunner out of Sonita Lena Chick, Hava Vital won the ancillary Novice Horse Open Level 1 and earned reserve in the Novice Horse Open Level 2.
Vital has been riding the 5-year-old reiner, owned by Carlton and Khris Crowe, since the beginning of the year. “We’ve had some ups and downs, but today was definitely an up,” Vital said. “Everything was good today. I have no complaints.”
Vital is looking forward to showing FM Cottonwood in some smaller derbies and novice horse classes in 2020. “Khris and Carlton love this horse, and I thank them. I have ridden some 2-year-olds in the past for them, and hopefully I get to ride more for them in the future,” Vital said.
Dakin Allred and Wimpys Best Bid finished second in the Novice Horse Open Level 1 with a 215. Wimpys Best Bid, by Wimpys High Bid out of Surpriseinadarkally, is owned by Story Book Stables.