Competition in the Adequan® Arena of the State Fair Park in Oklahoma City continued Saturday with the Rookie Professional and Limited Open classes of the Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships. More than 65 entries from across North America competed to win prestigious titles during the most exciting reining events of the year.
Meaghan Shea Wins NRHA Adequan® NAAC Ltd. Open on Master Magnums Dream
Riding Master Magnums Dream, Meaghan Shea won the NRHA Adequan® NAAC Limited Open with a 215. The pair also took second in the ancillary class, bringing their total earnings to more than $528. Thanks to generous sponsors, all NAAC winners take home a variety of great prizes, including a Bob’s Custom Saddle, an Adequan® champion vest, a Platinum Performance jacket, a custom Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, gift certificates to Bluebonnet and SmartPak, and Classic Equine product.
“He was awesome. He turned really well. He tried his little heart out and stopped really good,” Shea said. “Our game plan was to just stay out of the penalty box.”
Master Magnums Dream, by Magnum Chic Dream out of Tuckalnite, is owned by Jack and Suzanne Marlow. “I started riding this horse in April and have been showing him all year. In the middle of the show season, we decided to make the NAAC a goal for us,” Shea, who’s representing the Montana Reining Horse Association, said. “I thank Jack and Suzanne for the opportunity to show this horse, as well as my great clients for coming along.”
Taking second in the Adequan® NAAC Limited Open was Marco Formentin and CC Plain Vanilla, by Wimpys Little Step and out of Sheza Bonita Whiz. CC Plain Vanilla is owned by Audrey Kidd. Along with a check for $183, the pair were presented with an Adequan® champion vest, a Platinum Performance jacket, custom Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, gift certificates to Bluebonnet and Platinum Performance, and product from SmartPak and Classic Equine.
Matthew Cunningham and Im Spookin Electric Win NRHA Ancillary Ltd. Open
With a 216.5, Matthew Cunningham and Im Spookin Electric, owned by Cross C Ranch, topped the Limited Open. Open ancillary class that was run concurrently with the NAAC. “This is a 4-year-old stud we’ve been bringing along nice and slow. We just started showing him, and this was the first time we’ve really ran him hard, and he was really good,” Cunningham said of the colt, by Spooks Gotta Whiz and out of Electric Whizanna. “We got him last spring, and he’d just barely been started so he was kind of behind, but he’s coming along nice.”
As for today’s run, Cunningham said he was pleased. “He was really honest. We took it nice and quiet, and I feel really good about him,” he said. “If we don’t sell him, I’ll take him home and get him ready for my wife to show in the non pro. I thank my wife, little boy, and my family.”
Cody Garrison and Bombshell Banjo Win NRHA Adequan® NAAC Rookie Professional
An exciting runoff decided the champion of the Adequan® NAAC Rookie Professional, and when the last stop had been made, Cody Garrison and Bombshell Banjo were victorious. The pair, who also won the ancillary Rookie Professional class, took home $474, a Bob’s Custom Saddle, an Adequan® champion vest, a Platinum Performance jacket, a custom Montana Silversmiths trophy buckle, gift certificates to Bluebonnet and SmartPak, and Classic Equine product.
“The first run, she was awesome and showed her ever-loving heart out for me. This mare’s big thing is stopping, and she didn’t disappoint,” Garrison recalled. “In the runoff, she felt good. The cool thing that she’s 12, and we showed the first time right at the end of the class. For her to go back in and show again like that is great. She was tired, but did her job and didn’t anticipate at all. She’s unbelievable.”
Bombshell Banjo is owned by Garrison’s girlfriend Brogan Lee, who typically shows in the rookie classes. When Brogan had to have back surgery, Bombshell Banjo was turned out to be a broodmare for a year. “We brought her back for Brogan to show at the Run For A Million. I was on the way to school the mare, and she called me and told me to show her because we were in the running for a world title,” he said. “She’s a once-in-a-lifetime horse and gives it all every time she goes in the pen.”
Garrison and Bombshell Banjo, by Banjo Whiz out of Bob Acre Badgerlena, actually qualified for the Adequan® NAAC in four divisions – the Rookie Professional, Limited Open, Intermediate Open, and Open. They showed Thursday in the Intermediate Open and tied for third. “It’s been a great year. I thank my girlfriend, my dad who was watching today, my family, my mom, my brother, Shawn Flarida, Mark Turner, and Mike Davis,” he said.
Kaleigh Geringer and Lil Coded Jac took second in both the Adequan® NAAC and ancillary Rookie Professional. Lil Coded Jac, owned by Susan Meyer, is by Electric Code out of Hot Coded Candy. They won $372, 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.