Written by Molly Montag

Twenty-three-year-old Missouri trainer Josh Murphy thought his horse, Got That Iowa Shine, had the talent to do well in the 2016 North Central Reining Horse Association (NCRHA) Futurity, held Aug. 6 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Apparently, he was being conservative.

Murphy and the sorrel stallion scored a 220 to tie with National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) $1 Million Rider Tom McCutcheon and Baileys Not Painted (PT) for Level 4 Open Co-Championship honors at the event. It was the biggest win for Murphy, who owns Got That Iowa Shine (Smart and Shiney x SLJ This Is My Juice x Smart Like Juice).

McCutcheon rode Baileys Not Painted (PT) (Colonels Nite Special [PT] x Darlins Not Painted [PT] x Smokin Chic Olena [PT]) for owner Turnabout Farms, Inc., of Aubrey, Texas.

The Co-Championship was worth $4,518 each.

Futurity Non-Pro

Teenager Cade McCutcheon did his father one better in the Futurity Non-Pro, winning the Futurity Level 4 Non-Pro outright aboard Sioux J Quixote.

The 216 score earned by McCutcheon and the sorrel gelding (A Shiner Named Sioux x JRC Quixote O Lena x Doc O Dynamite) was just enough to edge out Reserve Champion Jesse Asmussen’s score of 215.5.

Sioux J Quixote, nicknamed “Jay,” earned $4,064 for owner Jim McCutcheon, of Valley View, Texas.

In addition to the Level 4 Non-Pro Reserve Championship, Asmussen and Xtra Whinny Berry (Wimpys Red Berry x SLJ Smartlikewhinny x Smart Like Juice) also earned the Futurity Level 3 Non-Pro Championship. They collected $5,003 for Asmussen, of Maquoketa, Iowa.

Futurity Levels 2 & 1 Non-Pro

High school sophomore Taylor Zimmerman and Wimpys Little Jessie took the NCRHA Futurity Levels 2 and 1 Non-Pro championships with their score of 213.5, which also earned them Futurity Level 3 Non-Pro Reserve Champion honors.

Zimmerman and Wimpys Little Jessie (Wimpys Little Step x Jessie Dot Tari x Jodies Doc Tari) banked $5,062 for owner Vaughn Zimmerman, of Springfield, Missouri.

The Futurity Levels 2 and 1 Non-Pro Reserve championships went to Alex Purus and Sure Slidin Smart (Smart Like Juice x Bingos Sure Slide x Itsa Bingo Greyhound), who scored a 212. They picked up $3,074 for owner Empire Ranch.

Derby Level 4 Open

Minnesotan Justin Michels and Berry Great Juice (Smart Like Juice x Berry Great Twist x Dun It With A Twist) continued their winning ways to take the NCRHA Derby Level 4 Open Championship with their 219.5 score. They sent the Championship, along with $2,412, home to owner Joan Julen, of Cottage Grove, Minnesota.

Last year, the pair won the NRHA Futurity Level 1 Open Co-Championship when Michels tied himself riding another of Julen’s horses, Cromed Out Gunner.

Dany Tremblay, of Overbook, Oklahoma, received the NCRHA Futurity Level 4 Open Reserve Championship with Misters Temptress (Mister Dual Pep x Colonel Pepinic x Smart Little Pepinic) after marking a 219. They also took the Derby Level 3 Open Championship and $2,905 for owners Amanda and Brad Kelly, of Mirror, Alberta, Canada.

Derby Levels 2 & 1 Open

Another Minnesota-based trainer, Derek Heitland, took the NCRHA Derby Levels 2 and 1 Open championships with Steppin Little Lena. He and the palomino stallion (Wimpys Little Step x Collena O Lena x ARC Matt O Lena) marked a 218 and earned $3,280 for owner Mary Jansma, of Randolph, Wisconsin.

Josh Murphy and CBK Haidas Lil Holly (Hollywoodstinseltown x Hiadas Lil Mavis x Haidas Little Pep) and Russell Ratkowski and GH Cromed Mercedes (Cromed Out Mercedes x Chic In The Bar x Smart Chic Olena) tied for the Levels 2 and 1 Reserve championships with twin 216s. Each earned $487.

Derby Non-Pro

Paige Vernon, of Ashland, Wisconsin, and Spooks For The Chics took three titles in the NCRHA Derby Non-Pro.

She and the gelding (Smart Spook x Chic In The Bar x Smart Chic Olena), who is a half-brother to GH Cromed Mercedes, won the Levels 4, 3 and 1 Non-Pro with their 216.5. They earned $2,741 for owner White River Ag Products, also of Ashland.

Shannon Kasten and Schoen Smart won the Derby Level 2 Non-Pro Championship with a 215.5. Kasten and Schoen Smart (Smart Starbuck x Schoen Melody x Heza German Melody) also were Reserve Champions in the Derby Levels 4 and 3 Non-Pro. They earned $2,145 for owner Bill Kasten, of River Falls, Wisconsin.

Source: Quarter Horse News