Highlights from the High Roller Reining Classic

By Alden Corrigan for HRRC, Inc.

Question: What do you get when you combine over $300,000 in added money and prizes, some of the best horses and riders in the country and a city that never sleeps?  Answer: The 2011 High Roller Reining Classic (HRRC) held September 11-17 at the South Point Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Mandy McCutcheon of Aubrey, Texas kept it all in the family as well by riding Tim and Colleen McQuay’s Coronas In Hollywood (Hollywood Dun It x Dont Miss This) to the winners circle in the $15,000-added Spooks Gotta Gun Level 4 Non Pro Futurity besting a field of 17 with a score of 144.5.   This will be Mandy’s last ride on Coronas In Hollywood as fellow Non Pro Shaundra Ruckman has purchased the three-year old.

Tish Fappani of Scottsdale, Arizona had three generations of her family cheering her on in the $40,000-added Conquistador Whiz Non Pro Derby, and she did not disappoint.  She and her own Premier Diamond (Like A Diamond x S Chexy Nic) who she shared at HRRC with husband Andrea posted a score of 222.5 to out run a field of 31 competitors for the win.

In the 2011 Trifecta Non Pro Reining Challenge, no one was more surprised than Vicki Dias of Kingsburg, California to find out she and her five-year old A Bright Tag (Whiz N Tag Chex x Genuine Starbright) had won the trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming by accumulating a total of $6,614.09 over the three-show series to put a lock on the top spot. 

Casey and Nicole Deary of Weatherford, Texas had quite the show in Las Vegas.  Nicole and her mother’s Tagged My Chic (Whiz N Tag Chex x Cheeky Boom) marked a 147 to win three out of four divisions in the ancillary non pro classes (slate 2) and the coveted HRRC Limited Non Pro High Point Bob’s Custom Saddle.  Husband Casey rode Carlos Gonzalez’ three-year old buckskin Wimp Daddy (Wimpys Little Step x Cody Kay Quixote) to a 224.5 to win the level 4 open of the $70,000-added Spooks Gotta Gun Open Futurity out of a field of 33.

The $70,000-added Conquistador Whiz Open Derby was a fight to the finish in the level 4 division.  Andrea Fappani was leading on Rancho Oso Rio’s Country Custom.

(Custom Crome x calatrava) with a score of 228.0 for most of the 44-horse level 4 open derby, that was until Craig Schmersal riding his own Pale Face Dunnit (Gunner x Lena Dun It) ran into the ring from the back of the schooling area and marked a 229.0.  

Fappani was not going to settle for second so he pushed Rancho Oso Rio’s Custom Spook (Smart Spook x Custom Spinderella) farther than he ever had before in their career together and marked a 231.0 to bring home the $12,422 paycheck to Rancho Oso Rio owners Jim and Pat Warren. Rounding out the top four was yet another Fappani ride, Tish’s horse Premier Diamond marking a 226.5. Andrea had captured first, third and fourth place, and only Schmersal could crack into the top four.

Check out the November NRHA Reiner for the complete story and pictures. For results visit: www.highrollerreiningclassic.com.