There is no question that when the NRHA's No. 1 open rider walks into the pen, he's there to win. But the All-American Quarter Horse Congress has a special meaning for the Shawn Flarida. That's because the reining event been a family tradition since the 38-year-old trainer was just a child - and winning Congress Championships has become as synonymous with his name as his famous green shirt.
The 2007 Congress Reining Futurity, held Oct. 8-13, in Columbus, Ohio, was no different. In addition to capturing first, second and third places in the NRHA Novice Horse Open division and the NRHA Open Reining Championship on former NRHA Futurity Champion Smart Spook, Flarida, Springfield, Ohio, topped the prestigious Congress Open Futurity. With his 93-year-old grandmother watching in addition to a host of cheering family and friends, Flarida rode RC Fancy Step to a near-flawless 231.5, once again capturing the Open Futurity title and claiming the $30,677 prize.
"He's really easy to show," Flarida said of RC Fancy Step. "He goes so fast, but he can slow down so strong and so quick. He's just so easy. You put your bridle rein against him and he moves over, he don't ever pick his neck up. He's awesome."
RC Fancy Step, a stallion by Wimpys Little Step out of Sonita Wilson by Doc Wilson, is proving to be quite the spitting image of his dad. Wimpys Little Step was the 2002 NRHA Futurity Champion, marking the first of Flarida's three NRHA Futurity titles. The pair made history by marking a 233 - the highest mark ever given to a 3-year-old. Wimpys Little Step and Flarida also won the Congress Futurity preceding their trip to Oklahoma City. Like his dad, Flarida says RC Fancy Step is easy to train and fun to show.
"I thought my circles tonight were super strong, but when he goes down and stops, it just feels like the whole world stops out from underneath you," Flarida said with a smile. "He's just a blast to show, he really is."
Going into the finals, Flarida was placed in first, second and third on his three horses. Another Wimpys Little Step offspring, Wimpys Little Chic, out of Collena Chic Olena by Smart Chic Olena, owned by Arcese Quarter Horses, scored a 225.5 in the finals to finish third, edged out by Boom Shernic and Craig Schmersal, who scored a 226. Boom Shernic is by Boomernic out of She And Chic Dunit by Smart Chic Olena, and is owned by Cheryl Hadrych, Brenham, Texas. Flarida's third horse, Plus Me Big Time, a gelding by Shine Big Time owned by Tami Nelson and Janice Fleet, scored a 222 in the finals to tie for seventh with Style In Storm, shown by Shawn's nephew Matt Flarida. When the dust settled, Shawn Flarida took home the largest chunk of the money with a total of nearly $50,000.
While Flarida was no doubt pleased with his own success, he was equally excited for his assistant, Robin Schoeller, who rode Wimpys Pinesail, another Wimpys Little Step out of Pinesail by Topsail Cody, to the top spot in the Limited Open Futurity Championship. Wimpys Pinesail is owned by Charles Vaughan, Lafayette, Ind. Schoeller picked up a check worth $1,515 for Vaughan, enough to move him out of the Limited division for good.
In the Intermediate Open, Dan L. Huss rode Skeets Little Annie, a daughter of Skeets Peppy out of Oaks Little Annie by Doc's Oak and the top-selling horse of the 2006 NRHA Futurity Sale, to the top spot, scoring a crowd-pleasing 225. The pair won $7,925 for owner Frederick R. Christen, Whitehouse, Ohio, and picked up an additional $10,670 for fourth in the Open division.
In the Non-Pro Reining Stakes, Kelle Lee Smith and Taka Ticket, a gelding by Gallo Del Cielo out of Significant Shine by Shining Spark, took top billing after scoring a 222 in the 3-year-old class to take over the lead. Smith, from Belle Center, Ohio, won $5,961 for her efforts, and was quick to thank trainer Abigayle Mixon for training the horse.
"Abby was the first one I called after my mother," Smith said after her win. "I told her I hope she's training another one for me. That's not my forte, riding after someone - at all. Obviously, I can ride after Sam [Smith, her trainer husband], so that is a bigger compliment to her, that I could actually go show the horse immediately."
Coming in second and third in the Non-Pro Reining Stakes was Jose Vazquez, who rode What A Juicy Chic to a 221 for second, and SLJ Dun Juice to a 220. Both horses are by Vazquez's stallion, Smart Like Juice, with What A Juicy Chic being out of Tari What by Doctor What and SLJ Dun Juice being out of Some Kind Of Dun It by Hollywood Dun It.
Vazquez, a businessman from Markham, Ill., won $8,590 on the two horses, and picked up an additional $1,928 on a third horse, SLJ Im No Joke, another Smart Like Juice offspring out of Jokers Mustang Sally by Joker Solano, which placed eighth with a 211.5.
While the Congress Non-Pro Reining Stakes did not have an intermediate division, Carlie Thompson, from nearby Dublin, Ohio, and Major Smart Buck, a gelding by Smart Starbuck out of Majors Serendipity by Major Bonanza, won the Limited Division with a 213.5. The pair picked up $1,406 for their efforts. New York trainer Laura Phillips took top honors in the ever-popular Cinch Freestyle Reining. Phillips rode Pickup Chic, a 5-year-old gelding by Smart Chic Olena out of Spooks Playmate by Grays Starlight, owned by David Phillips, Mohrsville, Pa., to a 231 for the Open Championship, doing a routine to the theme from "Phantom of the Opera." The Open win paid ahefty $7,083.
Trevor Dare placed second in the Open division and also won the Non-Pro Championship with his athletic trick-riding reining routine aboard Parkinwithaslic Chic, a 5-year-old daughter Parking With A Chic out of A Nimble Greyhound by The Jac Be Nimble. Dare, Hilliard, Ohio, won a total of $7,286 after scoring a 230. His freestyle routine, set to the country music song "Chics Dig It," won the crowd approval of the packed house after Dare jumped off and on his horse and did some quick turnaround maneuvers in the saddle.
Kimberly Crupper, Paris, Ky., took home the Non-Pro Reserve Championship with a pattern to the music of Tim McGraw's "Fly Away." Outfitted in a white dress with huge wings attached to her saddle, Crupper and Quick Enterprise, a 7-year-old gelding by Sugar Bar Buckaroo out of Prise N Shine by For Sale Enterprise, owned by Crupper's husband, Allen, scored a 228 to earn $1,247.
