Color Your Discipline

How the American Paint Horse is Excelling in the Show Circuit

Author: By Celeste Karpf |

Date Added: September 4,2009 |

A flashy colored coat has always distinguished the American Paint Horse, but the top ranking horses of recent years have earned the breed another undeniable title – formidable competitor. Equine Journal catches up with the American Paint Horses who are making headlines in a variety of disciplines.

Reined Cow Horse
This year’s National Reined Cow Horse Associations’ (NRCHA) Fort Dodge Animal Health Celebration of Champions in San Angelo, Texas, saw three World Champion Paint Horses earning top honors.

Cookin Merada
Stallion, Cookin Merada, sired by Meradas Money Talks (AQHA) and out of Cookies Cooking (AQHA), won the Circle Y Ranch Southwest Reined Cow Horse Association Open Derby at the NRCHA Celebration of Champions in January.
Todd Crawford, a NRCHA million dollar rider of Blanchard, OK, took Cookin Merada to the top, with a score of 143 in herd work, 149.5 in rein work, and second place with 149.5 in cow work. Their composite score of 442 was enough to top 70 other horses and win the $12,319 prize.
“He’s a real kind horse that doesn’t mind getting a little tough and gritty,” says Crawford. Crawford and Cookin Merada have taken a place in the winner’s circle before when they won the APHA World Championship Junior Working Cow Horse and took Reserve Champion in the APHA Four and Five-Year-Old Working Cow Horse Challenge last July. In 2007, Cookin Merada made his debut as a major competitor when he took third place at the NRCHA’s Snaffle Bit Futurity ridden by Crawford in 2007. Cookin Merada also has 2008 APHA Honor Roll Champion to add to his many titles. At five years old, Cookin Merada is already reaching lifetime earnings of $100,000. Cookin Merada is currently owned by Matacorp, Ltd. of Midland, TX.
Cookin Merada went on to win the Junior Working Cow Horse and Four and Five-Year-Old Working Cow Horse Challenge at the APHA World show in July 2009. Crawford and Cookin Merada also earned Reserve Championships in the 4 and 5-Year-Old Reining Challenge and the Open Junior Reining Final at the World Show.

Zezes Pepto Cat
The cow horse industry is no stranger to Zezes Pepto Cat who was Champion of the NRCHA Open Hackamore World Championships. Tom Neel, of Millsap, TX, rode Zezes to victory with a composit score of 442.5 and an earning of $8,568. Sired by Zeze Gunsmoke and out of Boons Cat, Zezes Pepto Cat is a six-year-old sorrel overo stallion with a growing list of accomplishments. Zezes made his breakthrough debut in 2007 when he won the APHA World Championship in Junior Working Cow Horse. The following year, he won the APHA Four and Five-Year-Old Working Cow Horse Challenge and the Working Cow Horse Challenge Sweepstakes in the fall. Zezes is owned by JR Partnership of Millsap, TX.

One Smokin Chic
Holding her own in the winner’s circle was eight-year-old mare One Smokin Chic, who won the NRCHA Open Bridle Division. Bozo Rogers of Lipan, Texas rode One Smokin Chic to victory before when they earned two APHA Junior Working Cow Horse World Championships and an APHA Senior Working Cow Horse Reserve Championship. Rogers and the sorrel tobiano gained accolades for their composite score of 440.5 taking home the $7,785 prize. She was later given the NRCHA Supreme Cow Horse Award at the association’s year-end banquet that evening. One Smokin Chic, sired by Freckle Face Smoke and out of Ms. Peppy Olena, is owned by The Anderson Cattle Company of Victoria, TX.

Dressage
Brilliant Reflection
Making great strides in the dressage show circuit is Brilliant Reflection, owned by Barbra Reis of Brilliant Reflection Farm in Ortonville, MI. “I purchased him as an unbroken three and a half year old,” says Reis who hand trained, saddle broke, and brought him through the levels herself. “He had the proper conformation and the movement that dressage judges are looking for.” Brilliant Reflection, who is a half-Thoroughbred registered American Paint Horse, and Reis most recently earned Reserve Champion in the second level at the Paxon Farms Summer Finale 1 & 2, in 2008.
Starting his career in 2004, Brilliant Reflection came onto the dressage scene with a First Place win at the USDF All Breed Award in the Training Level Open, APHA with a median score of 66.667%. “That was really an exciting honor,” she says.
The following year, they took second place at the USDF All Breed Award In Training Level Open with a median score of 66.731% and won third place at the Midwest Dressage Association in the Training Level Open class with a 69.102% median score. In 2006 Brilliant Reflection continued his success with a top score at the Waterloo Fall Finale in which he competed at the Second Level Open Division. The same year he won National Champion for First Level Freestyle with the USEF Silver Stirrup Award Program. When Reis and Brilliant Reflection returned to Waterloo the following year, they earned an outstanding score of 68.542% and 69.375% in First Level freestyle.
Brilliant Reflection earned his name when he was first turned out and went running to stare at his reflection in the arena’s mirror. Reis felt the name took on another meaning as well. “One thing I always said about him was he was a reflection of me as a rider and a trainer,” says Reis. “I felt when he did well it was a reflection of our chemistry together and our relationship as horse and rider. Because he means so much to me, I thought it would be a nice way to honor him – because he is such a special horse – to call the farm Brilliant Reflection.”
“They tend to be a little more accepting of new things,” says Reis of the Paint Horse as a breed, “Thoroughbreds tend to be rather hot, warmbloods are either a little slower at picking things up or a little stubborn. Paint horses kind of just go with the flow and accept things.” Reis also says she enjoys the variety of color that the breed offers and feels it adds a fun element to her performances. Reis previously owned Brilliant Guise, another half-Thoroughbred registered Paint Horse, whom she worked with for five years in dressage, hunters and eventing.
Visit the Brilliant Reflection Farm website at www.capturedmoments.ws.

Hunter/Jumper

The Big Sensation
The Big Sensation has earned his name in the hunter/jumper world with a long list of wins. This 16.3 hands stallion, owned by Tammy Dyer, won his first APHA World Champion in 2005 by a unanimous decision in the Two-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle competition. From then on, The Big Sensation has continued to excel in the show circuit.
In 2006 another unanimous decision led to yet another APHA World Championship in Junior Hunter Under Saddle. He also won the Three-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Challenge. The following year The Big Sensation took home the APHA World Championship Show High Point English Horse as well as Reserve All-Around Horse. Tracy Baer showed him for an APHA Reserve World Championship in Junior Hunter Hack as well as the APHA World Champion Junior Working Hunter. The Big Sensation earned APHA Reserve World Champion Amateur Pleasure Driving with Sharnai Thompson at the reins.
In 2008 he took home the title of APHA World Championship Show All-Around Horse as well as Reserve World Champion Junior Working Hunter with Baer and Reserve World Champion Junior Pleasure Driving shown by Charlie Cole. That same year he took home the APHA World Championship for Amateur Pleasure Driving with Thompson.
The Big Sensation is standing at Taymar Farm in Pilot Point, Texas. In 2006 the stallion had his first foal crop including the rising star, The Big Maneuver, a sorrel overo gelding. The Big Maneuver made the top 10 in the 2008 APHA World Show Amateur Hunter Under Saddle in his first time competing. That same year he won the Champion Southern Belle Two Year Old Breeders Hunter Under Saddle Futurity.
A full list of The Big Sensation’s accomplishments can be viewed at www.thebigsensation.com.

For more information on upcoming shows, events, and the American Paint Horse, visit the American Paint Horse Association at www.apha.com.