Yellowstone Reining Horse Association Year End Awards Banquet Chico Hot Springs - April 5, 2008

The Yellowstone Reining Horse Association held it’s annual Year End Awards banquet and fund raising auction April 5th at the Chico Hot Springs resort in Pray. The afternoon started with the general membership meeting and election of new officers and directors. The new president is George Stone, vice president is Jan Anderson, treasurer is Wendy Deans and Secretary is Chandra Morris. The new board of directors is Elise Donohue as immediate past president, Mike Carlson, Jean Keffeler, Nicole Mather, John Morris, Jackie Sorenson and Kurt Stabenau. After the meeting and election we were treated to a presentation about lameness issues in the reining horse by equine internal medicine specialist, Dr. Peter Heideman of Montana Equine Associates of Logan, Montana. Dr. Heideman has the special talent of not only being expert at this topic, but is unique in that he can relate the topic in layman’s terms for the general public to understand. It was a very informative talk and we thank Dr. Heideman for taking the time to speak to us.

A silent auction was held with over 30 items to bid on during the social hour before supper. Chico Hot Springs puts on quite a spread that satiated the hunger of the approximately 100 attendees. No sooner was supper cleared when CR Morrison took over the mic to rouse us into raucous bidding over the many great auction items available.

YRHA gave away lots of door prizes during the evening with the highlight being six different $100 gift certificates from Corral West Ranchwear, Four Corners Saddlery and the Rusty Spur. Subscriptions to the Quarter Horse News were another popular prize.

Acknowledging horses, riders and owners accomplishments was the purpose of the evening, but we also took a moment to thank some board members that had given so much of their precious time over the years. Leaving the board this year was founding member and Executive Director Jay Dee Anderson, founding member Gwen Wagner, director Lawrence Martin, director Anne Kent, director Harvey Lewis, secretary Sharlene Stone and vice president and past president Alice Morrison. The hours, the effort and the commitment that these people have given this club is nothing short of phenomenal. We can’t thank them enough for their devotion to this club.

We also want to say thanks to Alice Morrison for organizing the banquet again this year - our hostess with the mostest! Thanks to Anne Kent for purchasing the awards, to CR Morrison for auctioneering. and to his handsome spotters and lovely assistants for their help during the auction. Thanks to all of Alice’s many helpers that set up the banquet.

2007 Year End AwardsWinner of the Two-Handed Youth 13 & Under was Mary Dunkel riding of Phenomenal Blonde. Reserve Champion was Alana Smith riding Gin Yankee. The Two-Handed Youth 14-18 Champion was Sean Alquist riding Mighty Mega Jac. Reserve Champion was Savannah Smith riding Forest Cabin Cowboy. The winner of the Two Handed Rookie was Lori Waters riding This Whiz It. Reserve Champion was Kim Vickers riding KR Chex Mix. Senior Non Pro Champion was William Crain riding Top Chex Charlie. Reserve Champion was Sharlene Stone riding Always Sailing Smart. Ladies Champion was Nicole Mather riding Solano Chex Ray owned by Karol MacDonald. Reserve Champion was Sarah Blackburn riding Cowboy Kal. The NRHA Limited Open Champion was Janis Anderson riding Peppy Sailor Chex owned by Jay Dee and Janis Anderson. Reserve Champion was Ryan Anderson on Sailor Sam Dan owned by Polly & Bruzzy Cooke. NRHA Intermediate Open Champion was Ryan Anderson on Hollywoods Lena Lady owned by William Schutter. Reserve Champion was Ryan Anderson on Montana Shy Twister owned by Meredith Brokaw. NRHA Open Champion was Jay Dee Anderson on SJ Twist N Chex owned by Julia Sullivan, Reserve Champion was Ryan Anderson riding Hollywoods Lena Lady owned by William Schutter. NRHA Novice Horse Open Champion was Jay Dee Anderson on Pay Chex Gold owned by Elise Donohue of the Double D Ranch. Reserve Champion was Jay Dee Anderson Rhonda Gray owned by James Gelhaus. NRHA Freestyle Open Champion was Nicole Mather on Solano Chex Rey owned by Karol MacDonald. Reserve Champion was Elise Donohue on Wind River Cody. NRHA Rookie Professional Champion was Janis Anderson on Peppy Sailor Chex owned by Jay Dee and Janis Anderson. Reserve Champion was Jarrod Grieve on Lenas Great Red owned by Rex & Judy Jacobs. NRHA Limited Non Pro Champion was Stephanie King-Anderson on A Girls Best Friend. Reserve Champion was William Crain on Top Chex Charlie. NRHA Intermediate Non Pro Champion was William Crain on Top Chex Charlie. Reserve Champion was Nicholette Larson on Triple X Starlight. The NRHA Non Pro Champion was George Stone riding Mr Jacs Enterprise. Reserve Champion was Nicholette Larson on Triple X Starlight. The NRHA Novice Horse Non Pro Champion wasGeorge Stone on Mr Jacs Enterprise. Reserve Champion was Jackie Sorenson on Roosters Toddy. NRHA Youth 13 & Under Champion was Mary Dunkel riding Phenomenal Blonde. Reserve Champion was Secora Richardson on Cutters Smart Chic. NRHA Youth 14 - 18 Champion was Savannah Smith on Forest Cabin Cowboy. Reserve Champion was Sean Alquist on Mighty Mega Jac. NRHA Rookie Champion was Randy Maxwell on Smart Misty Bar. Reserve Champion was Sonya Hanson riding Printed On Fine Pine. NRHA Prime Time Rookie Champion was Sonya Hanson riding Printed On Fine Pine. Reserve Champion was Polly Cooke on Smart Remichic.

There were 10 graduates of the Green Rookie class in 2007 each earning a Montana Silversmith Green Rookie buckle. Elise Donohue has a special place in her heart for this class having been a graduate after the second year YRHA offered it. She very generously sponsored the buckles this year. The 10 graduates were Liz Dagnell riding Hillbilly Sailor, Mary Dunkel riding Phenomenal Blonde, Lanette Frye riding Leos Sailin Rocket, Jeannie Higgins riding Lucy Loves Diamonds, Megan Irvin riding Smart Nikka, Pam Jones riding Peppys Fancy Fanny, Randy Maxwell riding Smart Misty Bar, Lynn Dee Melvin riding Talk About Ruff, Powder My Lena and LC Spinnin Chic, Casey Richardson riding Makinbucksinhollywood and Jamie Wubben riding RV Gay Doc Otoe.
Thanks to everyone for coming to the banquet, congratulations to all the riders and owners and we’ll see you at the shows!
Submitted by Wendy Deans

Charlie Smith clinic - May 2 & 3. NRHA Hall of Famer and coach of many World Champions will be giving a clinic for YRHA. $375 per rider. Auditors may pay $40 for one day or $75 for both days. Clinic will be held at Linda Hahn's property in Manhattan. Charlie Smith's profile

To sign up for the Charlie Smith clinic, contact Alice Morrison at 406-686-4872 or alicem@wispwest.net.

Don't miss out ... Custom Hat Raffle

Win a custom made 50X beaver hat from Rocky Mountain Hat Co. Retail value $450.
Tickets are $5.00 each or 5 for $20.

Drawing to be held July 12 at the Yellowstone Slide in Wilsall. Need not be present to win.
You can purchase tickets from Wendy Deans at any reining function or give her a call at 406-333-4615. E-mail at rafterd@wispwest.net

YRHA Random Reiner Profile

The Random Reiner picked for this month is Anita Muri. But when you talk about Anita, you must think of Anita and her sister Janice as they have never been seen apart west of Billings. So, this article is about the two of them.

Not all of YRHA’s members are riders that show their horses. Some are family members that come to shows and support their husband, wife or children. Some are folks that have a love of horses that enjoy owning a wonderful athlete and hire a trainer to handle all the showing.

Miles City residents, Anita Muri and Janice Mostoller, are two of those YRHA members. They love horses and take great pride in seeing them become successful show horses. Anita doesn’t ride much herself, but her husband, Pete has owned horses and has ridden all of his life. Anita and Janice decided it would be a fun hobby to raise horses, purchasing their first paint mare “Easy Dice Cleggbar” in South Dakota. “Easy” was bred to “Strait from Texas”, who was a 7 time World and Reserve Champion Paint when they bought her. “Easy” had a black and white stud colt the spring of 2000. They named him “Strait N Easy”. They put “Strait” in training at Anderson Training Stables as a 2 year old and by the time he was 4 he had found his nitch as a Freestyle reiner. He won numerous Freestyle classes entertaining the crowds and his owners.

Anita and her husband, Pete, along with her sister Janice and her husband, Tom love to travel to watch their horses show. They have sold Strait and now own a lovely sorrel Quarter Horse mare named Ju Ju Dot Chex and have already traveled as far as Denver to watch her show and win the Limited Open Futurity with trainer Ryan Anderson riding her.

Anita is a Personal Loan officer at the Stockman Bank in Miles City specializing in real estate and consumer loans. Her husband, Pete is an insurance adjuster covering losses with the Montana Claims office. Anita and Pete have 2 grown children, a daughter, Lynnette, who works at the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch in Billings and a son, Troy who is a MT Highway patrolman, is married to Jackie and they have 2 sons, Logan and Bridger.

Be sure to help Anita and Janice cheer on “Ju Ju” at the shows this summer!
Click here to see past Reiner Profiles

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR LATEST GREEN ROOKIE GRADUATES!

Two green rookie riders graduated from the Green Rookie class at Yellowstone Slide III: Jamie Wubben and Jeanne Higgins. Eight green rookie riders graduated from the Green Rookie class at Yellowstone Slide II: Megan Irvin, Mary Dunkel, Pamela Jones, Lanette Frye, Randy Maxwell, Lynn Dee Melvin, Casey Richardson and Liz Dagnall.
All these riders have earned the required 30 points to graduate.

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