Jarvis Anderson - Highest Placing Open Futurity Finalist Ever from Montana!
Author: Chandra Morris
Date published: Dec 10 2008
Accompanied by the vociferous cheering of his exuberant fans, Jarvis Anderson of Wilsall, Montana, rode into the history pages at the 2008 NRHA Futurity and North American Affiliate Championship Show in Oklahoma City on Saturday, December 6. Competing in the Open finals, Anderson tied for 2nd in the Intermediate Open and placed 13th overall, entering territory no Montanan has tread before and taking his place beside the legends: Tim McQuay, Shawn Flarida, Andrea Fappani, Craig Schmersal, and the like. His was a ride the sport’s founding father, Bill Horn, would have appreciated – stylish, fast and clean – and his horse was clearly willing every step of the way.
Streaking through the Gateway of Champions into the Coliseum, Pretty Peppy Chec, owned by Vicky L. King (Burley, Idaho) and wearing back number 358, dashed past center and dropped his tail on command into the Sooner State’s signature brick red dirt, earning the first roar of approval from the nearly full-house crowd. Backing up to center, Anderson, looking sharp in starched white shirt and black chaps, handily turned the 2005 bay stallion right and left, then hit the gas pedal and churned up the dirt as only he can while sprinting through his large circles. The only bobble Anderson encountered as he knocked off pattern 10 was a late change between the small slow circles, which he quickly erased by nailing the following three stops, to the utter glee of the cadre of Montanans cheering him on. Scoring a 218, Anderson moved into the lead in the Intermediate Open.
The suspense was palpable as 11 riders followed Anderson, including the only other remaining Intermediate Open rider in the Open finals, Jared LeClair, whose brilliant run aboard Electric Code, owned by L and D partnership (Pilot Point, Texas), marked a 225 and moved him into the Championship slot. Anderson and Pretty Peppy Chec (Lil Ruf Peppy x Chex N Whiz by Topsail Whiz) shared the Reserve Championship with Luke Gagnon and Whiz Jewels, owned by Courtney Ryan of Collinsville, Texas. Anderson’s share of the pot was $20,047.36.
For placing in the Open, Anderson earned $19,752.53. He tied with two other riders, Brent Wright, riding Wimpys Red Berry, owned by Wimpys Red Berry Partnership, Maysville, Oklahoma, and Duane Latimer, riding Spark N Whiz, owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, Weatherford, Texas. Anderson is a member of the Yellowstone and Montana Reining Horse Associations. His affiliate is the Montana Reining Horse Association.
Though he didn’t come home driving a new trailer emblazoned with 2008 NRHA Intermediate Open Champion, Anderson comes home a legend, the highest placing Open futurity finalist ever from Montana and the first to write Montana into the NRHA ledger of futurity champions.
