The Last Best Show – Yellowstone Slide III
Author: Chandra Morris
Date published: Aug 18 2009
The arena walls echoed with cheers and whistles, laughter and pounding hooves at the third and final Yellowstone Reining Horse Association show, held July 30-Aug 1 at Anderson Training Stables in Wilsall, Mont., where the firsts and personal bests continued to accumulate for its participants.
To say that the horses and riders stepped it up over the course of the season from YS I to YS III is almost an understatement. By the third show, three-year-olds were showing some maturity in the show pen, rookies were stepping up their performances, and the non pros were resetting the bar higher and higher.
Judged by Robert LaPorta (Damascus, MD), the $5300 added YS III was the final affiliate qualifying show for members of the YRHA and Montana Reining Horse Association. The top ten qualifiers in 15 classes will advance to the Mountain Region Affiliate Finals in South Jordan, Utah.
As usual, the $1,000 Morrison NRHA Open was exciting with eight entries and a season-high score of 75 marked by NRHA Top Twenty Rider Jarvis Anderson aboard Dun Its Legacy owned by Katherine Baker. For the reserve championship, there was a tie between Eduardo Pinto Ribeiro (Custom Flashback owned by Douglas Neuhoff) and Ryan Anderson (JuJu Dot Chex owned by Pete Muri and Tom Mostoller). With twin scores of 74, Ribeiro and Ryan Anderson also tied for the $500 Intermediate Open championship. The Limited Open championship went to Varr Heaton riding the classic sorrel gelding Smart Remichic owned by Polly Cooke and the reserve championship went to J.R. Winter riding the radiant palomino mare Pay Chex Gold owned by Kristy Wheeler.
In the $1,000 Morrison Non Pro division, $500 Intermediate NP and $200 Prime Time NP, the husband and wife team of George and Sharlene Stone took the championship and reserve championship, respectively. George Stone rode Im Cashin The Chex to a 73 for the win and Sharlene Stone rode Mr Jacs Enterprise to a 72.5 for second place.
The 60 Years and Older Non Pro club class was won by Polly Cooke riding Montanas Shy Twister. It was a good show for Cooke, who had a couple of personal bests - her first 70 and her first win in the 60 Years and Older class.
Jarrod Grieve and Smart Like Jazz, owned by Patrick and Theresa Shea, marked a 73 to take the $200 Rookie Professional championship. Valerie Siegel riding Taris Whizkey owned by Brackett Creek Quarter Horses, won the reserve.
In the Rookie division, it took a 72.5 to win Rookie 2. This score was posted by youth rider Vanessa Rogers aboard Coal Under Pressure. A tie for reserve champion ensued between Chandra Morris (Boggies Gun Phire owned by John Morris) and Robin Aaker (Spark Me Again). Aaker’s 72 won her the championship for Rookie 1; reserve champion was Christina Sutherland (Peppys Black Chrome). Morris’ personal best score of 72 was enough to earn her the Prime Time Rookie championship; Merry Jo Smith (Kick Off These Boots) won the reserve.
Two more green reiners graduated and earned their belt buckles at YS III. Susie Melchert (Okie Dry Doc) and Valeria Robinett (One Smart Doc) both earned more than 30 points this season to graduate. The championship of the green reiner class went to Callie Roberts who marked a 71 on RX Freckles to sweep the class. Sam Hoffman (Roseta Rey owned by Mike Hoffman) claimed the reserve championship.
In the youth division, Quinn Sutherland took home all the prizes in the 13 & Under category. She rode her buckskin gelding St Patrick Rey to a 70.5 score. Meghan Stewart (CJ Tanner) and Kate Gunderson (Blue Ribbon Body) tied for the championship in the 14-18 category.
Full results can be found under Shows & Events.
Saddle Winner
The big drawing of the weekend came at the conclusion of the show when the YRHA gave away a Jim Taylor reining show saddle. 
To get into the drawing, a current YRHA member had to win a class at any of the three YRHA shows. Each win meant another chance in the drawing. The name that was drawn was Lori Waters, who promptly made good on a promise and gifted the saddle on the spot to Janis Anderson. The saddle was sponsored by YRHA and Anderson Training Stables. Fundraising for the saddle giveaway and to support the added money for all three YRHA shows was done through sponsorships and raffles.
Affiliate Qualifiers
YRHA affiliate qualifiers were notified by mail following official tabulation of results and eligibility by the National Reining Horse Association, but please check the NRHA website, nrha.com to make sure of your standings. The Mountain Region Affiliate Finals will be held at the Utah Classic Futurity/Derby in South Jordan, Utah, September 9-13, 2009. Information and forms are online at irha.com. Also, keep checking the YRHA website for news about the finals and other upcoming events.
Video & Photos
Raindancer Video (Corvallis, MT, www.raindancervideo.com) provided a live feed of YS III to nrha.tv. The video can still be viewed if you missed the show and would like to see it. Still photos from YS III are available online from wdphotos.net. Win pictures provided by Wendy Deans.
Sponsors
The YRHA board and members wish to thank our season sponsors:
Double D Ranch - Elise Donohue; Anderson Training Stables; Home Branded, Inc. - Connie LeHocky; CSR Equine; Jarvis Anderson Performance Horses; Meredith Brokaw; Shawn Flarida; Montana Reining Horse Association; Nan Newton; Rocky Mountain Hat Company; Ace Gutter & Roofing; Best Western Yellowstone Inn; Billman Creek Ranch - Mike Carlson & Lori Waters; Brackett Creek Quarter Horses - Jim & Sharon Gelhaus; Bruzzy & Polly Cooke; Dave Viers & Associates; Dick Perry Horseshoeing; Douglas Robinson; Dr. Tom and Anne Kent; First Interstate Bank; Four Corners Saddlery; Little Mission Creek Ranch - Jean Keffeler & David Stanley; Rafter D Training - Gill & Wendy Deans; Shields Valley Veterinary - Dr. Don Smith; Strong & Bradley; WesTrends - Larry & Terry Shore; All West Veterinary Hospital - Dr. Gary Cook; Bank of the Rockies, Clyde Park, Montana; Becky Melzer; Callan Driscoll; Elkhorn Veterinary Clinic - Dr. Erick Sorenson; J.R. Winter; Kristy Wheeler; Lanette Frye; Linda Hahn; Missouri Ridge Quarter Horses - Paulette & Rodney Westrum; Rachel Haberman; Rancho Picante Quarter Horses - Jonny Gans; Scott Schuster; Shields Valley Hardware - Jerry & Cindy Goode.
Pictured:
Green Reiner Champion Callie Roberts riding RX Freckles
NRHA Freestyle Champion Chandra Morris (L) riding Boggies Gun Phire and
Reserve Champion Jackie Sorenson (R) riding Roosters Toddy