YRHA 2009 Sponsor Appreciation Day
Author: Wendy Deans
Date published: Nov 10 2009
Sponsors of the Yellowstone Reining Horse Association are a BIG deal to us. They make it possible for the YRHA to put on our shows in the summer. Without their generosity we couldn’t put on the shows. No shows, no reining, no fun! Hard to imagine. So we hold a special day to say thanks to sponsors and we mix in the affiliate awards presentation so they can see some of the accomplishments YRHA riders have achieved. Add in a reining demonstration, a few freestyles, dog races and a best dog trick contest and you’ve got a really fun afternoon. We topped it off with a delicious potluck dinner and lots of visiting.
Fundraising chairman, Wendy Deans, started the afternoon by thanking the YRHA sponsors. She went through the names of members and businesses mentioning who they are, where they are from, what their business is and how they contribute so folks get a better idea of what they have done for the club.
There are some sponsors that don’t get a chance to come to all the shows to watch reining. So non pro YRHA member Lori Waters basically demonstrated a schooling run where her gelding, This Whiz It - aka Widget - would think he was at a show, but Lori could correct him if it the maneuver wasn’t quite how she liked it. Jay Dee Anderson coached her through it explaining what she was doing and why.
Then Lorra Mitzkus did a freestyle riding her roan mare, All Reddy Ribbon, aka “Paige,” followed by Chandra Morris also doing a freestyle on Boggies Gun Phire, aka “Gunny.” They thoroughly entertained the audience with their funny outfits, music and choreography. Thanks Lori, Lorra and Chandra!
Jan Anderson talked about the Mountain States Affiliate Championships held in South Jordan, Utah, in September. YRHA had 25 riders qualify to attend and each qualifier was given a shelled lightweight jacket with the YRHA logo on it.
Affiliate Champion Awards
YRHA awarded NRHA pewter trophies and NRHA plaques to all of our affiliate circuit champions and reserve champions.
Tying for Open champion was Ryan Anderson riding Top Whiz Bang owned by Jay Dee & Janis Anderson and Jarvis Anderson riding Dun Its Legacy owned by Katherine Baker. Intermediate Open champion was Ryan Anderson riding Top Whiz Bang owned by Jay Dee & Janis Anderson. Reserve champion was Ryan Anderson riding Ju Ju Dot Chex owned by Pete Muri & Tom Mostoller. Tied for the Limited Open champion was Nicole Mather riding Jameens Sailor owned by Drew Hutchinson and Cody Halford riding Little Chex 499 owned by Rodney & Paulette Westrum. The Rookie Professional champion was Valerie Siegel riding Taris Whiz Key owned by Brackett Creek Quarter Horses. Reserve champion was Valerie Siegel riding Hollywood N Chex owned by Sharon Gelhaus.
Novice Horse Open 1 and Novice Horse Open 2 champion was Ryan Anderson riding Top Whiz Bang owned by Jay Dee & Janis Anderson. Reserve champion (also in both classes) was Ryan Anderson riding Ju Ju Dot Chex owned by Pete Muri & Tom Mostoller.
Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro champion was Sharon Gelhaus riding Hercs Midnite Roost owned by Jim & Sharon Gelhaus of Brackett Creek Quarter Horses. Reserve Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro champion was Janis Anderson riding Ziggy Zee Chex owned by Jay Dee & Janis Anderson. 
Tied with Janis for the Intermediate Non Pro reserve champion was Becky Melzer owner/rider of Pleasorima. Limited Non Pro champion was Lorra Mitzkus owner/rider of All Reddy Ribbon. Reserve champion was Becky Melzer owner/rider of Pleasorima. Novice Horse Non Pro 1 and 2 champion was Janis Anderson riding Ziggy Zee Chex owned by Jay Dee & Janis Anderson. Reserve champion in both classes was Becky Melzer owner/rider of Pleasorima.
Prime Time Non Pro champion was Sharon Gelhaus riding Hercs Midnite Roost owned by Jim & Sharon Gelhaus of Brackett Creek Quarter Horses. Reserve champion was Becky Melzer owner/rider of Pleasorima. Youth 14 - 18 champion was Meghan Stewart owner/rider of CJ Tanner. Rookie Level 2 champion was Lorra Mitzkus owner/rider of All Reddy Ribbon. Reserve champion was Chandra Morris riding Boggies Gun Phire owned by John Morris. Congratulations to all of you!
Off to the Races!!!!
This is where the fun began. The Dog Races! We split the dogs up into three groups, small, medium and large. Ryan and Kreistal Anderson’s boston terrier, Ollie, roared past all the little guys to win the small dog class. Wendy Deans’ australian shepherd, Augie, flew past his competition to win the medium size dog class. There wasn’t a chance in heck that any of the large dogs were going to beat Piper, the golden retriever owned by Val Siegel and Kurt Burns. They’ve been practicing since last year when they took second place in the races. There was no way that was happening again! Each of the three winners got a biscuit and some rawhide chews before lining up for the final race against each other. It was close but no cigar for Augie and Ollie. Piper won the race and made her owners breathe a sigh of relief. Piper was awarded a box of biscuits, some jerky chews and a rawhide bone. All were happy!
The best part about the dog trick contest is watching the owners coerce their dogs into doing the tricks. Too funny! Billi Heigh and her ever-faithful sidekick, Katie, wooed the judges with “shot the dog,” “the shot dog crawl,” “the fishy” and “the hula.” I will never forget watching the two of them do the “hula.” Katie also took home jerky chews and assorted treats.
YRHA offered a little extra treat to the sponsors for joining them at this gathering. YRHA gave away a “Winter Weekend Getaway” package to Chico Hot Springs. It included dinner for two, one night's accommodations and breakfast. Our lucky winning sponsor was Dick Perry of Dick Perry Horse Shoeing. Dick and his wife, Lynn, will be sliding on out to Chico on us. And thanks to Dick for his years of support.
After all the festivities it was time to share a meal, relax and visit.
Again, thanks to all the YRHA sponsors that make it possible for us to have great horse shows! We couldn’t do it without you! Thanks to: Elise Donohue - Double D Ranch, Jay Dee & Jan Anderson - Anderson Training Stables, Jarvis Anderson Performance Horses, Meredith Brokaw, CSR Equine, Shawn Flarida, Connie LeHockey, Nan Newton, John Morris Jr. & Sr. of Rocky Mountain Hat Co., Montana Reining Horse Association, Best Western Yellowstone Inn-Livingston, Billman Creek Ranch - Mike Carlson & Lori Waters, Brackett Creek Quarter Horses - Jim & Sharon Gelhaus, Bruzzy & Polly Cooke, First Interstate Bank-Livingston, Four Corners Saddlery, Dr. Tom & Anne Kent, Little Mission Creek Ranch - Jean Keffeler & David Stanley, Dick Perry Horse shoeing, Rafter D Training - Gill & Wendy Deans, Doug Robinson, Shields Valley Veterinary - Dr. Don Smith, Strong and Bradley, Dave Viers & Associates, Westrends - Larry & Terry Shore, All West Veterinary Hospital - Dr. Gary Cook, Bank of the Rockies - Clyde Park, Callan Driscoll, Elkhorn Veterinary Services - Dr. Erick & Jackie Sorenson, Jonny Gans - Rancho Picante Quarter Horses, Lanette Frye, Rachel Haberman, Linda Hahn, Becky Melzer, Scott Schuster, Shields Valley Hardware - Jerry & Cindy Good, Rodney & Paulette Westrum - Missouri Ridge Quarter Horses, Kristy Wheeler, and JR Winter.
Thanks and we’ll see you at the 25th YRHA anniversary celebration and awards banquet January 16th at the GranTree Inn in Bozeman.
Photo captions:
Top photo - NRHA Non Pro, Intermediate Non Pro and Prime Time Non Pro Affiliate Circuit Champion Sharon Gelhaus riding Hercs Midnite Roost owned by Jim & Sharon Gelhaus of Brackett Creek Quarter Horses.
Bottom photo - NRHA Rookie Professional Affiliate Circuit Champion Val Siegel riding Taris Whiz Key owned by Jim & Sharon Gelhaus of Brackett Creek Quarter Horses; Reserve Champion Val Siegel riding Hollywood N Chex owned by Sharon Gelhaus.
Photos by Wendy Deans