YRHA Holds Its First Show of the Season - Yellowstone Slide 1
Author: Wendy Deans
Date published: Jun 10 2010
The great Flood and Mud Slide (aka Yellowstone Slide 1) was held May 27-29 with this show receiving recognition as the first YRHA show in the history of the club to be flooded out. But honestly, no one uttered a peep of complaint as it was warm and very comfortable in the indoor arena. The west end of the arena was sectioned off for a warm up area and all was well.
Not only were all the die hard reiners in attendance, but the amount of new faces that showed up to brave the weather was amazing. It appeared that nobody chose to stay in the house with their spouse this weekend, Sharon Gelhaus observed.
‘New' was the word to watch out for at this show. New faces, new mothers, newlywed, new horses, they won a great majority of the classes. I think overall the new mothers were the biggest competition to watch out for. They aren't about to slow down their showing schedule! Salena Dunbar was the newest mother. She won the Two Handed Rookie riding Whiz Banged with young mother, Lanette Frye right behind her in a tie for second place aboard Leo's Sailin Rocket. Lanette took second place in the NRHA Rookie level 1 also. Young mother, Stephanie Anderson, took charge of the NRHA Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro class placing first on her new mare, RR Tiz Star Time. Another young mother, Jess Woodring, won the NRHA Rookie level 2 class on her mother's new horse, The Dirt Devil.
Newlywed, Jackie Poole, formerly Jackie Bockman, won the NRHA Novice Horse Non Pro level 1 and level 2 class aboard her mare, A Lota Moonshine. A new face in the winners circle, but not new to the
sport of reining was Priss Leslie who rode Red Pine Dun It to win the
NRHA Rookie level 1 class. After I photographed her win picture, she
sighed and said "Well, that sure was a long time coming!" It's just the
first of many, Priss.
New faces to YRHA shows and the winners circle were Erin Monnett who rode Remedy For Gold to win the Green Rookie class. And my goodness, she did it with a score of 71.5! Another new face to a YRHA show, Matthew McDowell of Oregon arrived with his beautiful palomino stallion, Smartest Shiner Yet, and won the $1000 added NRHA Open and $500 added NRHA Intermediate Open classes. Matthew's wife, Amber, placed third on Smartest Shiner Yet in the NRHA Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro classes. Another new face was Emily Hutton who rode Frisco Bill to win the combined Ladies/Gents class.
Annie Kent won the NRHA Prime Time Rookie on her new gelding, Heir To Shine. She also took second place on him in the NRHA Rookie level 2 class. 
Bill Campbell won the Green Horse class on Linda Hahn's new horse Jazzelan.
Anderson Training Stables' new assistant trainer, Jerad Amen, won the NRHA Rookie Professional class riding Lilo Bit O Hollywood owned by Lawrence Martin.
In addition to all these new faces, horses and moms winning classes were many of the hard working, hard riding reiners we frequently see at the top of their classes. Twelve year old Sam Hoffman rode his fathers gelding, SNW Boomer Heaven, to win the Two Handed Youth 13 and Under class and the NRHA Youth 13 and Under class. Kate Gunderson won both the Two Handed Youth 14-18 class and the NRHA Youth 14-18 class riding Blue Ribbon Body. The high score of the show was a 73 1/2 in the NRHA Limited Open class with Cody Halford riding Shiners Got Attitude owned by Vicky King. Congratulations Cody! Jarvis Anderson won the Mares class and the NRHA Novice Horse Open level 2 riding The Whizards Magic owned by Elise Donohue. Jarvis dominated the Three Year Old class tying himself for first place with a 72 on both Wimpys Elegant Lady owned by Vicky King and Nic Dun It owned by Robin Aaker. He tied for third place riding Accustomed To Shine owned by his wife, Stephanie Anderson. Also tying for third place was Kelli Campbell riding her own horse, Dallas. JR Winter won the Novice Horse Open level 1 class riding MJ Dunit owned by Harvey Lewis. Lori Waters started out the show winning the Geldings class on, This Whiz It. Then she won the NRHA Prime Time Non Pro on Saturday. She also placed second in the NRHA Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro. Sonja Myrstol won the Three Year Old Non Pro class riding Whiz Right On By. Cody Halford took first and second place in the NRHA Limited Open class. He place first riding Shiners Got Attitude owned by Vicky King and placed second riding Kall Me Tejon owned by Melanie Burns. Doug Robinson riding Pesos Little Spark and Jean Keffeler riding Rooster Jac tied for first place in the Sixty Years and Over class.
Unfortunately, with all this good news about the show, we must share some bad news and give our condolences to Pat and Dan Gervais who lost their gelding, Mighty Mega Jac, or "Burd" as we knew him, to a simple yet freak accident. Burd was one of those very special horses that gave his all and we are so sorry for Pat and Dan's loss.
YRHA is holding two fundraising raffles this summer. One is for a 50 X Rocky Mountain Hat Company hat, the other is for your choice of a basic pair of custom made chaps, chinks or $450 worth of any products from K Bar J Leather of Newall, SD. Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. Get your tickets from Wendy Deans or YRHA board members. The hat will be drawn at the Yellowstone Slide ll, the chaps at Yellowstone Slide lll. Please remember, your support makes it possible to put on the YRHA shows. Buy a ticket and you could be sporting a new hat or chaps!
Speaking of support, there are so many hard working people that work throughout the year and all during the shows that make it possible for us to come show our horses. Any time you get a chance, take a moment to say thanks for their hard work. They'll probably volunteer for five more years if you do!
We would like to thank the generous YRHA sponsors who help to fund the three shows. Without them we would be afoot so to speak. Thanks to the YRHA show committee, Mike Carlson, Jan Anderson, Chandra Morris and Wendy Deans. They work twelve months of the year to put on the shows. Thanks to our judge Randy Fowler, who was almost hypothermic on Friday, yet still had a big smile on his face, Mike Carlson, our show manager and drag master, Jay Dee and Jan Anderson for the use of their wonderful facility and all their hard work before, during and after the show, Jan Anderson our NRHA show representative, Strong and Bradley for the use of one big, beautiful John Deere tractor, Crazy Mountain Catering for keeping our bellies full of fantastic food, our announcer Missy Cashman, the many gate people and scribes, our show secretary Betty Mayer, and all the brave contestants who paid little or no attention to the weather to come show their amazing horses.
See you at the Yellowstone Slide ll July 7-9 in Wilsall!
Photos by Wendy Deans. Pictured (top): Dominic Kassity playing in one of the newly formed lakes at the Yellowstone Slide l. Bottom photo: Sam Hoffman winner of the NRHA Youth 13 and Under class and the Two Handed Youth 13 and Under class riding SMW Boomer Heaven owned by Mike Hoffman.
More photos in the 2010 Yellowstone Slide I album on the Photo Album page.