Game Changer -- Firewatermakemehappy & Kassie
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MARCH 28, 2017 Volume 11: Issue 13 In this issue... • RodeoHouston SuperShootout, pg 10 • RodeoAustin, pg 11 • Barrel Bash, Pawhuska, OK, pg 24 • Senior World Championships, pg 27 • SWWA Futurity, Derby & Open, pg 36 fast horses, fast news • Riley Key Memorial, pg 38 Published Weekly Online at www.BarrelRacingReport.com - Since 2007 Game Changer -- Firewatermakemehappy & Kassie Mowry Win Rodeo Houston By Tanya Randall Houston, Kassie Mowry has a problem. FLIT BAR The veteran futurity trainer from Dublin, Texas, has already won FIRE WATER FLIT more than $150,000 in the futurity arena in just four months, but SI 86 now she’s on the cusp of her second National Finals Rodeo qualifi- SLASH J HARLETTA cation, thanks to a $60,000 Rodeo Houston Championship aboard FIREWATERO N THEROCKS Firewatermakemehappy (“Junior”), owned by Jeff and Martha RO N AS RYO N Smith of Lipan, Texas. ROCK N ROLL RO N A SI 105 Unfortunately, the BFA World Championship Futurity and NFR SI 86 are held at the same time, making competing at both impossible. NAVAS BOL D ER GIRL “It was so unexpected,” said Mowry of her Houston champion- FIREWATERMAKEMEHAPPY SI 104 ship. “I went there with no expectations, really feeling out of my 2010 BUCKSKI N GEL D I ng element. It wasn’t that I didn’t have confidence in my horse; it was DEEP NOTE just that we’d never run in anything like that before and I didn’t TB know how he would DEEP NOTE JR. SI 90 handle it. Every run PLAY LEE SI 80 surprised me.” 2017 WORL D STA nd I ng S JU N IOR COU N TRY GIRL Smith, too, was As of March 26, 2017 - Courtesy of www.wpra.com BU G S A LIVE IN 75 shocked after watch- STANDINGS SUBJECT to CHANGE JESSICA GEE SI 94 ing a horse that she after WPRA AUDIT. purchased as a wean- BO nn IE GEE 1 Tiany Schuster $89,487 SI 83 ling after only seeing 2 Kathy Grimes $80,297 RI D ER : KASSIE MOWRY ; OW N ER : MARTHA SMITH ; BREE D ER : KARMA LO F TI N him in pictures win 3 Kassie Mowry $73,501 the lucrative winter 4 Amberleigh Moore $58,705 Athletes Finals in Dallas, Mowry never took her trainer’s hat off rodeo. 5 Stevi Hillman $40,135 when it came to the Houston set up, which she accurately described “I’m still in disbe- 6 Taylor Langdon $36,112 to Junior’s owner Martha Smith as a 14-second pattern at the very lief,” said the nurse 7 Nellie Miller $30,829 end of a football field. practitioner. “When 8 Tilar Murray $28,525 “They let us ride in there every morning and I took advantage I think of Houston, 9 Kellie Collier $26,439 of every single minute they let us in that arena. I basically had that I think of Nancy 10 Sammi Bessert $23,614 horse as prepared as you could ever have one. That went a long way Hunter winning it 11 Ari-Anna Flynn $23,177 for my confidence. I was able to let him get a feel of the ground and making it to the 12 Jordan Moore $22,843 and show him the barrels. I did a lot of slow work.” NFR. To me, it’s like 13 Ivy Conrado $22,660 Mowry was also able to make adjustments throughout the rodeo. the ultimate win in 14 Fallon Taylor $21,375 “He’s doesn’t just go in there and take you for a ride,” said rodeo. I’m still in 15 Cayla Small $21,252 Mowry. “He’s really good about letting you make adjustments to shock. It’s surreal.” 16 Brooke Rix $21,197 different setups. I use that to my advantage.” Even though 17 Carley Richardson $20,421 Junior has run in the same square-mouth cloverleaf snaffle Junior has rodeo 18 Carmel Wright $20,119 his entire career, but Mowry made bit changes during the rodeo. winning experience, 19 Jana Bean $20,052 Because the ground was hard and she was worrying about him having won San An- 20 Sabra O’Quinn $19,189 bouncing and she didn’t want him to stop pulling with his front gelo, which qualified www.BarrelRacingReport.com end, Mowry made her next run in a twisted-wire O-ring. After one Mowry to Houston, run with the O-ring, Mowry felt it was too much so she switched to and the Elite Rodeo RodeoHouston Continued on Page 5 IN THE NEWS .......IN THE NEWS......in the news......In the News......In the News..... Youth Fundraising Event at Cloverdale Rodeo the NFR during her career. “That is awesome and really great. We are really proud she will One of Surrey’s most dynamic charitable organizations, the be honored in this way,” said Shanna Bush, Wanda’s daughter, who Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair Youth Initiative Foundation qualified for the NFR in 1984. “She would be very honored and (CYIF) is planning a major fundraising event aimed at generating humbled. She would be very glad to be a part of the Cowboys As- funding for much needed youth initiatives in 2017. sociation (PRCA) because she always worked for that to be the case. The organization, founded in 2014 as the philanthropic arm She always wanted them to get along and to better themselves by of the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair organization supports being associated with each other. This is a very special honor.” youth in Surrey and the Lower Fraser Valley with financial aid and Bush will be inducted posthumously, having passed away Dec. 29, resources. 2015. The inaugural dinner and “Country Chic” event will take place Although she had to wait 22 years to join her legendary horse at the spectacular Krause Farms Estate Winery and Restaurant on Scamper in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, James is ecstatic to be a Saturday, April 29, and will feature a farm-to-table menu showcas- part of this historic class. ing some of BC’s finest ingredients and renowned Krause Farms “I am thrilled to be going in as part of the inaugural class and what pies for dessert. Entertainment will be provided by internationally this represents for all barrel racers,” said James, who now makes her acclaimed Rosemary Siemens & the Sweet Sound Revival. Net pro- home in Boerne, Texas. “To be going in with Wanda is very excit- ceeds from this special evening will be used for charitable initiatives ing. Wanda was such a pioneer for our sport. Throughout my entire and scholarships for Surrey youth. career her presence and forging through on issues with barrel racing This intimate evening has limited tickets available at a cost of was there and evident, and why we are where we are today. $100. Please contact the Cloverdale Rodeo office to order your “Scamper has just been waiting for me and I was fine with that as tickets: 604.576.9461 he really deserved the honor. This news made my entire day.” James, who grew up in Clayton, N.M., the home of the very first ProRodeo Hall of Fame announces 2017 class barrel racing National Finals Rodeo in 1959, won the first of 10 Randy Corley, an 11-time PRCA Announcer of the Year, joins five consecutive world titles at the youthful age of 14 in 1984. world champions to headline the 12-member 2017 induction class for James was the first WPRA member to wear the coveted No. 1 back the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, which was announced Tuesday. number in 1987, and became the first barrel racer to cross the $1 Corley, along with gold buckle winners including the late Buck million record in career earnings. In addition to the 10 consecutive Rutherford (all-around, 1954), Enoch Walker (saddle bronc riding, world titles (1984-1993), James and Scamper won the NFR average 1960), Tommy Puryear (steer wrestling, 1974), Mike Beers (team title six times (1984, 1986-87, 1989-90 and 1993). In 1996, Scamper roping, 1984) and Cody Custer (bull riding, 1992), will be enshrined became the first and only barrel horse (until 2017) to be inducted with rodeo notable Bob Ragsdale, a 22-time National Finals Rodeo into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. qualifier in three events. James would add a cherry on top of her illustrious career return- Also, voted in by the selection committee were four-time bare- ing to the top of the sport aboard Cruiser (Cruisin on Six) in 2002, back horse of the year, Christensen Bros.’ Smith & Velvet, and the winning her 11th world title and seventh NFR average title. committee for the Ogden (Utah) Pioneer Days. Bringing symbolism to this new chapter in the history of the PRCA For the first time in the history of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, and WPRA is best summed up with the induction the horse known barrel racers from the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association as Star Plaudit “Red.” (WPRA) will be amongst the class of inductees. Their inaugural Star Plaudit holds a very unique record in the world of profes- class will be Wanda Harper Bush, Charmayne James and a joint sional rodeo, one that is not likely to ever be duplicated. The bay PRCA/WPRA equine inductee - Star Plaudit “Red.” The class will gelding won two world championships in the sport in a single year be inducted Aug. 5 at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado and contributed to a third, at the age of 12. Springs, Colo. In 1962, Red, as he was affectionately known, carried his owner On the WPRA side, Bush was multi-talented, becoming the most Sherry (Combs) Johnson to the GRA world title in the barrel rac- decorated cowgirl in the history of the WPRA (formerly the Girls ing.