McQuay Wins USEF Open Reining Qualifier in Gordyville

Tim McQuay and Dun Gotta Gun won the United States Equestrian Federation Open Reining Championship Qualifier at the Gordyville Breeders Cup, March 19. Todd Crawford finished second.

March 28, 2005 — Reining icon Tim McQuay of Tioga, Texas, won the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Open Reining Championship Qualifier at the Gordyville Breeders Cup in Gifford, Ill., March 19. Riding Dun Gotta Gun owned by Jerry Kimmel, McQuay made it look easy receiving the top score of 228.5 besting the field of 14 in the CRI-B FEI International Reining Competition.


“It is never easy to win one of these,” McQuay said. “I knew I had enough horse, I just needed to do everything right.”


McQuay did have an easier time competing this year as compared to last year’s qualifier. In 2004, McQuay became ill prior to the class and made a trip to the hospital, but he was able to return in time to ride. There were no problems this year.


“Everything was great this time around,” McQuay added. “I was much more relaxed. My horse was great, he was more than great. Now I just need to win the big one.”


The “big one” McQuay is referring to is the USEF Open Reining Championship. McQuay is the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) leading all-time money earning rider and has won almost every major reining event in the United States. One exception is the USEF Championship.


The USEF Gordyville qualifier read like a “who’s who” of reiners with two of the four gold medal winning riders of the U.S. Reining Team that competed at the World Equestrian Games in 2002 taking part along with many NRHA and AQHA Champion riders. The gold medal winner of the 2004 FEI World Reining Masters, Todd Crawford of Blanchard, Okla., came in second with a score of 225.5 on Cowboy Smarts, owned by Jim Babcock. Casey Hinton of Whitesboro, Texas, was third, riding Sunrise Enterprise, owned by Bob and Curtice McCloy.


The USEF qualifying season culminates with the National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC) in Katy, Texas, April 21-24. The USEF Open Reining Championship Final will take place in Lexington, Ky., August 23-28, as part of Fiesta in the Park, a new mega-show that will feature an entire slate of reining and hunter-jumper classes.


For more information on the USEF Open Reining Championship and qualifying classes, visit www.usef.org.


USEF Open Reining Qualifier Results, Gordyville Breeders Cup

Rider, Horse, Score

1. Tim McQuay, Dun Gotta Gun, 228.5

2. Todd Crawford, Cowboy Smarts, 225.5

3. Casey Hinton, Sunrise Enterprise, 224.5

4. Bryant Pace, He’s One Smart Chick, 219.5

5T. Bryant Pace, A Grand Prize, 218.5

5T. Craig Johnson, Special Kinda Jazz, 218.5

7. Scott McCutcheon, Mega Sailor, 217.5

8. Todd Crawford, Tinsel Nic, 216.5

9. Craig Johnson, Smart Anna Lena, 214.5

10. Bryant Pace, The Equalizer Bunny, 213

11. Tom McCutcheon, Sparkling Major, 212.5

12T. Dell Hendricks, Talk About This, 211.5

12T. Brian Bell, Whizinici, 211.5

14. Rosanne Sternberg (GBR), Setting Off Sparks, 204

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