May 18, 2006 — Smokey Pritchett, from Red Bluff, Calif., and Jo Anne Carollo, of Atascadero, Calif., set the winning pace at the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Hackamore Classic during the April 28 herd work. That early lead foreshadowed things to come as Pritchett earned both the Open and Intermediate Open Championships while Carollo topped the Non Pro. The event ran from April 28-30 at the Mid State Fairgrounds in Paso Robles, Calif.
Riding Jasons Peptolena, a stallion by Peptoboonsmal and out of Amys Little Date, NRCHA Hall of Famer Pritchett marked a 150 out of the herd for his early lead. The pair earned a 142 in the rein work and capped off their Hackamore Classic run with a 140 in the cow work for a 440 composite. Pritchett, and Jasons Peptolena, owned by Terry Ratto of Los Altos, Calif., earned $14,674 for the Open win, along with an additional $3,120 for winning the Intermediate Open.
Terry Ratto bought Jasons Peptolena as a 2-year-old in Fort Worth, Texas. Pritchett showed him as a cutter his 3- and 4-year-old years and the pair made the finals at several aged events. Late last winter, Ratto and Pritchett decided the stallion should try cow horse, and Pritchett showed him at the NRCHA Stakes in March. There, the pair earned the Intermediate Open Stakes Championship and a check for $5,000. At only two shows, Jasons Peptolena has earned more than $30,000 in his first year of cow horse competition.
Mark Matson, from Temecula, Calif., earned both the Championship and Reserve in the Limited Open division riding two horses owned by Loren and Debi East of Bountiful, Utah. Win Like Mister, by Mister Dual Pep and out of Plain Win, scored a 138 in the herd, a 141 in the rein work and a 145.5 down the fence for a 424.5 composite to win the Limited Open and place second in the Intermediate Open.
Matson’s second horse, 2005 NRCHA Open Hackamore World Champion Smart Little Whizard, by Whizard Jac and out of Smart Blonde Chic, earned a 143 in the herd work, a 144.5 in the rein work and a 136 down the fence to finish one point behind Win Like Mister for the Limited Open Reserve and third place in the Intermediate Open. Win Like Mister and Smart Little Whizard earned a combined total of $8,730 for placings in both divisions.
Carollo and ARC Hollys Chicadee earned their second 2006 major NRCHA Championship with the Non Pro Hackamore Classic title. Carollo and her mare earned the title in Paso Robles after winning the NRCHA Non Pro Stakes in Nampa, Idaho, in March.
ARC Hollys Chicadee, by Chic Please and out of Hickorys Holly Cee, marked a 148 in the herd, a 145.5 in the rein work and a 138 down the fence for a 431.5 composite. Carollo and ARC Hollys Chicadee picked up $6,690 for the win.
Laurel Morais, of Pleasanton, Calif., had a huge showing at the Hackamore Classic. Riding Brooksinics Sis, by Brooksinics Badger and out of Chantillys Sis, Morais placed second in the Non Pro and won both the Intermediate Non Pro and Amateur Championships for total earnings of $9,695. Morais and her horse earned a 142.5 in the herd work, a 146 in the rein work and a 138 on the cow for a 426.5 composite.
Coming into the Hackamore Classic, Brooksinics Sis already had a successful year in the works. The mare carried Morais to the Amateur Reserve Championship at the NRCHA Stakes in March, where Morais’ husband, Danny, won the Limited Open Championship with Brooksinics Sis.
