June 17, 2020 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Horse show competition at the National Reining Horse Association Derby presented by Markel continued Wednesday, June 17. The Non Pros reigned supreme in the Adequan® Arena, competing in the normal ancillary classes as well as the 8 & Up Derby.
8 & Up Level 4 Non Pro Derby and Non Pro [2] Champion – Lane Colston and Chics Nite
Lane Colston started out his week at the NRHA Derby presented by Markel with a win on Chics Nite. He and the standout mare returned to the Adequan® Arena on Wednesday for another win, this time claiming the Level 4 Non Pro 8 & Up Derby Championship. He also won the concurrently-run Non Pro [2] class, clinching the Non Pro high-point buckle. All totaled, Colston and Chics Nite won $5,227.
“She was really good,” Colston said of Chics Nite, an 8-year-old mare by NRHA Three Million Dollar Sire Gunners Special Nite out of Wind Her Up Chic. The pair marked a 145. “I pushed her a little harder than I did the other day, and she was really good for me. She did everything I asked to the best of her ability. On the last stop she kind of picked her foot up, but it was because she jerked her front shoe off. She tried her hardest and I couldn’t have asked for a better ride.”
Colston, of Kentucky, is already looking to the next event. “I might show her at one of our shows in Kentucky, and then probably not anymore until the NRBC. She’s pregnant and will have a Magnum With A Dream baby next year,” he said. “I thank my parents Kevin and Amy Colston. I thank Tom, Mandy, and Cade McCutcheon for their support, and also Brandon Brant who helped me with this mare a few weeks ago. They are all always there for me.”
8 & Up Level 3 Non Pro Derby Co-Champion – Bailey Kolsun and Diamond Studded Guns
Bailey Kolsun and Diamond Studded Guns marked a 144.5 in the Adequan® Arena to tie for the win of the 8 & Up Level 3 Non Pro Derby. Having also entered in the Level 4, as well as the horse show Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro, the Texan pocketed $3,031.
“He was awesome for me today. He stopped huge and circled big, so I was really happy with him,” Kolsun shared.
It was only the third show back after quarantine for Kolsun, of Pilot Point, Texas. “We schooled at Hamilton, and then were here for the Red Bud. I missed showing so much,” she said.
Kolsun has owned 8-year-old Diamond Studded Guns, by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Gunnatrashya and out of Like To Flo, since his 3-year-old year. “He was too green as a 3-year-old to be shown, but I’ve shown him pretty much every time he’s been in the pen, except for a few times when my trainer Ruben Vandorp showed him,” she said. “I thank Ruben, the assistants, and all my good friends at the barn. I also thank my parents back home who are stuck across the border in Canada.”
8 & Up Level 3 Non Pro Derby Co-Champion – Madison Rafacz and Whizenboonsmal
Madison Rafacz and Whizenboonsmal are always a team to watch, and a few months of quarantine didn’t change that. With a score of 144.5, Rafacz and Whizenboonsmal took the 8 & Up Level 3 Non Pro Derby Co-Championship and also finished high in the Level 4 Derby and Non Pro [2], worth a cool $4,131.
“I didn’t really know I was going to show here, and he’s pretty much just been a fat pony at home,” Rafacz said of Whizenboonsmal, an 8-year-old gelding by Peptoleap out of She Whiz A Star. “When we came here I figured we would just do what we always do. I just went in and showed the horse I had, and it went well.”
Rafacz has been busy the past couple weeks, and will stay that way through the end of the Derby. “We were home for three days from a show in South Carolina, and then we came here. I’ll show again in the novice tomorrow, and then I have this horse and another one in the youth later this week,” she said.
Rafacz added, “I thank my parents especially, and the entire MR team. They’re just my best friends and I appreciate them a lot.”
8 & Up Level 2 Non Pro Derby Champion and Int. Non Pro [2] Co-Champion – Bundy Lane and Gunner Gump
Winning the Level 2 of the 8 & Up Non Pro Derby was Bundy Lane and Gunner Gump with a 143.5. Lane also placed in the Level 3, Level 4, the Non Pro [2], Intermediate Non Pro [2], and the Prime Time Non Pro [2]. Not only did Lane rake in $5,146, he won the high-point buckle for the Intermediate Non Pro and the Prime Time Non Pro.
Gunner Gump is by NRHA 11 Million Dollar Sire Gunner and out of Little Patrasha Gump.
8 & Up Level 1 Non Pro Derby Champion – Anna Clausen and Smart Tinseltown
Anna Clausen and Smart Tinseltown were looking for redemption when they walked into the Adequan® Arena to compete in the 8 & Up Non Pro Derby. “It didn’t go too well in the first slate of non pro classes. I made sure to get the pattern correct in my head today before I showed, and it helped,” the 16-year-old shared.
With a 143, Clausen took sole possession of the Level 1, and also placed in the top five of Levels 2 through 4. Cross entered into the Non Pro [2] and the Intermediate Non Pro [2], Clausen won $3,813. “Today he was great. He is always good, it’s just a matter of getting me right, and it happened today. He’s always there for me when we’re going to show. I love him,” Clausen said of Smart Tinseltown, who’s by NRHA Six Million Dollar Sire Smart Spook out of Tinseltown Lil Step.
Since the quarantine, Clausen was only able to compete one time prior to the Derby. “I showed at the Mother’s Day Slide, but before that we’ve just been home riding almost every day. It’s just not the same as a horse show, so we’re glad to be here,” she said. “I thank my parents Andrea and Clay Clausen, and Patrick Flaherty.”
Int. Non Pro [2] Co-Champion – Kimberly Horner and Lil Red Dreamer
When her run in the Non Pro Derby didn’t go as planned, Kimberly Horner decided to enter Lil Red Dreamer in the Intermediate Non Pro [2]. “We made a few mistakes in the Derby and couldn’t stay out of the penalty box, so I came back and showed him today,” she explained. The pair tied for the win of the class, worth $1,059. “It was mainly to work on me and boost my confidence before we head to the NRBC later this year. This helped quite a bit with that.”
Horner has owned Lil Red Dreamer, by NRHA Six Million Dollar Sire Magnum Chic Dream out of Skeets Red Dunit, a little over a year. “He’s super easy. Today we just made an easy, relaxed ride, and it worked well. Now he’s going to head home for some rest, but I’ll stay, and my daughter Faith will show in the youth classes,” Horner said.
It was the first event back for Horner, who quarantined with her family in Florida. “We were there for three months and didn’t even ride. I needed a reason to come back, and once I saw the Derby was on, we loaded up the car and came back to Texas. It feels wonderful to be back at a horse show,” she said. “I thank my trainer Casey Hinton and his team. I also thank my family. My husband and kids are all supportive. I also thank my mom who wasn’t able to come but is one of my biggest fans.”
