Photo: Mike Major and Smart Whiskey Doc earn their first Stock Horse World Championship. The event featured competition in stock horse pleasure, trail, reining and cow horse and crowned world champions in six different divisions. Photo courtesy of WillieGomezPhotos.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELASE

November 5, 2015

Media Contact:

Jill Dunkel, Dunkel Designs

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SHOT Contact:

Kim Lindsey, Executive Director

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Six World Champions crowned at Stock Horse World Show

More than 150 horses and riders gathered in Abilene, Texas, for the Western Horseman Stock Horse World Championship. Six world titles were awarded as well as more than $70,000 in cash and prizes. Contestants tested their abilities in four Stock Horse of Texas (SHOT) classes – stock horse pleasure, trail, reining and cow horse – in several different divisions.

Despite a scary fall in the cow horse, Mike Major and Smart Whiskey Doc prevailed in the Open division, winning the duo’s first SHOT world championship. Mike and “Whiskey” have won several titles together, including an AQHA Select Working Cow Horse world championship as well as AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse world championships in 2009 and 2010. Mike brought Whiskey out of retirement to come to the SHOT world show. He was reserve world champion on Cowpony Express, owned by Diamond JK Ranches and R. Snider. Mike’s daughter, Shanae Major and Chica Shine also earned a buckle as Youth Reserve World Champion.

The Non Pro and Youth titles went to a father and son duo, William and Christopher Lewis. William piloted Shiney Vintage Chic to win the all around on both days of competition. William has worked his way through SHOT’s divisions, starting as a Novice a few years ago and is now a Non Pro rider. The world show win also secured William as the Non Pro Year End SHOT champion. Sidney Dunkel and Bobbie Can Do finished the weekend as Reserve Non Pro World Champions.

William’s son, 12-year-old Christopher earned the Youth world championship on Colonels Colonel. The youth title was a very tight race and came down to the last class before a winner was determined. Christopher’s horse, Colonels Colonel is a SHOT Merit Hall of Fame inductee. The gelding has been shown by three different SHOT members during his career.

Jenifer Ingram and Rey Jay Boonsmal repeated as Limited Non Pro World Champions, with Nonie Casselman-Reed and Zeena Lena finishing reserve. Ingram, who had never ridden a reining or cow horse before purchasing Rey Jay Boonsmal, has become a steady SHOT competitor. Rey Jay Boonsmal won the AQHA Senior Ranch Pleasure World Championship in 2014 with Mozaun McKibben.

Two members of the Texas Tech Ranch Horse Team finished as world champion and reserve world champion in the Novice division. Kameron Buchanan and Heza Hickory Colonel won the title by one point over Courtney Reynolds and Cows Playboy. Their consistency also helped propel the Texas Tech Ranch Horse Team to the top of the collegiate standings for the team world championship. The Texas A&M Stock Horse Team earned reserve in the collegiate division.

Another tight race was in the Junior Horse division, with Stacey McAlexander taking the world title on Who Whiz Hank. Stacey won the all around on the first day of competition, but was edged by Brianna Parnell and Surely Dolled Up for the all around on day two. When the two shows were combined, Stacey earned the championship by a narrow two-point margin. Brianna was reserve world champion.

The last day of the show featured the SHOT Futurity and Derby, where aged event horses showed in stock horse pleasure, trail, reining and cow horse. Bozo Rogers and his three-year-old Kuki Sioux took top honors in the Futurity winning $2,800. Kuki Sioux is owned by Wes and Sarah Williams. Reserve went to Clay Hight and Eureka Wild Card owned by Alex Bryant, earning $2,100. Non Pro honors went to Morgan Holmes on The Smart Dun. Morgan receives $1,000 in non-pro incentive money and was named the collegiate champion, receiving the Nathan Belcher Memorial Scholarship of $1,500 that goes to the highest placing college student.

The Derby championship went to Reata B Rejoicing, a 2011 mare owned by Jody Brooks and ridden by Mike Major. It paid $3,088 for the win. The reserve title was earned by Satin Lil Cat and came with a $2,098 check. The four-year-old stallion was piloted by Jake Lemons and is owned by Damian Rivera Cordero. The top Non Pro rider who received $1,000 in Non Pro incentive money was Sidney Dunkel on Boots Be Tuff. She also earned $1,786 for a third place finish in the open. The collegiate champion was Lanham Brown on R A B He Dunit. Lanham received the Zinn Lindsey Memorial Scholarship as the highest placing collegiate rider.

The SHOT Limited Futurity winner was Danae Parman and HR Mowawk Pepto, earning $1,200. Reserve limited champion was Jeff Conner on Cowboy Trasholena and a check for $200. Ashley Adams and TTU Guns N Bunnies won the $500 collegiate scholarship. The Limited Derby champion was Kerry Wink on Zack Wood Too, earning $1,225, with Dejonna Haneline taking reserve on Royal Rosie Lena for $797. Dejonna also won the $500 collegiate scholarship as the highest placing college student.

Complete results are available at stockhorsetexas.org/results. Stock Horse of Texas (SHOT) is a family friendly horse show association that has been “helping people ride a better horse” since 1996. They host clinics and shows around the state. For more information and dates of upcoming events, visit stockhorsetexas.org.

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