Twenty three of the greatest reining horses in the United States traveled to Lexington to compete for the $75,000-added Adequan®/United States Equestrian Federation Open Reining Championship. Craig Schmersal accompanied three of those horses and earned the 2005 USEF title with Tidal Wave Jack.
Craig, Menifee, California, and his 9-year-old power-house stallion entered the arena as the sixth draw. The pair made a picture-perfect run and earned the high score of 226 along with a championship check for $20,645.
“About halfway through my second set of circles when I slowed down I knew he was hooked,” Craig recalled of his run with Tidal Wave. “I got chills up my spine and held on to the rest of it. Once I got through my figure eight I knew if I could run and stop with no penalties that I’d be home free.”
Craig’s win in Lexington bumped him to the top of the qualifying standings for the FEI World Reining Masters and he’s ready to make the trip to Manerbio, Italy, this September.
“All the big names are here and everybody was trying for it,” Craig said of the prestigious Championship. “It’s a big honor for me to best the rest of these guys. For me that’s a major feat.”
Tidal Wave Jack, by Hollywood Macho Jac and out of Tidal Mist Cody, is an NRBC Open Reserve Champion and has lifetime earnings exceeding $100,000. Craig and the horse traveled to Jerez, Spain, in 2002 for a Team gold medal finish at the World Equestrian Games. The stallion spent the breeding season at Mike McEntire’s in North Carolina and Mike started showing him last spring. Craig saw how well he was doing and decided to bring him to Kentucky for the USEF.
“I didn’t ride him until Monday when I got here,” Craig noted. “My hat’s off to Mike; he did a great job preparing him.”
Craig also credited his wife, Ginger, along with Pierre-Luc Phaneuf and Liam MacNeill for helping him throughout the show with his three horses. Craig also showed his stallion Mister Montana Nic, by Reminic and out of Mollie Montana, and placed in the top 10 with Vintage Boom, by Mr Boomerjac and out of Taris Little Vintage, owned by Doug Porcello.
Todd Crawford flew in from the Southwest Reined Cow Horse Association Futurity in Waco, Texas, last night to compete in the USEF Championships. The versatile trainer from Blanchard, Oklahoma, earned the USEF Open Reserve Championship riding Commandalena, a 13-year-old stallion owned by Judy Clark of California. Commandalena, by Smart Chic Olena and out of Givenchy Command, marked a 225 as the third-to-last draw for the silver medal and a check for $14,864.
“I’ve shown this horse for quite awhile and I know him pretty well so I knew that I could trust him and just trotted him to warm him up,” Todd said of Commandalena. “Because of that I knew he would have the air to make it through the run.”
In 2003, Todd and Commandalena finished fourth at the USET Festival of Champions in Gladstone, New Jersey. The stallion is also an AQHA Amateur Reining Reserve World Champion and won the USEF Preliminary competition at the 2005 National Reining Breeders Classic.
The Clarks bought Commandalena just after the NRHA Derby in May and plan to show him in non pro competition. Because of Todd’s prior commitment to compete at the National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity, which takes place at the same time as the FEI World Reining Masters Finals, he will not be able to travel to Italy. Tim McQuay, who finished in third place in the standings, is planning to take his place.
The Fiesta began on Saturday with the Rookie class where Gary Hostetler, Inglefield, Indiana, rode Imperials Renee Star to the championship. Imperials Renee Star, by Mr Imperial Doc and out of Bossette, marked a 203.5 for the win.
In the Intermediate Open class, Khi Bergmann and CS Curty San Badger, by Docs Royal Lancer and out of Lemon Light, marked a 217 for the title. CS Curty San Badger, owned by the Classic S Ranch, earned a check for $524 for the win.
The inaugural Fiesta in the Park concludes on Sunday at the historic Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The USEF Youth Championships, sponsored by Markel Insurance and Hagyard, Davidson and McGee, begin at 8 am, followed by the Open and Non Pro Freestyle Reining. The event will close with the $10,000-added Fiesta Non Pro Classic. For complete results and highlights from the show, or for more information on the Fiesta in the Park, visit www.fiestainthepark.com or contact Pro Management at 580-759-2572.
