Oklahoma City, OK – October 4, 2007 – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named two riders to represent the United States at the 2007 FEI World Reining Masters competition set for November 29. The FEI World Reining Masters will be held during the 2007 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, OK.
The USEF announced today that Casey Hinton and Gabe Hutchins will ride for the U.S. This is the first time for both riders to compete in the World Reining Masters.
Hinton, 47, of Whitesboro, TX has been named with both Mr Boomerjac and Bueno Starlight. Mr Boomerjac, a 13-year-old palomino Quarter Horse stallion owned by Robert LaPorta and George Easterday, has lifetime earnings of just under $125,000. He earned third place in the 1998 NRHA Open Derby, under Dell Hendricks. Mr Boomerjac is also a successful sire of reining horses, his offspring have scored multiple NRHA championships.
The other half of Hinton’s pair is Bueno Starlight, an 11-year-old palomino Quarter Horse stallion. Bueno Starlight, owned by Bob & Curtice Mc Cloy, had a banner year in 2002. Demonstrating his versatility he was both the Palomino Horse Breeders of America World Champion in Calf Roping and Heeling and the Reserve World Champion in Reining.
In his first team appearance and only the fourth year for the FEI Reining Masters, Hinton looks forward to the preparation and the international competition. “The Masters, where you get to represent the country, is still pretty new to us,” said Hinton. “It will sink in more when we get closer to the competition and we see other riders and horses from other countries. This is a new reality for us.”
Gabe Hutchins from Angola, IN, burst onto the high performance reining scene while beating a seasoned field of veterans at the 2007 Adequan®/USEF Open Reining National Championship with Juiced Up Doc. It was a result of this competition that 27-year-old Hutchins earned a spot at the Masters.
Juiced Up Doc is now owned by Smart Like Juice, Inc. and is only seven years old, but the young combination put on a stellar performance to win the National Open Reining Championships on their way to pushing Juiced Up Doc’s lifetime earnings to over $100,000.
“For me it is very exciting and little overwhelming,” said Hutchins about his first team opportunity. “It is really exciting to be in that position, one of two people to represent the U.S. To me there is no better feeling in the world, it is quite an honor.”
The alternate rider will be Tim McQuay. He has been named to that position with two horses: Mister Nicadual and Dun Gotta Gun.
