Oklahoma City, OK – December 2, 2007 – The 2007 NRHA Open Futurity Champion wasn’t decided until the very last run of the night when NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida edged out the highest score of the evening. The three time NRHA Open Futurity Champion is always a crowd favorite, but when his score of 231.5 was announced on Saturday night you could hear the cheers, whistles and applause throughout the barns.
Flarida’s high score knocked Marcy Ver Meer, of Cave Creek, AZ, out of the top spot. Early in the evening’s competition draw number thirteen became Ver Meer’s lucky number as she came down the alley way to begin her run during the Open Futurity finals on Gunners Special Nite, owned by Bar Double C Ranch, also of Cave Creek, AZ.
Ver Meer said she could hear the thunderous applause in the arena before she entered. She knew once she got past her first slide, everything would be okay. And it was more than okay! The cheering, whistling and clapping never stopped during her run. “I did hear the crowd when I first came in because there were so many people yelling. I was worried that he wouldn’t be able to handle it, but when he stopped I said to myself, ‘Okay, we’re good.’”
Just when you thought it couldn’t have gotten any louder in the stands, when Ver Meer’s score of 230 was announced, the crowd went wild. Ver Meer said she was overwhelmed, “I was so tickled he did so good.” She continued, “I hugged him a bunch of times.”
Ver Meer said she bought Gunners Special Nite from NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider Tim McQuay in March. She said he was easy and cooperative during his training. Ver Meer added “I’ve never showed him as hard as I did here and I didn’t warm him up like I was going to show him that hard. He just did it.”
As well as winning the Open Futurity Reserve Championship, Ver Meer became the 2007 NRHA Intermediate Open Champion. Her winnings total just over $118,000. She was thrilled with her win. “I’m so excited. I live in a trailer, now I can buy a house!”
Flarida was also thrilled with his Open Futurity Championship but said there was a lot of pressure being the final draw because the high scores at that point were really high.
The NRHA Professional said when he first started training Wimpys Little Chic, owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, of Weatherford, TX, he knew the mare had a lot of talent. Flarida smiled, “This is the very first horse I’ve ever given four weeks off in the middle of the summer. My help thought I might be losing it!” Flarida continued, “My assistant trainer, Robin, asked me a couple of times, ‘Are you gonna ride her this week?’”
Wimpys Little Chic is a beautiful Palomino mare and the daughter of 2002 Open Futurity Champion Wimpys Little Step, owned by Mark Schols, of College Grove, TN. Flarida, who also won the 2002 Open Futurity Championship on Wimpys Little Step, said Wimpys Little Chic reminds him a lot of her father.
Flarida has known Wimpys Little Chic’s owner, Mr. Eleuterio Arcese, of Verona, Italy, for 20 years. Mr. Arcese is an NRHA Hall of Famer and the only European to be receive that honor. Flarida said Mr. Acese is wonderful. Arcese responded through a translator, “I want to thank Shawn and his family. I think of him not as a trainer, but a friend.” Flarida and his wife, Michele, smiled and said, “It’s mutual.”
Flarida’s NRHA Open Futurity Championship win added $125,000 to his lifetime earnings. He was also awarded a whole host of other prizes from many NRHA Corporate Partners and other generous award sponsors.
For all the results from the 2007 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show, go to www.nrha.com.
