Articles: Horse News
Showdown in Tulsa: Schmersal Takes Home 2011 Adequan/USEF National Open
Reining Championship Title
with Miss Lil Addy Tude
Contact:
United States Equestrian Federation, Inc.
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Web site: www.usef.org
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2011
By Joanie Morris
Tulsa, OK - A boutique group of fabulous American reining horses went
head-to-head on Friday night, in Tulsa, OK, at the 2011 Adequan/USEF
National Open Reining Championship, the featured evening event at the Ariat
Tulsa Reining Classic.
The National Championship title and top honors in the concurrent CRI3* ended
up as a showdown between two teammates from the Gold medal-winning team at
the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. These two superstar reining
riders were also the WEG Individual Gold and Silver medalists.
Friday night in Tulsa they brought two chestnut mares to the occasion and
Craig Schmersal turned the tables on his teammate, Tom McCutcheon, and
cruised to the win on Miss Lil Addy Tude. Schmersal scored his second USEF
National Open Reining Title with a score of 224.5.
The elegant 9-year-old Quarter Horse mare put in an easy and smooth effort,
and her confidence in herself and Schmersal was evident.
"I was glad I led Tom in this victory celebration today," said
Schmersal. "He led the last one and the one before that."
Schmersal was referring to not only the World Games, but also the runner-up
effort he had with KC Performance Horses' Miss Lil Addy Tude to McCutcheon
in Sweden at the FEI World Reining Final in May. Schmersal felt the little
mare was due for a win.
"She felt good the whole time," said Schmersal. "She stopped good, she
turned good. I was tickled pink about my ride. She's a good mare and I'm
glad she got her picture taken tonight. She deserved it."
Turnabout Farm's Chic Olena Starbuck put in a trademark McCutcheon
performance that was half a point shy of the win. McCutcheon has gotten used
to winning, so settled for second but was thrilled with his horse.
"The mare showed great," said the World Champion of the 7-year-old
mare. "She was good all the way through. It was lots and lots of fun. She's
a big, big stopper. That's her lick. She was really trying hard. She was
good tonight, she was really waiting for me. She wanted to be a show horse
tonight."
Casey Hinton rounded out the top three places with Play Dual Rey, who is
owned by the Play Dual Rey Partners. He scored 220 and earned a Bronze medal
for the effort.
Chair of the USEF High Performance Reining Committee and a USEF Reining Team
stalwart, Pete Kyle was fourth and fifth on Gimme Major Bucks and Whizs
Bronze Star, respectively.
Another WEG Gold medalist, Tim McQuay was having a terrific ride on
Hollywoodtinseltown but he picked up penalties after his second flying
change and ended up sixth.
Schmersal won his first National title in 2009 with Mr Dual Rey.
Video of the top three rides will be available later today at
www.usefnetwork.com. The Tulsa Reining Classic continues today at Expo
Square. More information is available at www.tulsareining.com.
ENDS
The vision of the United States Equestrian Federation is to provide
leadership
for equestrian sport in the United States of America by promoting the
pursuit
of excellence from the grassroots to the Olympic Games, based on a
foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare
of its human and equine athletes.
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