AQHA and Shorty’s Caboy Hattery are giving away a cowboy hat signed by World Equestrian Games ReiningTeam USA members.
The American Quarter Horse Journal – Fans of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which begin this Saturday, September 25, and culminate October 10, won’t want to miss their chance at a free felt cowboy hat from Shorty’s Caboy Hattery of Oklahoma City.
AQHA is raffling this one-of-a-kind hat, signed by Team USA reining members Craig Schmersal, Shawn Flarida, Tom McCutcheon and Tim McQuay. Team USA will compete in the reining events beginning the first day of the Games and wrapping up September 29.
Enter to Win the Hat
- Complete the quick form by 5 p.m. CDT, October 10, 2010
- Must be 18 or older to enter. One entry per person. Winner will be announced and contacted after the Games.
Learn more about the members of Team USA:
Shawn Flarida, 41, of Springfield, Ohio
As the National Reining Horse Association’s all-time leading rider and its only $3 million rider, Shawn has trained some of the most talented equine athletes in the business. He is the second person in NRHA history to reach the $2 million milestone, and he is on his way to earning $4 million. He has won the NRHA Open Futurity Championship five times, and he and Wimpys Little Chic won the Futurity, the National Reining Breeders Classic and the NRHA Derby – making them the first pair to ever win reining’s “Triple Crown” of top events. Shawn is the only rider to capture both individual and team gold medals at the FEI World Equestrian Games. (He competed in 2002 in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.) At the 2010 selection trials held as part of Battle in the Saddle in Oklahoma City, he won the USEF National Open Reining Championship.
His horse: RC Fancy Step, a 2004 palomino stallion by Wimpys Little Step and out ofSonita Wilson by Doc Wilson. RC Fancy Step isan NRHA Derby champion owned by Shane Plummer
Tom McCutcheon, 43, of Aubrey, Texas
Tom has NRHA earnings of more than $1 million and is a two-time USEF National Open Reining Champion. (He was a silver medalist in 2010.) He was on the U.S. team at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Spain and assisted in taking team gold, while winning an individual silver medal. He also was on the silver-medal-winning team at the FEI World Reining Championship in Manerbio, Italy, in 2008. He is a founding board member of the National Reining Breeders Classic, the largest added-money reining event in history, and he also serves on the USEF board of directors.
His horse: Gunners Special Nite, a 2004 sorrel stallion by Colonels Smokin Gun and out ofMifs Doll by Mifillena. Gunners Special Nite is an NRHA Futurity reserve champion owned by Turnabout Farm Inc.
Craig Schmersal, 38, of Overbrook, Oklahoma
Craig is the third all-time leading NRHA rider and is one of the youngest trainers on the NRHA’s top-10 list. He is a $2 million rider and has won numerous AQHA and NRHA open world championships. In 2002, Craig was a member of the gold-medal winning U.S. team at the FEI World Equestrian Games. In 2008, he captured team silver and individual bronze at the FEI World Reining Championships. In 2009, he and Boom Shernic won the USEF National Open Reining Championship.
His horse: Boom Shernic, a 2004 sorrel stallion by Boomernic and out ofShe And Chic Dunit by Smart Chic Olena. Boom Shernic is an NRBC champion and is owned by the Boom Shernic Syndicate.
Tim McQuay, 58, of Tioga, Texas
Tim won his first NRHA prize money in 1978 and became the first $2 million rider in history. For 11 years, he was NRHA’s all-time leading earner. In 2000, he was inducted into the NRHA Hall of Fame. He is a five-time All American Quarter Horse Congress champion, a two-time AQHA world champion and has multiple NRHA world champion titles. In 2005, he won a silver medal at the FEI World Reining Masters in Italy, and in 2006, he was a member of the gold-medal U.S. team at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. He earned an individual silver medal there, as well.
His horse: Hollywoodstinseltown, a 2004 palomino stallion by Hollywood Dun It and out ofMiss Tinseltown by Great Red Pine. Hollywoodstinseltown is owned by breeder David Silva and has been a finalist at both the NRHA Futurity and Derby.
Alternate
Matthew Palmer, 28, Elverson, Pennsylvania
Matthew is the youngest member of the team and has $137,686 in NRHA earnings and multiple championships to his name, including two NRHA world championships, the Carolina Classic Open Derby championship and the Don Burt award during the 2010 Battle in the Saddle.Matthew began his professional reining career after college and currently trains at his family’s facility in Pennsylvania.
His horse: Whale Of A Whiz, a 2003 sorrel gelding by Topsail Whiz and out of Pappita Sunrise by Hollywood Jac 86. Whale Of A Whiz is owned by Guy and Joan Palmer and won the CRI-2*/USEF during the 2010 NRBC.
Remember, it’s not too late to purchase reining tickets for WEG! The Games kick off September 25 in Lexington, Kentucky, and reining takes the spotlight beginning the first day.
See photos of Team USA in action.
Watch the NBC coverage of the Games
- Sunday, September 26, noon to 1:30 p.m. EDT – live coverage of the team reining competition
- Sunday, October 3, 1 to 4 p.m. EDT – individual reining
- Sunday, October 10, 4 to 6 p.m. EDT – reining included in overall WEG recap
Live coverage is brought to you by AQHA and the Reining Horse Sports Foundation.
AQHA is an official sponsor of the World Equestrian Games and is the official reining breed sponsor of WEG reining. For more information, including complete schedule and additional activities provided by AQHA during the Games, visit www.aqha.com/weg. See reining videos and WEG highlights on americashorse.tv.
AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA Publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.
