Reining Alberta Fall Classic 2008

Reining Alberta’s show season is over, and the classic show committee takes a sigh of relief. Our final event, The Fall Classic, was held at Olds Agricultural Society’s brand new facility Sept 18th to the 21st. The show paid out a total of $32,749.33, hosted 328 runs, and filled every stall we had booked at the facility. Not bad for only it’s second year!  Competitors came from as far away as Montana, BC, & Saskatchewan.

We are grateful for the good weather, decent ground, shorter show days, & excellent judging.  It is worrisome & stressful to host a show at a new facility, but in the end all our needs were met and we enjoyed working with the staff in Olds.  Next year the facility will be fully completed and will be an even better venue to host the show.

The Fall Classic highlights the Sire Incentive Futurities and the results are as follows:

Open Division

1st Jacs Lil Barbie Lena –owned & shown by Jim Anderson   $1265.93 Sire: Hes A Bueno Jac
2nd Sugar Free Jac – owned & shown by Locke Duce            $1005.30 Sire: Jacs Main Sail
3rd Brennas Whiz N Tag – owned & shown by Ryan Burnett    $744.67 Sire: Whiz N Tag Chex
4th JD Tag Chex – rider Jim Anderson owner:Lorie Engbrecht $372.33 Sire: Whiz N Tag Chex
5th Amigos Lil Opal – owned & shown by Diane Latrace           $335.10 Sire: Dun Kiddin Amigo

Non Pro Division

TIE 1st.Boomeremi – Owned & shown by Ryan Burnett             $536.80 Sire: Colonel Remi
TIE 1st.Amigos Lil Opal – Owned & shown by Diane Latrace     $536.80 Sire: Dun Kiddin Amigo
3rd Reminita Mik – Owned & shown by Jean Todd                     $352.00 Sire: Colonel Remi
4/5th Show Whizness – Owned & shown by Jim McGhee          $167.20 Sire: Whiz N Tag Chex
4/5th SB Ima Sugared Whiz – Owned & shown by Shonda Day $167.20 Sire: BL Whiz Kid

Stallion owners also take home some prize money from the sire incentive program as follows:

Open Division

Hes A Bueno Jac $247.50 – Owner  Lorie Engbrecht
Jacs Main Sail      $165.00 – Owner Locke & Deb Duce

Non Pro Division   Co Champion Sires

Dun Kiddin Amigo $206.25 – Owner Terry & Beryl Jarrett
Colonel Remi        $206.25 – Owner Phil & Barb Heidebrecht

The total pay out for these two classes was $6,308.33. It’s definitely time to get yourself one of the nominated offspring or breed your mare to one of the stallions in the program!  Go shopping!

In the after show report we normally go through a more complete list of class winners, but I would like to dedicate this article to the real heroes – the volunteers.  There is a group of dedicated folks who work behind the scenes, never ask for any recognition and usually don’t get any: Bonnie Youngs, Stacey Israelson, Dawn Kidd, Diane Latrace, & Deb Duce, along with the RA board members and staff secretary Beryl Jarrett ensure the classic shows come to fruition.   I would also like to thank Garth Dedora, Locke Duce, & Terry Jarrett for taking over the harrowing duties at the Fall Classic, these three men saw a need and stepped up to the plate – thank you. Volunteers who deserve special mention are Marion Brown, Dorothy Williams-Reich, and the entire Kolsun family – especially Bailey who along with Georgia Yazopavic cleaned out extra stalls when we ran out so that we could access a few more than we had originally booked. Then there are the volunteers who work in the forefront and we constantly see them out there graciously giving back by working the gate, or timing the paid warm ups. There are too many to give individual recognition here; but you are a valued, important part of this organization, and represent sportsmanship at it’s finest. 

The crowd was impressed by the display of horsemanship & choreography supplied by Sage Sapergia  & Alanna Hoeltzel in the opening ceremony, while everyone enjoyed Deb Duce singing the national anthems… the judges were particularly impressed by it.

The most exciting event of the whole season was the Bar T Five / Cimarron / Trail Boss Conversions Non Pro trailer award.  32 non pros that won a class at the Spring & Summer Classics all drew a key that could possibly win them a year’s lease of the luxurious living quarter three horse trailer valued at $55,000. The crowd’s level of excitement grew as the key testing went on to what felt like forever until finally Lindsay Wankel’s key opened the door.  A huge thank you goes out to Kris Canaday at Bar T Five for arranging for this donation.  Kris works full time as a sales representative for Bar T Five, please show your gratitude and ask for her assistance next time you are looking for a trailer.  Congratulations Lindsay!

The Fall Classic is the last leg of the Classic High Point Series, and the winners will be presented on November 1st at the Reining Alberta Year End Banquet.  Congratulations to the winners and we look forward to another great year in 2009.