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The American Quarter Horse Journal July 5, 2011
“Versatility” is the word of the week during Battle in the Saddle, presented by RFD-TV. Nowhere will that be more evident than in the World’s Greatest Horseman Shootout.
The World’s Greatest Horseman Shootout puts one horse, one rider and one bridle together for four exciting western performance events. The winner gets an entry into the National Reined Cow Horse Association’s World’s Greatest Horseman competition in February.
For the Shootout, the open riders must exhibit their American Quarter Horses in four events: herd work, reined work, steer stopping and cow work. Herd work is similar to cutting, reined work is similar to reining, steer stopping is similar to heading in team roping, and cow work is similar to working cow horse.
The horses must be shown in the same bridle, a traditional romal.
Last year’s Shootout winner, AQHA Professional Horseman J.D. Yates of Pueblo, Colorado, finished seventh with Bald N Shiney, owned by Nelle Murphy of Burneyville, Oklahoma.
For 2011, Murphy and her father, acclaimed reined cow horse trainer Don Murphy, have loaned another horse to another roper, AQHA Professional Horseman Gary Wells of Lone Grove, Oklahoma. Wells will be showing Just A Sparknshine, a 2003 palomino mare.
Two riders each will be representing different horse organizations, battling it out for bragging rights for their groups as well as themselves and the owners of their American Quarter Horses.
Three riders are returning for a second shot at the Shootout: cutters Chris Benedict and Matt Budge, and roper Clay Logan.
Competition begins July 7 with the herd work at Battle in the Saddle, presented by RFD-TV, in Oklahoma City at State Fair Park in the Jim Norick Coliseum and will continue through the exciting finish July 9.
Keep up with the action online at www.battleinthesaddle.com and at americashorsedaily.com through the Journal on the Road blog.
American Rope Horse Futurity Association AQHA Professional Horseman Gary Wells of Lone Grove, OklahomaAQHA Professional Horseman Clay Logan of Granbury, Texas
National Cutting Horse Association Chris Benedict of Weatherford, Texas, $804,979 in NCHA earningsMatt Budge of Weatherford, Texas – a returning competitor -- $883,844
National Reined Cow Horse Association Morgan Cromer of Templeton, CaliforniaDustin Rogers of Blanchard, Oklahoma
American Quarter Horse Association Ben Baldus of Waggoner Ranch near Vernon, TexasTripp Townsend of Crofoot Ranch near Lubbock, Texas