Brandon Staebler Wins NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity on Starlight Captain

Reno, NV - October 5, 2004 - It was a day of firsts – the first time for Brandon Staebler of Santa Maria, California to make the Snaffle Bit Futurity Finals. The other first was where he ended up at the end of Sunday’s Open Finals! Brandon rode Starlight Captain to the Open Futurity Championship and a $100,000 first place check! Their score of 655.5 (216.5, 220.5, 218.5) came at the end of the second set of cow work and no one was able to move them out of the top position.

It was a fairy tale chapter in a year of highs and lows for the Santa Maria, California trainer. He and his wife, Kris, welcomed the birth of their son, Zane, in July. Zane was born with congestive heart disease and had surgery when he was one week old, and is now on the heart transplant list. The National Reined Cow Horse community has rallied around the couple, with fund-raising drives, and other support. His fellow trainer and mentor, Barney Skelton, schooled his horses for him in the tough first month when the couple spent all their time at the hospital.

Since then, Brandon’s schedule has been focused on riding his horses during the week, then spending the weekend with his wife and son at the UCLA Medical Center.

Kris made the trip to Reno for the finals, and both Staeblers will hurry back to California to see their son. “This is like a dream,” said Staebler, shortly after the win. “It hasn’t sunk in yet. This has been such a tough year, and we’re grateful to so many people. Barney, and the rest of the NRCHA bunch. These are the greatest people in the world.”

Starlight Captain is by Captain Nice and out of Starlight Sally. Interestingly, Staebler never got the big-hearted little horse until September of his 2-year-old year – and he was barely halter broken!

From the first, Staebler remembers, that “Goose” was a willing student, if a little spooky in the beginning. “From day one, he was athletic, and had such a great mind. I never had a bad day with him!” Maria Benko of Nipomo, California, had brought him to Staebler to break and ended up leasing the horse to Brandon.

Next on the agenda for the big-stopping 3-year-old is a trip to Oklahoma for the National Reining Horse Association Futurity.

Finishing as Reserve Champion was Todd Bergen on Love Em N Lena, owned by Jim and Cam Essick. Bergen scored 651.5 (215, 219, 217.5) to earn $70,000.

Other Sunday highlights included the Sundowner Drawdown, and the last entry left in the hopper when celebrity Lyle Lovett drew down to the final name, was Tom Neel of Milsap, Texas. The NRCHA Raffle Colt, Mister Master Card, donated by the Ward Ranch, was won by Kyle Kelley of Deer Lodge, Montana. The Sundowner Trailer was won by Rob Wilson of Stephenville, Texas.

The National Reined Cow Horse Association, the governing body of cow horse competition, is responsible for promoting the sport, insuring high standards of competition and educating members and the public about the history and tradition of the cow horse. Through the support of a Corporate Partner family that includes Bayer Corporation, Bailey Hat Company, Bob's Custom Saddles, Cinch, Inc., Classic Equine, EQ Solutions, MD Barns, Platinum Performance, Inc., Nutrena, Skyline Gold & Silversmiths, Sundowner Trailers, National Ropers Supply, Quarter Horse News & Western Horseman magazine, the Reno Hilton, Dan Gamel's RV Centers and Fleetwood RV's, horsecentral.com, Farnam products Vetrolin Liniment and Farnam dewormers IverCare, ComboCare, LiquiCare P and Continuex, Rios of Mercedes and the Silver Legacy, the association works to keep the vaquero tradition alive in today’s equine industry. For information on the National Reined Cow Horse Association, call 580-759-4949 or visit the NRCHA Official Web Site at www.nrcha.com.