Todd Bergen Leads Open Futurity Preliminaries

September 25, 2005 - The first ten of 20 sets of NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Rein Work preliminaries ran Sunday and after marking a 216 in the pattern, Todd Bergen took over the composite lead riding Skeets Little Star. The Rein Work prelims will continue Monday, followed by the Cow Work prelims Tuesday and Wednesday. The top horses and riders in each division will advance to their respective Finals with the Open Champion earning a check for $100,000.

Bergen, the 2001 NRCHA Open Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion, earned a 215 with Skeets Little Star in the Herd Work preliminaries. That, added to his Rein Work score of 216, gives the Eagle Point, Oregon trainer the current lead with a 431-point composite. Joanie Cohn owns Skeets Little Star, sired by Skeets Peppy and out of Smart Romance.

Randy Paul, of Scottsdale, Arizona, leads the Intermediate Open division with a 430.5 aboard Smokeelan (Elans Little Playboy x Smart Little Smokee). Smokeelan, owned by Jill Smiekel George, marked a 208 in the Herd prelims and came back to post the high Rein Work score – a 222.5.

Holly Smart Chic, ridden by Morgan Lybbert, of Gainesville, Texas, took the Limited Open division lead with a 429-point composite. Sired by Smart Chic Olena and out of Hollylena Telesis, Holly Smart Chic marked a 213 in the Herd Work and a 216 in the Rein Work.

For a live web cast and the latest results from the Futurity, which runs through October 2 at the Reno Livestock Event Center in Nevada, please visit www.nrcha.com. The web site also features an up to date list of those still in the running for the Sundowner trailer in the Sundowner Drawdown.

The National Reined Cow Horse Association, the 56-year-old 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, Bob's Custom Saddles, Cinch, Inc., Classic Equine, EQ Solutions, MD Barns, Platinum Performance, Inc., Nutrena, Skyline Gold and Silversmiths, Sundowner Trailers, National Ropers Supply, Quarter Horse News & Western Horseman magazine, the Reno Hilton, Farnam products Vetrolin Liniment and Farnam dewormers IverCare, ComboCare, LiquiCare P and Continuex, Fort Dodge West Nile Innovator, Rios of Mercedes, Great American Insurance Company, GASTROGARD and ULCERGARD 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.