Boyd Rice Wins Intermediate Open Futurity / Alan Chappell Tops Limited

The 2005 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity continued Friday and crowned two Futurity Champions. Boyd Rice, Spearman, Texas earned the Intermediate Open Futurity Championship while Alan Chappell, Purcell, Oklahoma, took home the Limited Open title.

The name Boyd Rice doesn’t normally come up in reined cow horse circles but the Championship cutter proved he has what it takes to run with the best in Reno, Nevada. Boyd teamed up with Playin Attraction (Playin Stylish x Ginnin Attraction) owned by Burnett Ranches, Ltd., for his championship and received a check for $23,722. The pair led the Intermediate Open Preliminaries with a 647.5 composite. In the Finals, Boyd marked the high herd score – a 220.5 – matched with a 211 in the rein work and a 220 in the cow work for a 651.5 Finals composite.

“Single eventers are easy, compared to this deal,” Boyd said, comparing a straight cutting event to the Snaffle Bit Futurity. “It’s tough.”

Boyd and the horse he calls “Lucky” will return to the arena Sunday for the Open Finals. Although he led the Intermediate Prelims and has now earned the division’s Championship, Boyd said he’s not feeling a lot of additional pressure going into the Open Finals. “I’m just going to go show and do what I can do,” he said.

Picks Hickaboon, ridden by Alan Chappell and owned by Michael Franke, marked a 642.5 composite to win the Limited Open Championship and finish third in the Intermediate Open. The two placings awarded Alan with $26,195 in prize money.

In the Finals, Alan marked a 209 in the herd work and a 211.5 in the rein work. The young trainer’s 222 down the fence with Picks Hickaboon secured him the Limited Open win.

“He’s pretty good at all three events,” Alan said of Hickaboon, by Peptoboonsmal and out of Ms Hi Brow. “He’s good in the reining, he can really watch a cow and he’s a big stopper.”

This is only Alan’s second year to compete in the Futurity and he’s returning Sunday for the Open Finals. “That was my goal; I really wanted to make those finals. I thought I had a good enough horse if I could just get him shown.”

The NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity continues Saturday with the Open Bridle and Open Hackamore class finals. The event runs through Sunday, October 2, at the Reno Livestock Event Center in Nevada, when the Open Futurity Champion will be determined. For complete results from the Futurity please visit www.nrcha.com.

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.