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• NCHA Summer Spectacular
eining By The Bay
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Week of August 1, 2011
quarterhorsenews.com
John Amabile and Monte Strusiner
(left) have shared better than 30
years in the NRHA show pen. —Photo
by Pat Feuerstein
(Lower left) Shine Chic Shine, ridden by Shawn Flarida, has been
a big winner for Amabile and
Strusiner. And he’s only 4 years old.
—Photo byWaltenberry
J
ohn Amabile,
Grandview, Texas,
and Monte Strusiner,
Highland Park, Ill.,
have a reason to smile. They
own Shine Chic Shine (Smart
Chic Olena x Ebony Shines x
Shining Spark).
Ridden by Shawn Flarida,
Springfield, Ohio, the 2007 palomino stallion was a 2010 National
Reining Horse Association
Futurity Open finalist, won the
2011 National Reining Breeders
Classic Level 4 Open in a run-off,
then tied for second place in the
2011 NRHA Derby Level 4 Open.
To date, Shine Chic Shine has lifetime reining earnings of $109,921,
according to Equi-Stat.
Amabile and Strusiner have a
history that goes back better than
30 years – Amabile as a profes-
sional, Strusiner as a non-pro
competitor.
Strusiner started showing seriously with Kenny Eppers in the
late 1970s. He’s been riding nonpro reining horses with Albert
Burton for more than 20 years.
“And I still have John to train
my reining futurity and derby
prospects,” he said. “I started the
cutting with John when he came
to Texas in the late ’80s, and we
accomplished a lot.”
Amabile, a New Yorker turned
Texan, got his start in reining
with Paul Horn, Springfield, Ohio,
in 1970. “I rode Bars April Lady,
liked her and bought her,” he
said. “She made me a horse trainer.” And a good one at that.
In 1980, Amabile won the first
NRHA Derby in Raleigh, N.C., on
Richie Greenberg’s Great Kelind
Miss. They were featured on the
cover of the second edition of the
NRHA Reiner in May/June 1980.
He also trained and showed Miss
Doll Pine, Blossomberry, Silver Jac
86, Melon Kali Girl and Bea Fox –
to name just a few standouts.
Amabile and Strusiner have
enjoyed a great relationship for
three decades. “John has been
a friend first, a trainer second
and a partner third,” Strusiner
said. “We’ve had this relationship
all these years. The chemistry,
the trust is really important. I’ve
trusted him with my horse life,
and it has been a wonderful experience.” —PF
I
Today’s Big Action!
In the Derby finals last weekend at the National Cutting
Horse Association Summer
Spectacular in Fort Worth,
Texas, it was Stylish Martini
and Texas horseman Roger
Wagner who claimed the
Championship. The 4-yearold mare now has earnings
of more than $125,000.
Stylish Martini is owned and
was bred by Jon and Abby
Winkelried’s Marvine Ranch.
Read more at
quarterhorsenews.com.
Get the Latest Online at
n Severe Drought
Most of Texas and parts of
nearby states are experiencing
the most severe drought imaginable. QHN is posting a collection of drought-related articles,
information and maps.
n Rocky Mountain Slide
First in the Open was split
between What A Lucky Hit and
Cody Stark along with West
Coast Dot Com and Randy Paul.
n Amazing Results
The National Cutting
Horse Association Summer
Spectacular Sale took place
last weekend. Take a look at
the prices and see which horses
made up the amazing 91 percent
sell-through rate.
n Pretty Wild Horses
In her blog, QHN Editor Katie
Tims shares a few quiet
moments spent one morning
in the company of Nevada’s wild
horses. Too bad more people
can’t take a look for themselves
… maybe then they’d understand.
See the Action
Video
Central
Watch cutting, reining
and reined cow horse championship
runs at quarterhorsenews.com.
Digital Update
Sunshine
Galore
Out ‘N’ About
Contestants and their families enjoyed
the comradery as well as the abundant
California sunshine during the Reining
By The Bay, held July 20-24 at the Horse
Park at Woodside, Calif.
Kim Yancey and “Vega;” Rachel Zuraek; Pat Yancey
and “Jewel;” Charlize Zuraek, who won the 13 &
under class riding “Rawhide;” Charlize’s mom,
Kristen Zuraek; and Olivia Evans with Gabriella
Zuraek riding piggyback. Rawhide belonged to
Charlize’s grandmother, Katherine Cagle, who recently passed away. The Zuraek family live in Los Altos;
Pat and Kim Yancey live in Ione.
FIVE YEARS LATER Kathleen Cook,
Rancho Murieta, Calif., scored 71.5 her
first time back on Lean With Midnight.
Cook, who is well respected for her
horse show concession food services
at the Murieta Equine Center, had been
out of the arena for five years.
GOOD COMPETITION Vicki Dias (left), Kingsburg, Calif., and Dorothy Queen,
Whitesboro, Texas, shake hands after the Derby Prime Time Non-Pro class. Dias
beat Queen by a half point. THANK YOU WIMPY (right) Martin Muehlsteatter,
Scottsdale, Ariz., shows some appreciation to Wimpys Little Buddy after a 152scored run.
JUST A KID
(Far left)Jeremy
Fappani, being
a kid.
STRESSED
OUT (Left) Lucca
Fappani intently
watches his mother, Trish, showing
her horse.
THE LOOT WAGON Kari Moreno,
Gilroy, Calif., hauls the loot to the
backdrop for win photos of her fiance,
Gabe Davide, also of Gilroy, and OK
Spook.
EARLY TO RISE (Right) Marilyn
Scheffers, Riverside, Calif., riding early
in the morning with the California rising sun and the San Francisco Bay’s
low fog in the background.
THis is the way i saw it John McCarty, Goleta, Calif., gets a critque from
Shannon McCarty, following his run at the Reining By The Bay.
TICKLED (Right) Left to
right: Lee Scheffers; his wife,
Marilyn, who is thrilled with her
run; their dog,“Rita;” and Jim
McCarty, Winchester, Calif.
Reigning at the Bay
Andrea Fappani and The
Mighty Gambler —Photo by
John O’Hara
Fappani’s No. 1’s
Reining By The Bay Derby
*Co-Championship
Year
Horse/Pedigree Finals
Money
2005
The Mighty Gambler
228
$5,773
00S (Dealin Dirty x Reminics Ruby x Reminic)
2006
*Major Nics Suprise
225.5
$6,036
00G (Major Sno Chex x Nic N Taffy x Reminic)
2006
*The Mighty Gambler
225.5
$6,822
00S (Dealin Dirty x Reminics Ruby x Reminic)
2007
Big Chex To Cash
224
$7,171
02S (Nu Chex To Cash x Snip O Gun x One Gun)
2008
Spooks Gotta Gun
229 $10,000
02S (Grays Starlight x Katie Gun x John Gun) 2009
Shiner Olena
226.5
$6,190
05S (Smart Chic Olena x Miss Shiner Dear x
Shining Spark)
2010
Custom Smart Olena
230.5
$8,635
05S (Custom Crome x A Darn Smart Chic x
Smart Chic Olena)
T
he Reining By The Bay has been
held in Woodside, Calif., 11 times
since 1999, and Equi-Stat $2 Million
Rider Andrea Fappani, 34, has won at least
one Derby Level 4 Open Championship at
seven of those shows, riding to the No. 1
spot every year since 2005.
Fappani has also won the RBB Futurity
Open every year since its introduction in
2008. Fappani, training out of Rancho Oso
Rio, Scottsdale, Ariz., leads the show’s top
rider list with $92,267, almost 10 percent of
the approximate $1.1 million awarded during
the show’s history.
His reign of success began in 2005 when
Fappani won the Derby Open Championship
with a 228 on The Mighty Gambler (Dealin
Dirty x Reminics Ruby x Reminic), who also
placed fourth in that year’s NRHA Derby. The
pair returned in 2006 to defend their title,
2011
Tinker With Guns
231 $11,127
earning the Co-Championship.
06S (Colonels Smoking Gun [Gunner] x Tinker
The dual wins make The Mighty
Nic x Reminic)
Gambler, who Fappani showed for
Connie Webb, the trainer’s No. 1
(Grays Starlight x Katie Gun x John Gun)
horse at RBB with $12,595. Fappani not only
– and in the Futurity and earned a total of
defended his title in 2006, he tied The Mighty
$27,043.
Gambler and won the Co-Championship on
In 2009, Fappani claimed the top Derby
his second mount, John and Jill Newcomb’s
prize with Cromed Out Mercedes (Custom
Major Nics Surprise (Major Sno Chex x Nic N
Crome x Princess In Diamonds x Shining
Taffy x Reminic).
Spark), and in 2010, it was Steve Simon’s
In 2007, Fappani earned another Derby
Custom Smart Olena (Custom Crome x A
Co-Championship, this time riding Big Chex
Darn Smart Chic x Smart Chic Olena).
To Cash (Nu Chex To Cash x Snip O Gun x
At this year’s RBB/Conquistador Whiz
One Gun) for the 23 Partnership and sharDerby, Fappani won No. 1 with his 2011
ing the title with Taris Designer Genes (Mr
NRHA Derby Champion, Rancho Oso Rio’s
Boomerjac x Taris Little Vintage x Peppy San
Tinker With Guns (Colonels Smoking Gun
Badger) and Tim McQuay, Tioga, Texas.
[Gunner] x Tinker Nic x Reminic). He also
Fappani’s most successful year at RBB
took the Reserve title on Custom Spook
occurred in 2008, when he placed 1-2-3 in
(Smart Spook x Custom Spinderella x Custom
the Derby – winning on Spooks Gotta Gun
Crome), also owned by Rancho Oso Rio. —EH
Equi-Stat, a division of Cowboy
Publishing Group and Quarter
Horse News, compiles and researches money earned within equine
performance events and then enters this information into its database
for use in producing statistical reports. These performance events
include cutting, reining, reined cow horse as well as barrel racing,
pleasure horse and ranch versatility. Equi-Stat’s statistical information helps performance horse events present a more accurate picture
of their particular event to entrants, breeders, owners and potential
sponsors. For more information about Equi-Stat and what it might do
for you, visit equistat.com.
(High Brow Cat x
Some Kinda Playgirl by
Freckles Playboy)
Stud Fee: $2,000
Nominated to NCHA
Super Stakes
(High Brow Cat x One Time
Soon by Smart Little Lena)
Stud Fee: $1,500
(Topsail Whiz x Easter Cabin
by Easter Gentleman)
Standing at Waggoner Ranch
Standing at Waggoner Ranch
Trace Cribbs
horse manager
ranch 940/495-3773
Standing at
Mowery Stallion Station
“Horsemen Since 1849”
www.waggonerranch.com
Digital Update
FYI...
You
Want
to be an
So
Apprentice
From a
trainer’s
viewpoint,
picking an
apprentice
is similar to
buying a top
performance
prospect. And
a trainer looks
them over in
much the same
way, using much
the same criteria.
If you want to
ride with a pro,
you better have
the following:
Talent. Just as you
wouldn’t pick a prospect
who didn’t look like he
could ultimately perform
his job assignment, a
trainer generally won’t
hire an apprentice who
doesn’t have some degree
of raw training and riding
talent, as evidenced by
his basic abilities with a
horse.
A Work Ethic. You’ve
probably known a horse
who was a talented athlete, but couldn’t do his
job without pinning his
ears or swishing his tail.
In The
That type of apprentice
prospect won’t make it to
the big leagues in most
trainers’ barns. Not only
do apprentices have to
have good dispositions,
but they also have to
have a lot of “want-to.”
At shows, the days can
be long and grueling, so
young up-and-comers
need to also have staying
power. The apprentice who
does a little more than is
asked of him will win a
trainer’s heart any day of
the week.
are while riding (quiet and
in control), and just plain
how you handle yourself
horseback.
Ground Manners. In
for it is cockiness,” Avila
explains. “These are the
kids who are concerned
about being ‘somebody’
long before they really are
somebody.
“In today’s world, a young
person with any talent at
all can become a trainer
and make more money
in the beginning than an
apprentice. But if you
look at the ones who have
paid their dues (with hard
work and humility), it’s
paid off for them. And
kids who use horses like
they’re material objects,”
bemoans Avila, often
referred to as the trainer’s
trainer, “will never make
it in this business if they
have no feelings for the
horse.”
When asked how many
apprentices he has had,
Avila answered, “Well,
how many gray hairs
have I got on my head?
I’ve had some that lasted
seven days, and some that
stayed seven years and
are still good friends of
mine. It’s rewarding turning out good trainers –
maybe even more rewarding than turning out good
horses.” —Ronna Snyder
human language this is
called politeness. Any pro
worth his salt realizes
that his employees are
ambassadors of his business, in and out of the
pen. Trainers expect their
apprentices to understand
that and conduct themselves appropriately when
dealing with the public.
Apprentices also need to
be equally courteous to
the boss, realizing that
the privilege of being mentored comes with a price:
respect.
“The Look.” Top reining
horses look the part; so do
top Western pleasure or
English horses. Like their
equine counterparts, top
apprentices also need to
look the part they’re auditioning for. Avila explains
that the top pros, for the
most part, all have “the
look.” It’s more than how
a person’s built, although
being physically fit, perhaps a little on the lean
side, and having great
legs on a horse can sure
pretty-up the picture.
It’s also how you sit on a
horse, the way your hands
And the fatal weakness
Bob Avila, a Champion
all-around trainer, who
has mentored numerous
apprentices who have
gone on to win numerous Championship titles,
advises, “If you want to
get a quick boot out of a
trainer’s barn, come packing a pile of:
Attitude. “Another word
Know
Why Border
Collies?
Three of the performance horse
industry’s dog fans tell why that is
the breed of choice for them.
Diehl Hiner: Border collies just seem
really smart, I did have a real good heeler
years ago that had a good “down” and
“walk-up,” and he was good in the pens and
with bulls. I feel like the border collies are
more versatile. I can go behind the cattle,
and I can go in front of cattle with them,
too.
Will Nuttall: There was a cowboy that
had a good kelpie here on the ranch.
Heelers, I think you’ll see them with people
that are working bulls a lot or in an alleyway or chute a lot. I will always have border
collies.
Sonya Blomberg: Its like the difference between a Quarter Horse and a
Thoroughbred, which is better for what
job? Border collies have the temperment
and the instinct. They are head dogs, they
have a natural eye and a quicker instinct in
that they are natural gatherers. Heelers are
pushers, and more stubborn. Border collies
really already know this game, and we just
show them how we want them to play it.
—JS
“
Lucky Spurs Provide
Winning Kick
“
Digital Update
I’m going to be a cowboy,
that’s for sure.
The father, Ron Clark, of National
Cutting Horse Association Summer
Spectacular Classic/Challenge Open
Champion Jason Clark traveled from
Kerman, Calif., to the Fort Worth
event and to watch
his son earn the bigJason Clark
gest victory of his
and his father,
career.
Ron Clark,
Ron thought the
shared the
difference between
thrill of victory
Indian Rick and Jason’s in Fort Worth.
winning 223 and the
Reserve Champion’s 222 might have been
the spurs he used.
“He picked a pair of spurs that I made
him when he was 10 years old,” Ron said,
adding his son hadn’t used them in about
five years. Jason, 41, found the spurs during
the Summer Spectacular event and decided
to wear them in the finals.
Ron, 66, recalls advising Jason at a young
age if he was going to train horses, he should
know “they won’t lie for you.”
“When you ride down there and drop those
reins, they’re going to tell the truth.” —MT
— Jake Baca, explaining what he wants to do
when he grows up. He won the Junior Youth at
the NCHA Summer Spectacular.
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J
“Josh,” a corgi puppy owned by Scott Nicolades, Valley Village, Calif.,
gets a little “warning” love bite from “Sydney,” a miniature Australian
shepherd/corgi-cross dog, owned by Linda Hardy, Santa Maria, Calif.,
during the recent Reining By The Bay event held in Woodside, Calif.
— Photo by John O’Hara
ALL CONTENTS COPYRIGHT 2010
QUARTER HORSE NEWS / QHN Insider
Digital Update
Retro Perspective
Stylish Indeed
1
Placing of Stylish
Martini (Docs Stylish
Oak x Miss Martini Play x
Freckles Playboy) and Roger
Wagner in the Derby Open
at the 2011 National Cutting
Horse Association Summer
Spectacular.
4
Where Stylish Martini
and Wagner finished in the
2010 NCHA Futurity, followed
by a tie for sixth at the 2011
NCHA Super Stakes.
$130,000
Amount over which Stylish
Martini’s earnings tipped
after the recent Summer
Spectacular win.
(Left) Stylish Martini and Roger
Wagner at the 2010 NCHA Futurity
—Photo by Suzanne Forrest
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