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| Tom McCutcheon and Gunner's Specal Nite slide to WEG Individual Gold in Reining (©Nan Rawlins for Equimage® Media) |
All week long the World Reining Championships have been a huge hit with the crowds that packed the Alltech Arena. Filling the arena with whoops, whistles, stomping feet and screams of support and waving flags, the crowds supported their favorites. As the knowledgeable crowd cheered U.S. reiner Tom McCutcheon rode
Gunners Special Nite, the 6-year-old American Quarter Horse stallion, to a score of 228 and the Individual FEI Reining World Championship, presented by John Deere, held as part of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
“I knew he was pretty special tonight,” McCutcheon said. “I felt pressure, for sure, because I wanted to do him justice. He’s a great little horse.”
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| Tom McCutchen(USA) Waits for his Gold Medal-Winning Score (©Nan Rawlins for Equimage® Media) |
Earlier in the week, McCutcheon and his horse helped the U.S. team to a gold medal in the team reining competition.
Gunners Special Nite is sired by Colonels
Smoking Gun and is out of
Mifs Doll by
Mifillena. He is the 2007 National Reining Horse Association Futurity intermediate open champion and has $194,237 in NRHA lifetime earnings.
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| Craig Schmersal and Mister Montana Nic (©Nan Rawlins for Equimage® Media) |
The individual silver medal went to U.S. teammate Craig Schmersal on
Mister Montana Nic, with a score of 223, while bronze went to the defending WEG individual gold medalist Duane Latimer of Canada, riding
Dun Playin Tag, with a score of 222.5.
At 12 years old,
Mister Montana Nic is the old gentleman of the U.S. team, and he has been with Schmersal since he was a yearling.
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| Old Mr. Montana Nic blows past the judges (©2010 Nan Rawlins for Equimage® Media) |
“That’s what it’s all about, right there,” Schmersal said of the horse’s longevity. “We’ve just got to keep those old horses sound and happy.”
An American Quarter Horse sired by
Reminic and out of
Mollie Montana by
Montana Doc,
Mister Montana Nic is the 2005 FEI World Reining Master silver medalist and has $132,784 in NRHA lifetime earnings.
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| Duane Latimer (CAN) and Dun Playin Tag wowed the crowds. (©2010 Nan Rawlins for Equimage® Media) |
Latimer’s mount,
Dun Playin Tag is a 6-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding with $188,942 in NRHA lifetime earnings. He is by
Whiz N Tag Chex out of
Brennas Dunit Fancy by
Hollywood Dun It.
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| Defending 2009 World Champion Latimer awaits judges scores (©2010 Nan Rawlins/Equimage® Media) |
The other members of the gold-medal U.S. team were: Tim McQuay and Hollywoodstinseltown, finishing individually in fourth place with a 222; and Shawn Flarida and RC Fancy Step scored 207.5 after faring some bad luck. Flarida’s stirrup leather broke during the run, and he touched the saddle to regain his balance, which mandated a five-point penalty from each judge.
The judges were Greg Darnall (USA), Patti Carter-Pratt (CAN), Thiago Boechat (BRA), Ralf Hesselschwerdt (GER) and Eugenio Latorre (ITA).
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| Schmersal (USA) Silver, McCutcheon (USA) Gold, Latimer (CAN) Bronze |
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