Monica DeBie and Smokin Mister Sister marked a 428.5 composite to win the National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity Limited Open Hackamore on Wednesday, September 29. The Snaffle Bit Futurity is held annually at the Reno Livestock Events Center in Reno, Nevada.

By Mister Dual Pep and out of Miss Smoking Remedy, “Sister” is owned by John Pascoe of Irvine, California, and was shown by John Ward in the 2009 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, but didn’t make it back to the finals.

“She just needed a little more maturing,” said DeBie, who has worked at the Ward Ranch for about three years. “She’s a very talented mare and very laid back and easy going.”

The pair marked a 213 in rein work and a 215.5 in the cow work. “She was really good in the circles but they said I was way too soft in my first rundown. She spun around well and both stops were nice. She was really good,” DeBie said of the rein work, adding that her cow work was an amazing ride. “She boxed really well but the cow didn’t move around a lot so John Ward told me to go ahead and go. She left off the fence, ran up there and turned it and she’s so strong she jumped up there and turned it again and just went right into the circles running hard as she could. She did everything she could for me.”

Along with a check for $2,184, the Limited Open Hackamore title came with a Gist Silversmiths buckle courtesy of Murray Thompson, a C.R. Morrison NRCHA trophy, a horsehair mecate from Krause Mecates, a Cinch monogrammed vest from Bob’s Custom Saddles, Platinum Performance, and a C.R. Morrison commemorative medallion.

In Reserve was Will Pennebaker on Betsy Kienle’s Oakinic (Short Oak x Just Sugari). Marking a 427.5, the pair earned $1,716, a horsehair mecate from Krause Mecates, a Cinch monogrammed vest from Bob’s Custom Saddles, Platinum Performance, and a C.R. Morrison commemorative medallion.

Marking the highest combined score in the Open Hackamore preliminaries was Ron Ralls on CD Dee Vee Dee with a 439.5. By CD Lights and out of Shiners Missy Jay, CD Dee Vee Dee is owned by Shannon and Hershel Reid of Pilot Point, Texas. The thirteen riders who marked at least a 430.5 will return to the Open Hackamore Finals on Saturday, October 2.

To keep up with the action, visit the NRCHA website at www.nrcha.com, or the NRCHA Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nrcha.

The National Reined Cow Horse Association, now in its 61st year, is 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 Adequan, Bob’s Custom Saddles, Cinch, Classic Equine, Gist Silversmiths, John Deere, Markel Insurance, MD Barns, Merial products ULCERGARD and EQUIOXX, Nutrena, Pfizer Animal Health, Platinum Performance, Quarter Horse News, Rios of Mercedes, Running W Designs, the Silver Legacy, and Wide World of Horses, 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.