Hutchins Wins National Reining Championship
Equestrian News Release
Gabe Hutchins and Juiced Up Doc scored 226 to win the Adequan/USEF Open Reining National Championship presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY, June 30, 2007. In his first year of International Equestrian Federation (FEI) sanctioned competition and first attempt at four star level, Hutchins fended off the best. He was second to go in the class and, after posting a high score on the strength of his spins, he waited while some of the top reiners in the world tried to beat the standard he set.
"It’s really exciting to show against these guys," said Hutchins. "Some of them are Hall of Famers and million dollar riders. It’s just an honor to be here and be a part of it. I’ve shown this horse probably five times this year and he’s been real good for me. I wasn’t nervous showing him but I was nervous waiting on the rest of those guys to go."
2006 World Equestrian Games team gold medalist, Matt Mills, had two chances to beat Hutchins score, but international reiners, Shawn Flarida and Tim McQuay, got the closest, tying for second on 224.
Hutchins, 26, had plenty of praise for Juiced Up Doc, a seven-year-old Quarter Horse owned by Lee Schild.
"This is a great show horse," said Hutchins. "This is by far the best horse I’ve ever shown. This horse is the best show horse I’ve ever swung a leg over. He has over $120,000 in NRHA earnings. He’s the real deal."
Hutchins, who lives in Orland Park, IL, and works for Jose Vasquez’s Smart Like Juice, Inc., hopes to qualify Juiced Up Doc for the FEI Reining Masters, in Oklahoma City in November.
As a prelude to the Open Reining National Championship, 26 youths competed for their own title at the USEF Youth Reining National Championship presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in three age divisions; 13 & Under, 14-18 and 19-21. Girls dominated each division by winning champion and reserve champion titles. Reining runs in the family of the Galbraiths as two out of the three division championships were won by sisters—Carly and Melanie.
Carly Galbraith and her seven-year-old Quarter Horse mare Sweet Starbuck captured the 13 & Under division with a score of 211.5.
"I thought my ride went very good. I was really happy with her and she did exactly what I asked," said Carly Galbraith.
Her sister Melanie Galbraith won the 14-18 division with a score of 219 riding her nine-year-old Quarter Horse gelding Smart Snap.
Melanie Galbraith has competed in the Youth Reining Championship since its inception three years ago and she walked away with the highest overall score of 219 in the competition. With a big smile, Melanie admitted that she was very nervous about the competition.
"I usually don’t get this nervous but I could feel the butterflies this morning," said Melanie.
Courtesy: The HorseTV Channel News, http://www.horsetv.com
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