Story originally posted by Horsecity.com Staff

Futurity Champion

SR Red Ryder
(On The Money Red x Hi Red Angle x Hy Lucky Jay (TB)

30.816 Avg. time - $49,694 earned
Ridden by Brett Monroe
Owned by Homer and Ada Nell Beasley

Oklahoma City would've been a prime stop for a bettin' man during the BFA's World Championship Barrel Futurity. Although there were many favorites sporting high credentials going into the event, SR Red Ryder's record made the 5-year-old gelding a worthwhile bet. Having placed in every event entered this year - with the exception of one, where the horse tipped to place - SR Red Ryder already had earnings well over $50,000 going into the Futurity.



A second-place 15.365 in the first go qualified Monroe and the On The Money Red gelding for the 50-horse finals field. Although the pair tipped the first barrel in the second go, the only harm done was the loss of an additional paycheck, as the average is compiled of the fastest time in either of the go's plus the finals time.


In the finals, Monroe dropped the reins around the third barrel, drawing an "ooh" from the crowd. Leaving the barrel straight as an arrow with no help from Monroe, who was still guarding the barrel, SR Red Ryder ran across the time line for a strong 15.451, giving owners Homer and Ada Nell Beasley, Broxton, Ga., bragging rights to a World Championship. The gelding was also the leading BFA Futurity Horse for 2002.

"I've had him slip a little several times leaving the third barrel," explained Monroe. "His hip will nearly catch it, and I wasn't taking any chances. He was so close on it, I wasn't worried about which way he was going. "

"A good horse will leave it straight," added Homer Beasley.


Having topped the Memphis EBFA Futurity and Georgia State NBHA show, taking Reserve at the Speedhorse Gold Cup and NBHA World Championships and placing in the top five at the Turn N Burn and Silver Cup futurities earlier in the year, SR Red Ryder has more than proved his worth as a "good horse."

"We've probably got 25,000 miles on this horse this year," said Beasley, "and we placed everywhere we've been but once."

Monroe, Gay, Ga., has ridden for the Beasleys for the past three years - having known them since he was very young - and has more than proved his worth as a barrel horse trainer as well. According to Equi-Stat, Monroe's lifetime earnings far surpass $600,000 and may even be sneaking by the $700,000 mark with this World championship. He has topped such prestigous events as the Old Fort Days Derby, the World Championship Sweepstakes class, the Sweepstakes Division at the NBHA World Championships and the All American Quarter Horse Congress Junior Barrels.


Modestly, a very proud Homer Beasley said of Monroe, "He's done a good job."

Beasley has trained several On The Money Red barrel horses, saying, "They've been good to me."

Through a friend, the Beasleys found out about SR Red Ryder when he was owned by breeder Marilyn J. Clark, Ocala, Fla.

"It took us a little while before we decided we wanted to go look at him," remembered Ada Nell. Once they made the purchase, the Beasleys said it took almost three months to get the papers on the horse.


They have since found, however, that SR Red Ryder's talent was definitely worth the wait.

"He's been good to us," said Homer.

As for the gelding's future, Homer said, "I've got several big offers on him, but we'll keep him."


With that said, derbies will be on the roster in 2003 for SR Red Ryder, Brett Monroe and Homer and Ada Nell Beasley.

SR Red Ryder will most likely have a new hauling buddy next year as well. The Beasleys purchased Fire Waters Pay Day in the World Championship Sale. By Fire Water Flit out of a Jet's Pay Day mare, the '99 palomino gelding topped the sale.

"He bought some 'gold' today," laughed Monroe. "He put a lot of pressure on me to ride that much harder to pay for that horse."

"He was the high-seller, but I think he was the best one there," added Homer.

Taking Reserve honors in the prestigous Futurity was Moons Ridge. Owned and ridden by Susan Clapp, the gelding ran ahead of Monroe and SR Red Ryder to top the first go in 15.349, earning $5,931. Clapp gave up an additional check in the second go, opting not to run. Moons Ridge appreciated the rest, running hard to turn in a composite time of 30.849 to earn the Reserve Championship and a total $31,634.


Derby Champion

Miss Foxy Ohs (PT)
(Foxy Paleface x Ohs Gal (QH) x Roaring Oh's)
30.934 Avg. time - $13,117 earned
Ridden by Courtney Reinbott
Owned by Shellie Reinbott

Drawing perhaps the biggest applause from the audience to earn a well-deserved fan club on finals night, 10-year-old Courtney Reinbott, Alva, Fla., stole the show when she rode her mother's 6-year-old Paint mare, Miss Foxy Ohs, to the Derby Championship.

Literally a small blue bundle, Courtney's 3-week-old baby brother Grayson was the reason for the jockey switch from mother to daughter.

"I was thinking that the horse might be a little much for her because she is kind of free running," explained Courtney's mother, Shellie. "I thought maybe I should have somebody else, maybe an adult, ride her. But I thought, no, if she does good, I want my daughter on her back. And I'm so glad that that decision was made."

A solid run in the finals, compiled with a second-place finish in the second go earned Courney the biggest allowance she's ever gotten. "I'm going to put the money in my 'bankings' account," said Courtney of her winnings. "Maybe save for school."

So, did the pressures of older competition intimidate the little girl who came 1500 miles for the milestone win? "I think about it, but I try not to think about it," said Courtney.

Courtney took over the reins of "Foxy" about four months ago, when Shellie was six months pregnant.

"I was starting to get big, and so I quit," explained Shellie. The first time Courtney ran the mare, she earned second at a local jackpot.

"We were so excited when she did so well," said Shellie. "I had been in the lead for the saddle when I quit riding. We missed the year-end saddle, but this one's so much better!"

Although Shellie says the horse hasn't had many major wins - "Not of this magnitude, nothing like this," - don't wave off the pair's win as just a fluke. Although the fact that Courtney doesn't weigh a buck may have played a roll in the mare's success in Oklahoma City, that doesn't mean her riding talents don't measure up to the competition, even though she's been in the saddle only 4 or 5 years.

"I've worked real hard to make sure that she's been to clinics and she's had instructors," explained Shellie. "We've had a lot of help along the way and I just think that she's a very good rider. I think, sometimes, if you don't inhibit something, they work a little better. I think she's less of an inhibitor than I am. She is a good rider and she is lighter - that always helps, too.

"I have to give the horse the credit, too," Shellie continued. "She takes to everything; she doesn't like instruction. She thinks she knows it all."

Shellie said she got Foxy from a friend as a team roping horse for her husband about two years ago because the mare was real cowy.

"I thought she would work out really great," said Shellie, "but she already had a barrel pattern on her. I just played with her and it was fun. We always wanted young horses but we never had any colts before, so we started getting into it. I got rid of my seasoned horse and kept Foxy because that's all I could get along with; she was so much fun." Shellie says she nominated Foxy to the Derby because she was the most finished of all their horses, and the most promising.

"We don't have a lot of futurities down in our area, but she did place in a futurity last year," she said. "Courtney also has a 5-year-old she's finishing out."

"The experience of coming out here is great," Shellie said. "This is our third year. I told my husband, if anything, it's going to be a vacation and a good experience for the horses. This turned out to be a little more than a vacation," she laughed.

Now that Shellie had the baby and is riding again, she'll get back on Foxy. Since Courtney has more than proved her ability on the mare, however, there will be a little swapping going on from time to time.
"We'll go with whatever fits the situation," said Shellie. "I'd like to get my permit again and try for my WPRA card. Courtney junior rodeos and I'll help her finish her 5-year-old too."

Shellie's husband Marty builds power lines while she is a part-time RN. Aside from Courtney, 10, and Grayson, 3 weeks, the family has another child, son Justin, 9.


Sweepstakes Champion

Shootin Breeze
(Complete Return x Exclusive Breeze (TB) x Gray's Exclusive (TB)

30.653 Avg. time - $8,662 earned
Ridden by Karen Turek
Owned by Robert and Karen Turek

"He's put me on cloud nine and never brings me down," exclaimed Karen Turek, Ft. Collins, Colo., after she posted the fastest time of the week in the Sweepstakes finals, a 15.189.


A second-place 15.464 in the second go qualified Turek for the finals field, where she turned in the fast time that forecasted the week's quickest composite time as well, a 30.653.

Turek's second barrel in her final run was so close and quick that she said, "I had my toe up on top of his butt. Good thing he didn't turn just a little bit more, because I would've gone off!"


"It was wicked," said Turek's hauling partner, Jamie Hawkins, of the gelding's second barrel. "He's on fire."

"The last couple months have been unbelievable," Turek explained.

Since coming back from an injured suspensory ligament the end of July, Turek has been on a winning roll, which includes topping the Mountain States Circuit Finals.

"Last year I made it back to the Sweepstakes finals," said Turek, "but it wasn't near as exciting as this."

Perhaps Turek didn't do as well last year because she didn't have her good luck charm yet - the "lucky alligator" hanging on her saddle that she rubs before each run.

The story goes: A few years ago Turek and her son Tyler were at the Colorado State Fair. After the rodeo, in which Turek hadn't fared too well, the pair ventured to the carnival. Tyler was attracted by a reptile booth that had live snakes and alligators. He tried to convince his mother to pet one of the alligators. The man operating the booth said, "You have to pet the alligator; it's good luck." Reluctantly, Turek pet the reptile. Low and behold, that night at the rodeo performance, Turek placed very well.

Then, Turek said "stupid" things started happening - mistakes during her runs. Once again, she and her son found themselves at a carnival, where her son won a small rubber alligator in a dart game. "I tied it on my saddle," Turek explained, "and I won the rodeo that night. I've been winning ever since."

Turek purchased Shootin Breeze from breeders George and Gayle Doering, Greeley, Colo., the gelding's 2-year-old year.


"I went to look at the horses they had in training on the track," remembered Turek. "They were galloping him on the track and I said to myself, 'Wow that horse has got a long stride.' He never went to the track, which was a good thing, because I don't think he would've ever made it to the barrel pen. I couldn't have afforded him anyway," she joked.

Turek, who patterned the horse from start to finish, said "Breeze" was a "piece of cake" to train.


"He made me feel like a real barrel horse trainer," she laughed. "He's really sweet and he tries to please."

Turek didn't take the gelding to the World Championship event his futurity year. She got a late start on the season and wasn't sure he'd be ready for it.

"It's hard to get futurity horses going up North," she said. I was going to take him to a futurity in June that year, but he got distemper, so I didn't take him to his first futurity until August. I didn't go to Oklahoma City that year because I didn't really know what kind of a horse he was. I went to a jackpot instead, where Kelly Yates was running, and Kristie Peterson was there getting ready for the NFR. Breeze beat them both, and I was like, "Oh, maybe I should've gone to Oklahoma City!"

Turek says her job at the county finance department allows her to be gone often, but, with all her recent barrel racing incentive money, a big decision lies ahead of her.

"I can't afford to quit yet, but this is going to help," she said. "Maybe if I keep showing my boss these big checks, she'll let me take unpaid leave."

Whether she decides to eventually hit the barrel racing trail full time or not, Turek does have plans for the immediate future paved.

"I'm going to go to Odessa - maybe try and qualify for Houston," she said. "Denver, Rapid City. I'd like to go to the Pro Tour rodeos next year. I qualified for Pocatello (DNCFR) in March, so I'm going there."

Reprinted with permission from Quarter Horse News.