Snider, ninth to show in the 20-horse finals, held the lead with 221.5 points, before Larsen claimed the title with 222 points, in the last hole.
“I was so happy to have that draw, because I was last both times when I was reserve here before,” said Larsen, reserve champion of the 2011 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro Classic and NCHA Non-Pro Classic Challenge on Laredo Montana, like Light N Lily, a homebred by family-owned stallion Light N Lena.
“The first two cows were in her face the whole time,” Larsen added. “We cut the third cow clean, but it definitely was not a good cow.”
It was the third major 2013 limited age event win for Larsen and 6-year-old Light N Lily, champions of the Abilene Spectacular Non-Pro Classic and the Cattlemens Non-Pro Classic, and reserve champions of the Bonanza Non-Pro Classic.
“I am excited because this (win) should put us in the lead for (Non-Pro) Horse of the Year, if we weren’t already there.”
Light N Lily has NCHA career earnings of over $136,000.
Larsen, 2012 NCHA Reserve Non-Pro World Champion, attributes her competitive edge this year to her experience “hauling” for the World Championship.
“No matter what the circumstances or the bad cows, we just had to go show,” she said. “It made all the difference in the world.”
Ashley Snider and Sly Chance, by That Sly Cat, also claimed two major 2013 championship wins before this week’s competition — the Bonanza Non-Pro Classic and the Arbuckle Mountain Non-Pro Classic.
“He comes through for me every time,” said Snider. “I put him in a bad spot on that third cow and he shouldn’t have been able to hold it, but he did.”
Snider takes precautions with the 6-year-old gelding, survivor of two colic surgeries that put him out of competition for his entire 5-year-old season.
“Horse trainers are funny because they love their horses, but it’s like tough love,” explained Snider, whose husband, Jaime, trained Sly Chance and showed him at four. “After the second colic surgery, on the morning that he was supposed to show him in the Brazos Bash, Jaime said to me, ‘If he lives, I’m not ever going to ride him again.’
“He just can’t handle the stress of two riders. We’ve had lots of people try to buy him, but we’re so worried that if we sold him, somebody wouldn’t take care of him right and we would never forgive ourselves.”
Sly Chance requires a hayless diet and special attention for cramps that plague him in stressful situations.
“I have to work him super slow,” said Ashley. “I spent two hours this morning sitting on him in the arena and trying to get him to relax.”
Jaime Snider showed Sly Playgirl, also sired by That Sly Cat, for reserve in the Super Stakes Classic Open last weekend.