Smart Crackin Chic, owned by Singleton Ranches, Lamy, NM, claimed $100,000 on October 1, as winner of the 2006 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity. The prestigious event, held from September 17 through October 1 in Reno, NV, paid out more than $1.2 million.
Ridden by Todd Crawford, Smart Crackin Chic had already earned $24,000 as winner of the NRCHA 2-Year-Old Futurity Sale Incentive held during the preliminary rounds. As a Snaffle Bit Futurity finalist, she earned 222 points in the herd work, marked 213.5 in the rein work, then drew up first in the second set of cow work, where Meradas Cookin Now, under Jon Roeser, led with 219.5 points.
“In my fence work, my mare was good, but I didn’t draw the best cow,” Crawford noted. “I went across the pen a few times with him and he didn’t have much feel, so I thought it was time to go. I needed to mark a score, and at that point it was all or nothing.”
All or nothing gave Crawford 220 points to tie Meradas Cookin Now’s show-winning lead of 655.5 points. Since the NRCHA tie-breaking system gives the win to the high-scoring horse in cow work, Smart Crackin Chic was named champion.
David Nogle, Palatine, IL, bred Smart Crackin Chic, who is by Smart Chic Olena out of Kwackin, by Dual Pep. Kwackin is also the dam of Catting, NCHA (cutting horse) earner of more than $175,000. Kwackin’s dam, Crackin, by Smart Little Lena, is out of NCHA Futurity champion Lynx Melody; Kwackin is half-sister to Smart Crack, NCHA earner of $31,557.
Nogle sold Smart Crackin Chic to Garth Brown as a yearling, for $22,500 at the 2004 National Cutting Horse Association Futurity Sales. Brown, in turn, sold the mare to Singleton Ranches, through the 2005 Snaffle Bit Futurity Sale.
“The mare always had a lot of cow and was real electric,” said Crawford, who took up Smart Crackin Chic’s reins following Singleton Ranches’ purchase. “She was bright with her ears, bright on a cow, and quick on a cow. She had a good feel about her all the way through.”
Meradas Cookin Now, by Meradas Money Talks out of Cookies Cookin, owned by Bourdet Ranches, Chiliquin, OR, claimed the Snaffle Bit Futurity reserve title.
“It’s a hard way to lose, by tying,” said rider Jon Roeser, who earned $82,000 for his efforts. “In the old days they would work it off.”
“I felt really good after the reining being the leader, but I knew this contest would come down to the fence work. I knew I had an early draw and I was fortunate to have a decent cow.”
During opening ceremonies on September 17, Roeser, as well as Ted Robinson and Bob Avila, was recognized as one of NRCHA’s Million Dollar Riders. Nu Cash, Shining Spark and Smart Chic Olena were also honored as NRCHA Million Dollar Sires.
Boyd Rice, 2005 NCHA World Champion on Bobs Hickory Rio, finished fourth in the 2006 Snaffle Bit Futurity to earn $52,000 on Hip Addams, owned by Sierra Oak Ranch. Rice was also 2005 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Intermediate Open Futurity Champion on Playin Attraction, owned by Burnett Ranches, Ltd.