Todd Crawford & Smart Shinetta Maintain Open Futurity Lead

Todd Crawford and Lyle Lovett’s Smart Shinetta (Shining Spark x Smart Hickory) entered the Open Cow Work Preliminaries leading the composite with a 437.5. After earning a 210 in the cow work, Todd, of Blanchard, Oklahoma, and the mare hold on to the lead in the National Reined Cow Horse Association Open Snaffle Bit Futurity Preliminaries after the first section of the Cow Work Preliminaries. The remaining 10 sets of Cow Work begin at 7 Wednesday morning and will determine who will advance to the Futurity Finals.

Texas trainer Boyd Rice held onto his lead in the Intermediate Open division after adding a 216 from the Cow Work to his previous 431-point composite. Boyd is riding Playin Attraction (Play Stylish x Ginnin Attraction), owned by Burnett Ranches, LTD.

Chris Dawson, Gainesville, Texas, took over the Limited Open division lead riding Lil Miss Shiney Chex (Shining Spark x Lil Miss Smarty Chex), owned by Carol Rose Quarter Horses. Chris and the mare marked a 216 in the cow work for a 640 total composite.

The 2005 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity runs through October 2 at the Reno Livestock Event Center in Nevada. Along with the cow horse competition, the event features the Best of the West Trade Show and three world-class horse sales. For more information, including up-to-date results, a live web cast and a list of those still in the running in the Sundowner Drawdown, please visit www.nrcha.com.

The National Reined Cow Horse Association, the 56-year-old 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 Bayer Corporation, Bob's Custom Saddles, Cinch, Inc., Classic Equine, EQ Solutions, MD Barns, Platinum Performance, Inc., Nutrena, Skyline Gold and Silversmiths, Sundowner Trailers, National Ropers Supply, Quarter Horse News & Western Horseman magazine, the Reno Hilton, Farnam products Vetrolin Liniment and Farnam dewormers IverCare, ComboCare, LiquiCare P and Continuex, Fort Dodge West Nile Innovator, Rios of Mercedes, Great American Insurance Company, GASTROGARD and ULCERGARD and the Silver Legacy, 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.