New heiffers

 
Worked out some of the new heiffers today with Kick The Cat. She was really cowfresh but she hasn't seen any cows for a month so that was expected. She settled down though and ended on a good note.

Ritzy was supposed to work out also today, but her workout was cut short as the neighbours track was like concrete.

Gunnen Olena

Link to his webpage: www.4corners.se/GunnenOlena.html for better viewing.

A most eventful week & weekend culminated with the purchase of this guy at Thursday's Snafflebit Futurity Sale in Reno. We had a bunch of colts to look over and with great assistance from Idaho cowhorse trainer and friend Todd Fitch we narrowed the list down to about 6-7 horses. One in Thursday's sale and the others in Saturday's Select Yearling sale. After feeling out the competition and disqualifying some of our "victims", we decided to go for it on Thursday and get this CD Olena yearling colt, bred by San Juan Ranch, if we could get him for the right price. There were a bunch CD Olenas in the sale and this one was the first one out. Good thing too we got him Thursday as the other colts still on our radar went way over budget!

A super strong damside going back to 3rd dam, Annie Reynolds great Shirley McLain, a producer of more than $250.000. 2nd dam Shirley Smoke $10.000+ was a NRCHA Futurity finalist and have 2 performers in Shirleys A Gunner (APHA World Champion) and 1st dam, the super versatile Shirley Ima Gunner (APHA World Res.Champion) with 158 Open performance points in Cowhorse, Reining, Steer Stopping, Heading & Heeling. Shirley only have 3 offspring and only one is of performance age yet.
This damside have produced performers like Smart Luck $190.000+, Shiney And Verysmart $125.000 and Very Shiney $120.000 etc.

Sire is the late CD Olena who really doesn't need an introduction, simply one of the cutting industry's greatest performers and sires. $15.3 million with an average of over $25.000/performer. More than half of his 1200 plus foals have been performers.

On Saturday we saw what this combo can do, a San Juan Ranch bred CD Olena colt won the Snafflebit Futurity! CD Diamond & Corey Cushing turned out a dominating fencerun to the tune of 222pts to secure the win.

This double registrered Paint/Quarter yearling colt will go into training with Todd and we'll let him work his magic and maybe we'll head back to Reno in two years?!

Veteran tractor plowing!

Had a blast yesterday! We had a Veteran Tractor plowing deal here at the ranch with some 35 entries! People from near and far showed up with machinery from the 30's and forward, even some plowhorse enthusiasts showed up! I borrowed a 1957 "Grålle"Massey Ferguson and had a blast!

Some pics from last weekends herdwork.

Summin up the weekend

Me and our 3yo filly Kick The Cat made our show debute in a Herdwork class at the Swedish Reined Cowhorse Association's fall show at Axevalla a "short" 200 miles trip from home. As draw 8 out of 13 entries we had just enough time to get aquainted with the arena, warm up, hire help and study the cows just alittle. The horse was really cool, calm and collected. The ground was great for her and she was really chasing the stops so all I was somewhat worried about was the herd. 30 head, but pretty small and not very intimidating. She's only walked through the herd on a couple of occasions and she got a little hesitant the last time, they vere a lot bigger though.
She didn't flinch and my herdholder Robert helped me spot a couple of fresh ones. I got my first calf cut really clean right infront of the judgesstand, a little black and white thing that looked like it would play for a bit. Not much action here, just back and forth but Cat went out and stopped her pretty good and never lost possition. I worked her for a good 40 seconds I think and only had a minute left when we went for our second cow. Not as clean and assertive a cut as the first, but we got our cow cut in the middle of the pen again. The mare again worked good, travelling straight, stopping straight and letting me hold her in the turns. We didn't get anything set up in the middle with razzle dazzle turns or anything but solid work where everything was in control. As it turned out I held her to short apparently and lost a point in the run content resulting in a 69. Plus in the herdwork though and the mare did everything I had hoped. It was an easy trip home that's for sure!

Kick The Cat

 

 Today we learned that Styrbjörn and Monas 4yo Ima Peppy Pistolero (Silver Royal Pistol-Justa Bita Pep), raised by us at our old place, won the AQHA jr Reining at the same show! He was hurt early last year and hasn't been worked again until this summer I think. Really fun to have two offspring show at the same show resulting in two wins!

Ima Peppy Pistolero

 Now all 3 of the horses we've raised that are of show age have won, Molly or Sweet Lil Angel (Ima Peppy Pistoleros full sister) has been active with her owner Mimmi and brought home a bunch of ribbons too.

Sweet Lil Angel

The 2yo La Flor del Viento (Peeka Pep-Justa Bita Pep) has been dinged up a bit, but we hope that's behind her now and we'll get her ready this winter too.

La Flor del Viento

Olivia

Took awhile!
Olivia is what got me sidetracked from the all important blog postings. She finally did arrive! Wednesday August 8. A healthy, beautiful baby girl. We didn't really have a name picked out and while the doctors was sewing Annelie back together (C-section) I was promptly handed the newborn baby. After checking her vitals and everything I was led down the corridor to our new room. As I was pacing back and forth with this wonderful little creature in my arms, I found myself softly singing a John Mayer tune for my little girl, "Something Like Olivia". It kinda stuck and when we were reunited with Annelie she agreed she looked like an Olivia.

Olivia with proud sis Ida

Things are moving along on the horse front also. Cat and I are entered in an Allbreeds/all ages Herdwork class on September 8th. It will be show debute for us both. Just hope I can find some decent turnbacks and herdholders to help us out, then we should be fine. I have all the confidence in the world in my horse, but it's a first and we don't really know how she and I will react to a show situation. It will be alot of fun though and I'm excited.

Still waiting!

"Stuck" here at the ranch waiting for the delivery.....Woulda loved to be at the Cutting in Täby this weekend! Passing my time working the horses, feeding pigs, goats, sheep, bunnies & guinnea pigs and whatever else moves and breathes on this place!

I am following the Derby cutting from Fort Worth over the interweb thing. Makes you wonder though, I have draws, working orders, results and a webcast from half way around the globe, but have no clue as to who and what horses are entered in a cutting a 2hour drive from here! Gotta rectify that for next seasson!


 We've had a humid, pressing heat here for a week or two. Working the horses early or late at night. Kick The Cat feels great. We got away's to go still before she's secure enough to work on her own. I let her go here and there, for a couple of turns before she get's too eager and wants to cheat alittle. It's slow, but it is steady progress.

Kick The Cat

Polly's cut is healing up decent. It was a couple of inches wide and fairly deep between pastern and hoof, so sewing was out. We've treated it and have had her wrapped out in the pasture but airing it out when she's been stalled at night using only tarplaster to keep the flies & bugs off. She should be ok in a couple of weeks.

Ritzy's Dream has been worked too. She feels as good as ever on the straightaway and a new trip to the track should be made here in a bit.

Ritzy's Dream

The NCHA Derby finals are upon us tonight with the Non Pro and the Open. Hottish keeps impressing in the open and easily scored a semifinal best 221. Boyd Rice's two Center Ranch fillies CR Smart Brow April and CR Sun Reys looked great too with a 219 and a 218.5 respectively.

Hottish

CR Sun Reys

Still holding hope for Roger Wagners Dual N CD, he made the finals with a 217 and room to spare.

It took a 215 to advance to the final 22 and most of the favorites are in. Missing and "shoulda maybe" from the semis are Jae Bar One Time, Jewel Bars Cat, Sigala Rey and Matt Gaines Smooth N Catacular. All the semifinalists walk home with a $4.500 check though. Waltons Fortune Bend coulda been in there also and I thought he should have, he only marked a 212 and musta had misses I didn't notice on my lagging live stream. The run that I saw looked more like a 219.

A horse that also is very capable of posting money scores is Thundercat. He had to settle for the ltd Non Pro championship were he marked a 221 to claim the $11.000 cheque for owner/rider Don Bell. The HBC colt out of great performer and producer Desire Some Freckles, do have a chance to increase that in the Non Pro finals tonight. Look out for Ty Moore & Mrs Bay Cat in the Non Pro also.

Thundercat

Derby 2nd go

It took a composite score of 429.5 for the top 64 to advance to Friday's Derby semifinals. Austin Shepards Time To Hangem (One Time Pepto-Hangem High Pep) posted the highest score in the second go with a 221. The gelding looked great and showed alittle of what made him one of the favorites in last decembers futurity final.

Time To Hangem

Leading the pack in to the clean slate semis are two of my personal favorites namely Lloyd Cox's Hottish 438.5 and James Payne's Once In A Blu Boon 437.5. The pair played it pretty safe in the second round but looks strong and consistent.

Hottish

Other horses I like in the semis are Phil Hansons Fortune Bend (One Time Pepto-Stylish Baby Doll) andCurtis Bass Stylish China Cat (HBC-Stylish Freckles) are horses I eye with interest and have been following since I looked at a yearling brothers to both this winter,

Center Ranches owned and Boyd Rice trained duo CR Sun Reys & CR Smart Brow April  posted an identical 433 composite by the way, doubt they have what it takes though to win it all.

CR Sun Reys

Would love for Roger Wagner to have some success with Dual N CD (CD Lights-Dual N At Noon) I really love the way Rogers horses work and they usually look really good on a cow.




Jewel Bars Cat, Kit Kat Sugar, Rey N Style, Jay Bar One Time, Sigala Rey.....there's a bunch of horses that can claim this one and we'll know more after the semis Friday for sure. Hope I havn't given the above mentioned the kiss off death by mentioning them! ;)

Kit Kat Sugar

Work, work, work

Lots on the plate for today. Drive Ritzy, ride Cat, fix the sheep pen, shoe the remaining feet on the two mentioned, fix the combine pig/goat shed, deal with the wasp nest in the door to the arena (yes, they built it in one of the supporting beams on the arena door!) water down, salt and drag the arena, fix the watertank for the cows and finally win a couple of million betting on the pony's in todays races!
Should be done by lunchtime!
Yesterday's 4 sets of the Summer Spectacular only saw one change in the top 10. Stylish Martini's sister Shesa Dirty Martini ridden by Jason Clarke placed 10th with a 217.5. Russ Westfals two CD Royals, CD Royal Highness & Just As Reckless followed with 217.

Today the 1st round finishes up with the remaining 6 sets with the likes of Rey N Style, Cinka de Maya, Boyd Rices two Center Ranch owned CR Sun Reys & CR Smart Brow April, Matt Millers Thundercat & Matt Gaines Smart Lookin Hanna. The latter will sell at the Husby dispersal sale in September by the way with a horde of other performers, prospects & broodmares.  Horses like Blue One Time, Cat Zahir, Never Reylinquish, Lenas Horn etc.

Derbytime

I've slowed things waaay down with Kick The Cat on the flag and she's responding pretty well so far. She was getting ahead of herself, especially turning to the right, got stiff and threw out her shoulder. Now I'm having her wait, wait, wait draw, bend and turn. She's not happy with it, but she's slowly getting better. She has a ton of nerves and gets pretty worked up when working the flag. Out in the pen with the cows she's way cooler and really tries to read and react.

The NCHA Summer Spectacular Derby's first go started yesterday. A total of 131 horses +ties will advance to the 2nd go. It usually takes a 212-213 to advance from the first go.
Looks like Hottish has simmered down quite a bit this season. He's way more in control and seems to read the cattle much better than before. He's alway's had the talent and extreeme physical ability but at times overreacted something fierce. A 221.5 in total control placed him 1st after yesterday's 4 sets. Another 10 sets remain, 4 today and 6 tomorrow. Second so far for Bill Riddles fine mare Sheza Stylish Cougar 220.5, Phil Hanson & LHR Royal Flush shares third with Sigala Rey & Lee Francois scoring a 219.

Hottish

Sheza Stylish Cougar

LHR Royal Flush

Sigala Rey

Sidenote: 2sisters to Sigala will probably be avaliable at the futurity sales this fall. One a full sister by Dual Rey-Uno Tassa Mia  and the other by Dual Smart Rey-Uno Tassa Mia (2nd dam Tassa Mia offspring earnings:$470.000).

Sarenalena

Sarenalena

Sarenalena & James Payne ended up on top in the Summer Spectaculas Classic final yesterday. The 6yo mare by Dual Pep out of Sarenas Playgirl (sister to Freckles Merada, Shesa Playmate, Playboys Angela, A Leanette, Young Gun and Playboys Mom) had prior earnings of $84.600 and from 3rd draw in the 1st bunch the duo went out with the mindset of capturing a check of $17.000 (6th place) to put the mare over the $100.000 mark. They ended up Champions scoring a 223 in a spectacular run that was really crisp and on the money, earning $41.000 for their troubles.
Payne then had to sweat it out watching another 22 riders trying to knock him down. Lloyd Cox and One Time Royalty came close with a strong 222 followed by Gerge C Meradas and Reys Desires 220.5. Several great horses remained and they all had a chance. Next to last was Cat A Rey and Brd Mitchell who looked oh so good until the last cow who drew down the run to a 9th place with a 217.5

Rocking W. finished up and Phil Rapp tried no doubt and had a solid run too but a couple of small misses and a below average last cut left them with a 216.5.

I'll be eyeing the cutting webcast tonight!

Finals in the Summer Spectacular Classic tonight. It's set to be a real thriller with good horses throughout and finishing up the last bunch with maybe the two strongest cards from the gorounds, Cat A Rey and Rocking W. ! Three more were added to the finals after yesterday's Wild Card round. Serenadual posted a 222 from the first draw and nobody was able to catch her. Mates Mister Sunette came close with a 221.5 and rounding out the trio was Stylish Martini posting 219.5.

Serenadual

 I think it will come down to the wire and who ever cuts the best cows will be the last one standing.

My highly subjective ranking:

Rocking W.
Blue One Time
Cat A Ray
One Time Royalty
Stylish Martini
SDP Locked N Loaded
Gerge C Merada
Serenadual

Rocking W.

But I've been wrong before ;)

Kick The Cat is still alright in her workouts. Can get sloppy here and there but that's mostly cow freshness and her strong desire. She can work herself up pretty good though and get overly eager.

Ritzy was a bit dull and uninspired in her speedwork yesterday. No temp or any indication of something wrong so we're going with an off day for now and hope she's better on Wednesday.

Something a little worrying is Pollys abillity to get herself in a bind. This time she managed to get cut pretty bad below the pastern. Bad place to get it sewn up and we're treating it as best we can and keeping our fingers crossed.