Some pics from yesterday's cowwork.

Ida, Martin & Gizmo

 After spending the day at the office, it was great to come home and work Kick The Cat on the cows some. She's still pretty cowfresh but simmers down some after working for awhile.

The Boyz

Wish I had horns!

We keep the calves in a litte pasture up by the roundpen at the moment wich is handy. They need to put on some weight though and will soon be let out in a larger pasture.

 Cat did really well after the edge wore of a bit. She's getting the positioning down pretty well, but can still get a little to hot when she's challenged.

She finished really strong and read the calf beautifully the last couple of turns.

Ida and Furix had a nice ride aswell, finishing with some quality time in the barn.

Olivia and Gizmo helped round up the bulls (by staying out of trouble).

Fall update

We've started over with Kick The Cat after her standstill with injuries and sickness. She's been rode a handful of times and feels pretty good so far. We're taking things really slow and easy and we're aiming for the showpen next year as she's fallen too far behind to be competetive this year.

I'll get back on Polly as well in a week or so and she defenately needs the excercise! She looks like she's about to foal any day now! Easy keeper that's for sure and she's looking at a lot of miles here in the near future.

Hagar is still progressing according to plan and Todd's still very pleased with him. He's getting more comfortable in the herdwork and he stops, spins and leadchanges with ease.

SDP Fourina C is growing also but the Texas weanlings have lost some pounds as it's been very hot overthere this summer and fall.

We had the vet out for a bloodsample to see if Ritzy's Dream still is in foal, by her looks she still is but we're awaitng the testresults for conformation.

The horses have been outside 24-7 the last couple of weeks as we emptied the barn, steamcleaned and disinfected the stalls to get rid of any surviving virus and bacteria. The horses will start spending the nights inside soon as it's getting pretty chilly at night.

The bull-calves works great and they'll be in their new pasture in a couple of day's and only be brought in over the weekends to be worked.

Idaho

Some pics from my & Ida's stay at Todd & Julie Fitch's in Pocatello, Idaho.

Hagar our 2yo on top of Scout Mountain at close to 8000 feet.

Ida holding herd with Bobo & Burt.

 Moving cows in the Caribou National Forrest.

 Ida on Hagar

 Ida and I

 Julie and Mandy

 Kimberlyn heeling

 Todd & Julie

Ben's graduation, the Hicapoo connection and NRCHA Derby prelims

Benjamin

The week is winding down and soon coming to a close. Ben's graduation Wednesday was a complete success and we couldn't be more proud of him. Seems like the music project I tortured you all with awhile back won the "Best project of 2013" award!
Here's a linky to all of you who havn't wrecked your eardums yet: http://soundcloud.com/komon-projekt

Proud father & son. (I'm still taller son!!)

 A beautiful day turned into a great evening celebrating our oldest's graduadtion with family and friends, thank you all!


"The Non Pro and Open" in  Oklahoma City is rolling and entering the 4th day of competition.
Today the 4-year old Non Pro is up with several interesting horses entered.

SDP Hydriven Hicapoo

From our perspective none more interesting than SDP Hydriven Hicapoo (Hydrive Cat-Hicapoo) ridden by Julie Jarma. This talanted mare recently won the Breeders Invitational Non Pro Limited, was a finalist in the Super Stakes NP, Breeders Invitational NP and Abilene Open Derby. She'll face stiff competition though from a number top ranked 4year olds and only 11 make Sundays finals. Her 1/2 sister SDP Hicarey (TR Dual Rey-Hicapoo) is entered aswell and looking through the draws and results from Oklahoma we find a heavy doze of Hicapoo represented! Hicapoo ($446.000) is in the NCHA Hall of Fame and was NCHA Horse of the Year for Paul Hansma and has been a great producer with offspring earnings close to $400.000. She also has produced 2 daughters with earners of more than $600.000 each!
Horses entered in the "Non Pro and Open" sprung from the Hicapoo line:

CD Boonsmal $311.000 (CD Olena-Poosmal, 2nd dam Hicapoo) posted a 222 in the Open Tuesday!
Boiler Room $188.000 (Dual Pep-Capoo, 2nd dam Hicapoo) in the 15k Amateur finals today!
Capoo $138.000 (CD Olena-Hicapoo) 5th in the 35k Non Pro finals yesterday, 17years young!
Cees Little Poo $206.000 (SR Instant Choice-Perry Poo, sister to Hicapoo) 9th in the NP Thursday
Playin At The Mall $280.000 (Playdox-Poosmal, 2nd dam Hicapoo) In the Open Saturday.
SDP Hicarey $400.00 (TR Dual Rey-Hicapoo) In the 4-yo Non Pro today.
SDP Hydriven Hicapoo $40.000 (Hydrive Cat-Hicapoo) In the 4-yo Non Pro today.

CD Boonsmal & Chubby Turner

On the west coast the Cowhorses are tearing it up in the NRCHA Derby. The preliminary round ended yesterday and the prelim.scoreboard looks like this:

Great to see Boyd on top with BFR Igniting Sparks followed by a pack of very talented horses and riders led by San Juan Ranch's Snaffle Bit Champ. CD Diamond & Cory Cushing. Chris Dawsons dynamic duo of Travelin Jonez & A Spoonful O Sugar in close third along with Davis Ranch's High Roller Rey. The top 20 will meet in the clean slate finals Saturday.
This is a wide open affair as always, Chris Dawson has ended on top alot lately with both his top mounts but his most impressive fencerun came aboard his third entry, Callme Mister Mister scoring a beautiful 222.5. Also noteworthy was yesterdays highscoring fencework, Red Moons Rising & Jake Telford. A spectakular fence run, crisp, smooth and gutsy to the tune of 226pts! Red Moons Rising is a full brother to Boyds 2011 Futurity Reserve Champ. Moonstruck Pepto $89.000 (One Time Pepto-Moonstruck Cat)
Great also to see Les Vogt making an apperance in the finals aboard his 2008 Nic It In The Bud gelding Nic It Smartly, good job!

Exciting week

Summers here and we're gearing up for Ben's graduation Wednesday, Idas grad from 4th grade Thursday and our coming trip to Idaho next Monday.

We're also having Ritzy's Dream preg.checked this week and hopefully she's safe in foal.

Ritzy's Dream

I started riding Kick The Cat again last week after her injury and 2.5 month layoff.

Kick The Cat

Knock on wood, she seems to be holding up fine. Havn't pushed her any though so we'll see in a couple of weeks when the intensity picks up but so far so good. Ofcourse the mares all caught a cold too, so we'll have to pull up some and wait that out aswell :(

Meanwhile, the NRCHA Derby kicks off today with the herdwork in Paso Robles, CA.
Most of the top 4 & 5 year olds are there and several of our friends have something entered! Maybe most excited to see how Snafflebit Futurity Champ CD Diamond has wintered.

CD Diamond

Also keeping our fingers crossed for Boyd's trio Mamas Money Talks, Highbrow Fletch and BRF Igniting Sparks.
Les Vogt is showing his sibling duo of Nic It Smartly and Nickin Along and our friends at Davis Ranch have their exciting young Dual Rey stud High Roller Rey ridden by Brandon Buttars.

High Roller Rey

Keeping an eye on Luke Neuberts This Cats Cracking in the same set, this one's been on my radar since his 2yo year. Very nice colt and I really hope Luke gets him shown.


Tomorrow also marks the start of The Non Pro and The Open in Oklahoma City.

The open go round looks super interesting with Dufurrenas Auspicious Cat facing off against Don't Look Twice, Cat Man Blue and ARC Ruby Playgunia among others.

Auspicious Cat

Don't Look Twice

 The Dufurrenas also have Nievas in the Non Pro going up against Rapps Reyzin, A Little Bossy, Catty Hawk, Smooth Asa Zee and Intention del Rey etc.

Reyzin

Will come back to the Non Pro and Open when the draws for the 4 year old divisions have been posted in a day or so.

Ritzy's Dream

Ritzy's Dream

 We haver officially "retired" Ritzy, "" since she actually never made it to the racetrack other than 4 her qualifier as a 2year old.

She probably has som scartissue and/or cartlidge damage in a joint that requires surgery if we plan to continue training her for the track. So we've decided to breed her instead as she isn't likely to make much of an impact as a racehorse being that she's already 5 and still unshown.

She showed enough talent in training though, has a really solid pedigree and is built right so she should make a pretty nice broodmare we think.

Her first partner will be champion & former world record holder S.J.'s Caviar  

S.J.'s Caviar

Record:1.10,7a  Earnings: $ 1 288 466 Starts: 30: 20-2-0

S.J.'s Caviar top 15 offspring

 He's gotten of as a great start as a sire producing 6 world record holders and earners of more than $30.000.000 so far!

He should cross well on our mare too being out of S.J.'s Photo and a super strong maternal line going back to Lady Ann Reed.
 

Looks like the mare is ready to breed tomorrow, Monday, or later in the week.

Super Stakes Finals

The 2013 Super Stakes are in the books and here are a few quick observations from the finals:
Tough cows as always, but the two bunches in the finals had most contestants just trying to survive. You didn't really see many of those descisive and agressive cuts you are used to at this level as the cows just wouldn't let you.

Hes A Hot Cat

Wes Galyean & Hes A Hot Cat (Spots Hot-Cassies Kit Cat) drew 5th in the 1st set and worked his three cows to a 219 to bring home the championship. Especially the last two cows earned him the win and the horse looked great. Wes had three horses in the final and ended up 4th (Lil Rattler 216.5) and tied 5th (Tattoos On This Town 216)

1st out in the 1st set was Boyd Rice on Center Ranch's CR First Tuff (Woody Be Tuff-Dees Cats Meow) a horse whose horn I've been tooting since the futurity. Boyd started out really careful and eased his way in there for his first cut. The cow he ended up cutting didn't do much for him though and it really stunk. Boyd described it afterwards as a "pretty sad critter". The following two gave CR First Tuff a bit more of a challenge though and he was able to show off some of his signature strength, quickness and athletic ability. Those last two recovered some of the ground lost on the first and Boyd ended up scoring a 217, eventually good enough for 3rd place with great assistance from the entire Rice family.

CR First Tuff & Boyd Rice

CR First Tuff & Halee

Tatum, Boyd & Tarin

Finishing the 1st set was James Payne on Quick Be A Cat (HBC-Zack Be Quick). James horse looked really good and it was a pleasure watching. Lots and lots of working time and the run finally netted a 217.5 and a reserve championship.

Quick Be A Cat

'
The day started out with the Non Pro finals. As in the open, the cows were pretty difficult to master and it also ended up a low scoring affair. Ray Baldwin of Waco Bend Ranch walked to the herd as 20th and final contestant on his Shesa Hollywoodcat. A pretty solid run with solid support and coaching from Phil Rapp earned Ray the NP championship scoring a 216.5.

Ray Baldwin & Phil Rapp

Shesa Hollywoodcat