5-STATE BREEDER BARREL FUTURITY & MATURITY
September 7-9, 2007
Rapid City, South Dakota
Story & Photography by: Larry Larson
Click here for winner photos
Rapid City, SD – Again challenged by an early fall rain and a soft outdoor pattern, the 2007 edition of the 5-State Breeders Barrel Futurity moved next door to the convenience of the Pennington County Event Center. Held here at the Central States Fairgrounds on September 8-9, the 10th annual running drew contestants from across the nation not only for the main futurity event but also an amateur division and the maturity.
Owner Chris Gibbons from Worland, Wyoming was on hand to see her 5-year-old palomino gelding A Fancy Guy win the 2007 Championship of the 5-State Breeders Barrel Futurity. Sired by the barrel racing industry’s first Triple Crown Sire Frenchmans Guy, he was piloted by perennial threat Hallie Melvin from Hermosa, SD. The gelding was consistent with a 3rd place finish in the first go, then a split for 3rd and 4th in the second and a come back and 2nd place finish in the short-go. They had a cumulative time of 51.126 and took home final paychecks worth $6,525. The Futurity in 2007 recorded 60 entries, had an impressive $18,000 in added money and a total purse of $30,000.
Close behind Melvin and A Fancy Guy was Bian Kus Honey, a 2002 sorrel mare sired by Frenchmans Biankus, owned by R.L. Tinant from Crookston, NE and ridden by Samantha Flannery, Mission, SD. Their cumulative time of 51.208 and eventual checks totaling $6,750 came from a 2nd in the 1st and 2nd goes followed by a 3rd place finish in the short go for their Reserve Championship in the 5-State Futurity. The Fulton Ranch bred mare Frenchmans Aprillena coasted to the fast time of the futurity with a 16.552 - claiming the short-go win worth $2,250. The 2003 palomino mare, sired by Frenchmans Guy and out of Easy April Lena, an own daughter of Doc O Dynamite, is owned by Harold and Karen Holland, Bucyrus, KS and was ridden at the 5-State by Samantha Flannery from Mission, SD.
Amateur division winner for 2007 was Britt Bossert, St. Onge, SD, and the first foal sired by Jeff & Kristie Thorstenson’s palomino stallion Sadies Frosty Drift. Sadies Uno Sunshine had a total time of 35.039 with eventual earnings of $800. Dash Past Earnhardt, sired by Dashing With Cash, was the Reserve Champion in the Amateur Division. The 2002 chestnut stallion, owned by Bert & Sue Fortner, Gillette, WY, and ridden by Sue, had earnings of $450 in the division that posted 12 entries and $2,000 in added money.
Fourteen entries competed for $2,000 in added money and their chance at the $3,680 total purse in the 2007 Maturity. Besting the field was Frenchmans Leo, again sired by the Myers Ranch stallion Frenchmans Guy, with a cumulative time on the two runs of 34.267 and eventual winnings of $1,104. Owned by Glen & Shelly Lammers, Rapid City, SD, the 1999 bay mare out of a daughter of Leo Tag 2 was ridden by Shelly to an early win in the first go round. CB Day, sired by Dashing With Cash and owned/ridden by Danna Stovner, Council, ID, won checks totaling $828 and had a cumulative time of 34.436 to claim the Reserve Championship in the Maturity.
The 10th Annual 5-State Breeders Barrel Futurity/Maturity drew 86 total entries competing for $22,000 in added money and a total purse of $35,680. Promoters throughout the 10-year span of the 5-State Futurity have been Bill & Deb Myers from St. Onge, South Dakota with ZeAnn Golliher filling in as the secretary in 2007. Only foals sired by subscribed stallions are eligible to complete in the annual futurity/maturity divisions and sponsors for the 2007 included – Ray’s Western Wear, Classic Equine, Equibrand, Pete’s Custom Conversions, Brooks-Maberry Agency, Inc. Equine Insurance, Myers Training Stable, Shearer Ranch, Ken & Roxanne Ripley, First Western Bank, Sturgis Veterinary Hospital and Roper Apparel & Footwear. |
