Reunion Round-Up - The Horse Resource Magazine

Story & Pictures Provided By : Josey Ranch
Reunion Round-Up
2010
T
he most beautiful sunny skies,
perfect temperatures and 364
contestants and horses from all over
the U.S. and Canada, battling it out
for over $100,000 in cash and prizes, including
a decked-out BIG TEX/CM Trailer, Circle Y &
Billy Cook Saddles, Bob Berg Championship
Trophy Buckles, Purina Feed, United Vet
Products, and more! That is Barrel Racing at
its best and that is what happened during the
2010 Josey Reunion Round-Up for former
students this year!
“We could not enjoy the freedom that we have
this weekend without those men and women in
the armed forces that have served our country”,
Randy Adams and Coy Huffman announced
as the weekend began with a salute to our
veterans and the presentation of the colors by
the Marshall High School ROTC under the
direction of Major Mayfield.
Over 2000 people came to the Josey Ranch
with family, friends, riders and horses to enjoy
food, fun and fellowship among the excitement
of barrel racing and pole bending. But what
really lit up the main arena with electricity
was fourteen-year-old Blue Grass Iowan,
Mesa Leavitt who began making history in the
rodeo world in 2005 with her horse, Juniors
Genuine Doc aka “Junior”. She won the
prestigious Josey Jr. World title back-to-back
and four times overall in 05, 06, 08 and 09.
She holds the Triple Crown of barrel racing
winning the Josey Jr. World, All American
Youth, and NBHA Youth World. Sitting tight
in her Martha Josey/Circle Y Ultimate saddle,
holding fast to her Josey Beagley Knot Reins
attached to the Josey Million Dollar bit, and
styling in her Cowgirl Tuff Jeans, the official
Jeans of the Josey Ranch, she and Junior ran
to win with an outstanding time of 16.112.
Mesa’s parents purchased Junior from Suvoy
and Cherul Rosser through the Josey Ranch
and what a winning combination that has
become. Mesa took home a slew of cash and
prizes including a beautiful trailer donated by
BIGTEX/COM Trailers, a Circle Y Saddle,
Bob Berg Championship Trophy Buckle, a
Don Wasson Bit for the fastest time, quality
Hy-Flex products by United Vet Equine, Purina
Feed, and much, much more.
The champions in each division won saddles
along with a beautiful, custom designed Bob
Berg Buckle. And standing on the stage was
Amy Swan of Olney, Texas, riding Boons
Prescription to win the 2D Championship,
with a time of 16.626. The 3D Champion was
Gilmer, Texan cowgirl, Kari Arreola Henson
riding
Pinto with a time of 17.150. And the 4D went
to a great friend of Josey Ranch, the one and
only Kris Suard of the Black Star Ranch in
Houma, Louisiana, riding her horse Phoebes
Smokin Cat to claim a time of 18.147. Andrea
Whiteside, of Kilgore, Texas, riding The Right
To Run won the Senior Division Championship
with a 16.574. The Reserve Champions were
1D Abby Pursifull of Arthur City, Texas, riding
Truckstop with a time of 16.217, 2D Jana
Guthrie of Canton, Texas, riding Gee with a
time of 16.635, 3D Cooper Clinton of Carthage,
Texas, riding Fortune Five with a time of
17.166 and the 4D Reserve Champion was
Sara Funderburk of Bossier City, Louisiana,
riding Money with a time of 18.234.
On Thursday night, the Josey Ranch kicked
off the Reunion with a ground shaking Pole
Bending competition. Keily Abney of Hugo,
Oklahoma riding Dallas made a streaking run
of 20.719 to win the 1D. The 2D was won by
Brittany Ellis riding Troy with a time of 21.721,
and Jolie Null of Marshall, Texas riding Doll
captured the 3D with a time of 22.721.
Two college scholarships were awarded
immediately following the church service. The
Thomas Mitchell Scholarship was awarded
to Ashton Michelle Wright of Queen City,
Texas. And the Green Beret SSG Jamie
Alford scholarship winner went to Kelci
Kennedy of Linden, Texas delivered tearfully
by Jamie’s mother, Gale Alford who spoke of
her son’s passing, and loving commitment to
barrel racing. Former Green Beret Judge Jim
Ammerman presented the award and gave a
salute to the fallen soldier.
In honor of Martha Josey’s great horse, Sonny
Bit O’Both, the only horse to ever win the
AQHA and WPRA World Championships
in the same year, a very special award was
given to the Horse with the Most Heart. This
year;s honor went to Kylie Abney’s horse
Southern Spunk aka “Dallas”. Despite broken
withers just five years earlier and a devastating
diagnosis that this horse would never run again,
23 year old “Dallas” won the 2010 Reunion
Round-Up Pole Bending event with a time of
20.719.
The Oldest Horse Award, as well as the Fastest
Veteran Award, went to Elaine Lambino on
32 year old “Peppy”. The Fastest Paint Horse
Award went to Royena Clifton on Cooza Crisp
with a 16.503. Contestant Hailey Poole’s
Grandfather, Roger Dees, won the Martha
Josey Ultimate Circle Y Raffle Saddle.
Thanks
to
the
Barrel Horse News,
Circly Y Saddlery,
HealthyCoat,
Thoro’Bred
Horseshoes,
and
Mark Burt MVP
Video Productions
the 2010 Josey
Reunion
RoundUp was webcast
live and viewed
all over the World.
With
comments
on the race all the
way from China’s
NBHA Champion,
Dashun Liu, it can
truly be said that
Martha and R.E.
are loved the world
over.
Mesa Leavitt
If you would like
to be a part of the
2011 Josey Reunion Round-Up or for more
information on future Josey Clinics and events
at the Josey Ranch in Marshall, Texas or in
your area, please visit us at www.barrelracers.
com or call us at 903-935-5358.
Junior Genuine Doc
“Junior”
“We have had over 100,000 students through
our clinics and the Reunion is such a great
time to see our students again and to see their
progress and success. Congratulations to all of
the 2010 Josey Reunion Round-Up winners!” R.E. & Martha Josey
If you will be a high school or home schooled Freshman through Senior who enjoys
rodeo and making new friends consider joining the Indiana High School Rodeo
Association. Not only do students compete for year-end awards and a spot on the
National High School Finals Rodeo Team, you will also have the opportunity to earn scholarship
money to continue your education beyond high school. Our membership for the new 2010 - 2011
season opens August 1st, 2010 and all of the necessary forms and requirements can be found on
our website at ihsraonline.org. In the meantime, come and see us in action at our State Finals
Competition to be held at Jasper County Fairgrounds in Rensselaer, IN. Competion will begin
Friday, June 17th with a performance at 7:00 PM. Our second performance will be Saturday
morning at 10:00 AM and the final performance will be that evening at 7:00 PM. Following the final
performance, be sure to stay and enjoy the live band which is scheduled to entertain our contestants
and their families. The top four contestants in each event following the State Finals Competion will
comprise our 2010 “Team Indiana”. This team will compete in the National High School Finals Rodeo
which is being held in Gillette, Wyoming July 18th - 24th. Our students and their families are very
excited about this rodeo which involves over 1500 competitors from more than 45 states and our
Canadian neighbors plus Australia! Be sure to become a member so you can participate in the future!
ihsraonline.org
We want you on our team!
[email protected]