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Hollywood Dun It crosses $4 million mark! [08.12.2004]

  With the Open Finals Performance of the 2004 Futurity, the National Reining Horse Association's All Time Leading Sire of Reining Horses crossed the $4 Million pinnacle. At the beginning of the NRHA Futurity, Hollywood Dun It was only $52,604 away from becoming the National Reining Horse Association's only $4 Million Sire. The first big boost to that goal came during the Reining Masters event on Thursday night (in which Lukas Jirak represented the Czech Republic), when Todd Crawford rode Matt Dillon Dun It owned by 3 Peaks Ranch, of Bend, Oregon, to a blistering 220.5 score. That earned the Masters Championship, and nearly $18,000. Dario Carmignani of Italy rode another Hollywood Dun It son, Footworks Finest, in that competition, adding $3,223.

  On Friday, Mandy McCutcheon rode A Dozen Dun Its, owned by Tim McQuay, and her own Dun It Some Moore, to Non Pro Finals earnings, as did Ginger Schmersal on BS Syndicate's Dun It Reining. Their placings brought the goal even nearer. More earnings came in Saturday's Intermediate Open Finals, with the finals placings of Ann Salmon on A Bueno Poco Dunit owned by Sandi Harting and Terry Thompson on Skeets Dun It owned by Paul Stewart.

  Hollywood Dun It owner Tim McQuay began to close the door on the accomplishment in the Open Finals on Saturday night, with his score of 217.5 on Hollywood Downtown, owned by David J. Silva, Senior. That would place fourteenth and earn over $10,000, and another $1300 plus in the Prime Time division. The good gelding would ultimately garner another $7,300 in the NRHA Gelding Incentive, as well. California trainer Roberta McCarty's finals ride scoring 218 on Chexie Dun it owned by Dottie and Bill Harako, pushed Hollywood Dun It well over the top.

A colt by Smart Chic Olena won the 2004 NRHA Futurity [06.12.2004]

  The NRHA Futurity Open Division Finals, held Saturday evening, December 4th at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in OKC, was the perfect finale for a Reining competition that focused on the grass-roots to global talents of reining competitors when NRHA Million Dollar Rider, Shawn Flarida, won the 2004 NRHA Futurity on Smart Spook, owned by Rosanne Sternberg of England.

  In a powerful run, Shawn bested a field of Futurity hopefuls on a three-year-old by NRHA Two Million Dollar Sire Smart Chic Olena and out of Sugarplum Spook by Grays Starlight. Shawn scored a 224.5 to win the guaranteed paycheck of $175,000. Remarking on his athletic, confident colt, Shawn commented that Smart Spook was a good minded horse that could "be trained to do anything. And he's gorgeous."

  We are pleased with all the great results of Smart Chic Olena's progeny. At our ranch we have a Smart Chic Olena's son - Smart Chiconita.

Hollywood Dun It nears 4 million dollars mark! [03.12.2004]

  Hollywood Dun It has been a dominating force in the reining industry for the past two decades and as 2004 comes to a close, the venerable sire approaches another mighty pinnacle in his unprecedented career. The success of his progeny has made Hollywood Dun It the reining industry's Leading All Time Sire and he was the first stallion in history whose foals garnered over $3 million in earnings. Upon the beginning of the NRHA Futurity, Hollywood Dun It was just $52,604 away from becoming the National Reining Horse Association's only $4 Million Sire. With the large amount of money at stake in the NRHA Futurity, November 25-December 4, and the substantial number of Dun It progeny, the milestone could very well be reached in the next few days!

  We are proud to have in our barn the progeny of this magnificient stallion. Actually we train two mares by Hollywood Dun It - Hollywood Spinstep and Ima Dancin Dunit.

Smart Chic Olena's offspring dominates the AQHA World Show [21.11.2004]

  We received great news from the AQHA World Show. Smart Chic Olena's offspring litteraly dominated the reining classes. In Senior reining they took the first three places! Casey Hinton on Magnum Chic Dream won the World Champion title. Aaron T. Ralston on Smart Paul Olena was second and Stepehn Metcalf riding Cowgirls Are Smart finished third. Todd Crawford riding another Smart Chic Olena's son - Cowboy Smarts - finished fifth. In Junior reining Smart Chic Olena's son Chics Magic Potion placed second (with Bob Avila in the saddle). The blood of Smart Chic Olena runs in the veins one of our stallions, Smart Chiconita.

  Offspring by Shining Spark and Gallo Del Cielo was also successful. In Senior reining Setting Off Sparks (by Shining Spark) finished eight. And in Junior reining Lena Galo (by Gallo Del Cielo) earned a fourth place. At our ranch we have two horses by those famous sires: JJS Spit Shine and Fives Rooster.

Klara in Poland [15.11.2004]

  On November 12-14, 2004, the Polish Reining Horse Association (PLRHA) hosted its first ever clinic, featuring the Czech reining Champion - Mrs. Klara Salkova. The event was scheduled at the Oxer facility near Warsaw. And indeed it was a big success. In a country where reining is a brand new sport, it took only two weeks for the organisers to fully book the clinic.

  The clinic consisted of 11 horse and rider combinations, along with a large audience. Klara covered the basic taining of all-around horses and also introduced some training technics proper to reining. So, the participants started with learning the right head carriage, balance, collection, proper response to leg cues and reins. Then we moved to side-passes, half-passes and turns. Those exercises allowed us to introduce the correct lead departure and work on circles in lope. Finally Klara worked also on stops, back-ups and flying lead changes.

 "My horse and me, we learned a lot of new things on this clinic. Thank you Klara!", said Monika Kuleta. "You helped me to get more from my horse. Good job!", added Patrycja Mierzwinska, who came to the clinic with a horse that she is training for only three months. As she said, the clinic helped her to systematize her knowledge.

New covered arena in Horka [07.11.2004]

  A new covered arena was inaugurated in Horka this weekend. The owner, Mr. Sedlacek, invited three teams to compete in an exibithion show. Everything started with freestyle reining and then we had the team competition. Our team consisted of Klara Salkova on Monty Blue Sky, Marketa Zezulkova on Smart Maky Lena and Karel Barotek on Boomer Nikki. We placed first ahead of the team Nova Amerika and team Horka. But of course the most important was not the show itself but having fun!

Klara Salkova wins the Czech CRI in Celadna [13.10.2004]

  Klara Salkova riding a 7-year-old bay stallion Smart Chiconita (owner: K. Salkova) won the class with a very goood score of 143,5. Smart Chiconita is by Smart Chic Olena and out of One More Memory. Showing control and finesse, Klara plussed most of the maneuvers and added another victory to her winning streak.

  In third place was Karel Barotek on Miss Bobby Jac Scoot (owner: P. Julina). They scored a 135,5. Miss Bobby Jac Scoot is a 7-year-old mare by Squaws Bobby Jac and out of Squaws Kandy.

Czech Western Riding Club Championship Show [04.10.2004]

  On the first weekend of October the Prosper Horse Ranch in Celadna hosted the last show of the western riding season in Czech Republic – the Western Riding Club CR Championship. More than 80 horses participated in 10 classes, providing a lot of excitement to more than 1500 spectators. As always reining highlighted the whole Championship. The show started on Friday (the 1st of October) with the first goes of three reining classes - Junior, Amateur and Senior.

  In the first go of the Amateur reining Petr Julina riding his own 4-year-old mare Bueno Chex Lady (by Dunit Rawhide, out of Bueno Chex Millie) tied for the first place with Lukas Jirak astride Pokeys Easter Star (a 9 year-old mare by Pokalito). They both made correct runs and scored 208. Petr's wife, Monika, placed third, riding Miss Bobby Jac Scoot. With this horse Monika won the last year's WRC Champion title in Amateur reining. On Saturday Monika Julinova took the lead by scoring 204,5. But Petr and Lukas entered the arena just after her. Lukas Jirak showed a nice run, plussing in the circles. He earned the top score of the final, 210 pts. and won the Champion title with a composite score of 418. Petr Julina finished second, 4 points behind Jirak.

  IOn Sunday morning 16 horse and rider combinations competed for the title in Junior reining. In the first go, Klara Salkova riding Bueno Chax Lady (owner: P. Julina) get 210 points and took the lead. With her second horse, Doc Toni Tee (owner: I. Zezulkova), Klara Slakova earned a score of 207,5 and tied for third place with Karel Kubata on Pretty Miss Starbuck (by Smart Starbuck). The spectators gathered in Celadna have seen some very nice runs in the final. Klara Salkova placed all her three horses in the first five! With Monty Blue Sky (owner: V. Sedlacek), a 4-year-old stallion by Jac O Rima, she made a nice run, with very good spins and nice stops (plus scores). Then the judges gave a penalty for counter canter on the left circle, which meant a score of 205. With Doc Toni Tee Klara placed third - two clean and correct runs (207,5 and 209 pts.) resulted in a composite score of 416,5. Klara Salkova riding Bueno Chex Lady won the Reserve Champion title after a very smooth run with plus spins, very fast circles and a composite score of 420,5.

  The Senior reining was a masterpiece by Klara Salkova and her bay stallion Smart Chiconita (by Smart Chic Olena, out of One More Memory). She was second after the first go. It certainly wasn't her day on Friday. She was three points behind Ivan Cernoch.

  But on Sunday Klara Salkova left no chance to other competitors. With Smart, they plussed almost all the meneuvers, from the first set of spins to the last sliding stop. She took the risk but it was worth trying. Fast spins, Fast circles and precise speed control, good stops earned her a 218 - the highest score of the whole show. The crowd cheered the winning team and what a time it is! It was the second Championship title for Klara and Smart Chiconita this year (they are Czech Reining Champions and WRC Champions). And Klara was already Czech reining Champion in 1999, 2000 and 2001. The pair won all the most important shows of the season, including the AQHA approved Senior Reining during the 3rd CZQHA Show. But that's not all. For the fourth consecutive year, Klara and Smart won the year-end title of Reining Champions, which is based on points gathered throughout the whole season (twice in Junior reining and twice in Senior reining). Karel Barotek riding Miss Bobby Jac Scoot (by Squaws Bobby Jac) came third with a composite score of 418,5 pts.

  You can also read about us on Westerninfo.de and Wittelsbuerger.

European Quarter Horse Championship in Kreuth [26.09.2004]

  September is the time of the European Quarter Horse Championship in Kreuth (Germany). Our Team was represented by Petr Julina and Klara Salkova. Petr was competing in Amateur reining astride Bueno Chex Lady. It was his first show outside Czech Rep. Petr finished 22 out of 39 riders.

  Klara went to Kreuth with three horses: Bueno Chex Lady in Junior Snaffle Bit Open reining, Monty Blue Sky in Junior Bit Open reining and Smart Chiconita in Senior reining. She finished twice 13th, missing the finals by only one place.

Paint Horse Show 2004 [04.09.2004]

  For the second consecutive year we hosted the Czech Paint Horse Show (APHA approved). This year the show was held concurrently with the Czech Appaloosa Show. 30 Paint Horses and 11 Appaloosas were nominated. The show was judged by Mr. Wiebe Lise from the Netherlands. He told us that in his oppinion the Prosper Horse Ranch in Celadna is the second nicest western riding facility in Europe, just after Kreuth.

Czech Reining Championship [16.08.2004]

  Ladies dominated the Czech Reining Championship held last weekend in Nova Amerika (14-15th of August). Klara Salkova, Marketa Zezulkova and Barbora Konopaskova won three out of five classes offered. And other women also excelled in all the classes.

  There was 29 horses nominated for the finals on the 14-15th of August. The show was judged by Mr. Klaus Fock (Austria), Mr. Jaroslav Havlik and Mr. Jaroslav Dolezan (both from the Czech Rep.). A set of medals was prepared for each category and Montana Sliversmith buckles for the winners.

  In Futurity reining (for 3-years-old horses) eight horses participated in the qualifying shows and four of them entered the finals in Nova Amerika. In Futurity reining (for 3-years-old horses) eight horses participated in the qualifying shows and four of them entered the finals in Nova Amerika.

  Ten starters fought for the first place in the Youth class. On Sunday morning Marketa Zezulkova earned the highest score of the Youth reining: 204 points, but it wasn't enough to win the class. She finished second with Smart Maky Lena (owner: I. Zezulkova), a 4-years-old sorrel mare by Modelena Tee and out of Streakin Little (by Smart Little Lena).

  The reserve Champion title in Junior reining went to Klara Salkova riding a 4-years-old bay mare Doc Toni Tee (owner: I. Zezulkova). This pair scored 400 points: 198 in the first go and 202 in second go. It was a very succesfull show for this horse trained by Klara Salkova. Later in the day Marketa Zezulkova won with her the Amateur reining Champion title.

  As it has been told above, in the Amateur reining Marketa Zezulkova riding Doc Toni Tee topped a field of nine riders. With 202 points in the first go and 204,5 in the second go she won the Championship title.

  Finishing up the show was the Senior reining class. It was a clash between the best Czech riders, members of the Czech reining team. After the first go Klara Salkova riding Smart Chiconita (owner: K. Salkova) took the lead with the highest score of the show: 210,5 points. Second was Karel Barotek on Miss Bobby Jac Scoot (owner: P. Julina) with a score of 207,5. The second go held on Sunday gave us a lot of excitement. Irena Machalikova entered the arena as the third rider. A very good run with fast spins and good sliding stops resulted in the highest score of the whole show: 216,5 points. At this time Machalikova took the lead with 420,5 points. Klara Salkova entered the show pen just after her. She handled perfectly the pressure and did a very nice and clean run with excellent speed control and big sliding stops. The score was 213 and the composite score was 423,5. But it wasn't the end. Karel Barotek riding Miss Bobby Jac Scoot posted probably the most spectacular sliding stops of the weekend. The audience was delighted. A score of 212 gave him the third place, just one point behind Machalikova. Karel wasn't the favourite of the Senior reining, but two good runs gave him the third place on the podium. "I sow the seed of doubt among the favourites", said Karel just after his run, excited with his performance.

  You can also read about us on Westerninfo.de and take a look at a small gallery from the Championship: Westerninfo.de.