A total of 131 horses, a 14 percent increase over 2018, completed the rein work preliminaries on Saturday, March 30. Topping the first round of the three-event competition were NRCHA professionals Chris Dawson and Clayton Edsall marking identical scores of 222.
Dawson, Perin, Texas, rode Wendy Buehler's red roan stallion, Tornado Watch (Metallic Cat x Tornados First Mate) to the go round winning score in the sixth set of the Open Stakes rein work preliminaries.
2018 NRCHA Stakes Intermediate Open reserve champions, Bet Hesa Boon (Bet Hesa Cat x Flo N Blu Boon) and Edsall tied for first place in the Open Stakes rein work preliminaries with a 222. The blue roan stallion is owned by Beverly Vaughn.
The NRCHA Stallion Stakes is the second of four NRCHA premier events, and it pays out more than $600,000 in prize money. The event's success is largely due to its tie to the NRCHA Subscribed Stallion program. Subscribed stallion nominators pay a fee so 4- and 5-year-old offspring can be eligible to compete in the limited aged event portion of the show. Besides paying lucrative checks to the Stakes winners, the NRCHA also presents an incentive checks to the nominator of the Stakes Champion's sire in each division.
In addition to the Stakes divisions, the event offers a full slate of horse show classes, and several Spectaculars, including the $25,000 added Open Bridle Spectacular sponsored by Holy Cow Performance Horses.
Click here to watch the run of Chris Dawson riding Tornado Watch
Click here to watch the run of Clayton Edsall riding Bet Hesa Boon
The action in Las Vegas resumes at 8:00 a.m. Pacific time on Sunday, March 31, with the second round of the Open preliminaries - the herd work. See it all on the free, live webcast, provided by NRCHA Official Videographer Equine Promotion, at www.NRCHA.com.
By NRCHA PRESS RELEASE
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