RJ King and Got Good Sensations Win Equine Chronicle Color Limited WP, Cannizzaro and Best Game in Town Win Buyer’s Choice 2-Year-Old WP

August 31, 2014 | Filed under: Club & Show News,Club and Show News,Featured | Posted by:

Angie Cannizzarro and Best Game In Town.

Angie Cannizzaro and Best Game In Town.

By: Brittany Bevis

The final evening of stakes and slot classes at the 2014 Reichert Celebration ended on an exciting note with plenty of incredible prizes and huge checks being presented to the top horse and rider teams. Judges for both classes this evening were Greg Wheat, Troy Oakley, Carl Yamber, and Jackie Starnes. First up, Angie Cannizzaro rode Best Game In Town for Nancy Ditty to a $30,000 payday in the Reichert Sale Stakes Buyer’s Choice 2-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure. The night before, Ditty showed “Georgia,” a mare by RL Best of Sudden and out of Troubles A Blazin, to a win in the non-pro division of the class and received a check for $7,000.

Ditty and Georgia’s currently undefeated status in 2-year-old western pleasure futurities was undoubtedly on Cannizzaro’s mind as she headed to the pen to compete for the largest purse up for grabs at the Reichert. The Reserve Champion in the class was Rusty Green with Cruize for Vincent Arnona. The pair received a check for $10,000. Rounding out the top three was Maggie Grandquist aboard No Doubt I’m Trouble for Capital Quarter Horses LLC.

The second class of the evening was the Equine Chronicle Color Classic 2-Year-Old Limited Western Pleasure. Many of the same horse and rider teams returned from the open division, but this time, the Champion and Reserve Champion switched places. RJ King found himself in the winner’s circle with Got Good Sensations for Ali Eidson while Carly Veldman Parks and Scenery took Reserve.

King was presented with a check for $2,374.40, a Reichert Celebration belt buckle, Reichert medallion, Equine Chronicle gift bag, ribbon neck wreath, and a golf cart. His partner for this evening’s class was “Willow,” a mare by Zippos Sensation and out of Good Miss Winnie, who also produced a prior Color Classic contender that was shown by Sara Simons a few years back named Miss Texas Sensation.

RJ King and Got Good Sensations at the front of the line on judge Greg Wheat’s card.

“We raised her, and we had her mom,” King says. “Ali and her mom purchased her as a yearling, took her home, and brought her back when she was ready to start. She is actually that mare’s last baby. We lost her after she had Willow.”

“All of the [mare’s babies] are a lot alike. Matter of fact, she has a sister that we sold to some people in California, and she looks exactly like this mare, red roan and everything. Also, they’ve all had a lot of the same feel to them. That mare really put her stamp on them.”

King describes Willow as an easygoing filly that doesn’t require a considerable amount of prep work to get ready to compete. A few of her biggest assets include her eye-appeal, steady cadence, and consistency.

“She is pretty easygoing, and she doesn’t really require a whole lot of time,” he says. “She pretty much knows her job. She’s not one of those horses you have to go out and longe two or three times. She’s pretty much the same all the time. Her worst thing is sometimes she tries too hard and she ends up thinking I want her to do more [than she actually needs to do.]”

“She’s very pretty, she has a very good topline, and she’s really soft. I think that has a lot to do with it nowadays. You may not always have the best-legged horse in the class, but making it look soft and look like they enjoy [their job] is important.”

Next up for Willow and King is the APHA World Championship Show in November, where Eidson may take a turn in the saddle as well. Looking towards the future, King definitely sees the possibility of more events being added to Willow’s repertoire.

“Ali may show at the World Show, and I will show her,” King says. “I will probably show her next year in pleasure, and Sara will probably take her from there and do some of the all-around stuff with her. Sara is pretty excited about her, but she’s not going to get her from me until she’s four!”

Also this evening, Jim Chafin Performance Horses was presented with a brand new, smart car for being the High Point Trainer’s barn that collective earned the most points during the money division of the All Breed Championships. In addition, Shannon Fisher was the lucky winner of the stunning Gold Creations ring, valued at $2,500, that was hidden within one of the Sweet Shop cinnamon rolls.