Jason Smith and HR Cool Secretdesign Win Congress Two-Year-Old Mares, Ted Turner and Dream Big Dreams Win Yearling Mares

By: Brittany Bevis

The halter classes are quickly flying by this morning as the Grand and Reserve Mares class soon approaches. Two more contenders for the ultimate halter title were recently crowned: Jason Smith with HR Cool Secretdesign in Two-Year-Old Mares and Ted Turner with Dream Big Dreams in Yearling Mares.

In the Yearling Mares, Turner led Dream Big Dreams to a win, just edging out Smith and One Exceptional Miss, who ended up with the Reserve Championship title. In the Two-Year-Old Mares, it was Smith’s turn to take the Congress bronze with HR Cool Secretdesign for Jeffrey and Joy Stehney. Turner also placed fourth in Two-Year-Old Mares with Secrecee.

We had the chance to chat with Smith as he took a break during the Three-Year-Old Mares class to prepare for the upcoming Aged Mares and Grand and Reserve.

“We bought [HR Cool Secretdesign] earlier in the year from Mike McMillian,” Smith says. “He had her for his stepdaughter, and she was Reserve at the Youth World. We showed the rest of the year with the mare and got her qualified. We’ve had fun with her so far. Joy will show here [in Amateur Two-Year-Old Mares].”

This particular mare’s official nickname is up for some debate. While she came to the Smith’s ranch with the name “Cooli,” owner Joy Stehney decided to change her name to “Gracie.” Therefore, we wondered if the mare’s recent Congress Championship win debunks the old superstition that changing a horse’s barn name can be bad luck. Smith jokes that he doesn’t even want to discuss it, especially not before Grand and Reserve.

“I know, I know…” he says. “She gets called Cooli. She gets called Gracie. She gets called whatever. We’re not done [showing] yet…”

In the previous class, Smith led One Exceptional Miss to a Reserve Championship for Evan Kaplow.

“I found Evan’s filly at Dick Adam’s [place] at about Christmastime,” he says. “She was right there in the back mare motel. I saw her, went back to the house, drove back there the next morning, and bought her from Dick. We got her home, started getting her ready, and sold her to Evan. Evan’s going to show her next week.”

In addition to his Amateur clients, who will compete with their horses next week, Smith has several of his own left to show: an aged mare, a weanling colt, and a three-year-old gelding.

Top 5 Results:

Yearling Mares-

1-Dream Big Dreams/Ted Turner

2-One Exceptional Miss/Jason Smith

3-Bubblz/Ronnie Casper

4-Infinit Fx/Doug Landon

5-MSL Some Like It Cool/Mike McMillian

 

Ltd. division-

1-Rihanna/David Kellerman

2-A VooDoo Doll/Tyler O’Neal

3-Shy Shy/Todd Grant

4-Yes I Am A Diva/Terry Sartain

5-Lady GiGi/Michael Booker

 

Two-Year-Old Mares-

1-HR Cool Secretdesign/Jason Smith

2-Western Jewell/Gene Parker

3-Candys Mirror Image/Monte Horn

4-Secrecee/Ted Turner

5-Shez Packen Heat/Rick Leek

 

Ltd. Division-

1-Candys Mirror Image/Monte Horn

2-Extra Cute/Mitch Leonarski