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Reining: Silver, Bronze Finish
The adrenaline was high, the flags were furiously waving and two cowboys and their horses ran their hearts out for Gold. In the end it was Canada’s Duane Latimer on Hang Ten Surprize with a score of 228 and the Gold medal after an emotional run-off. The best reining in the world was here today in stadium three with a fitting tribute to North American riders who took places one through six when all was said and done. Latimer and McQuay each received an impressive score of 230 in the first round.
Twenty-four years and endless experience separate them but only one medal. Reining legend Tim McQuay and Mister Nicadual took the Silver medal after the tie breaker with a score of 226. Impressive newcomer Aaron Ralston and his Smart Paul Olena earned the Bronze medal with a score of 227.5. In fact the U.S. finished in the second, third, fourth and fifth spots, a very impressive addition to their Team Gold medal awarded on Friday.
Fresh off their Team Gold, all four riders, from the Adequan-sponsored team, took to stadium three today ready to defend two individual medals from reining’s inaugural WEG run in 2002. The top 20 riders returned today to perform pattern nine, minus one Canadian and one German rider who scratched before today’s competition began. Two more riders zeroed out during the competitions, one from Austria and one from Italy after breaking pattern.
First up today of the Americans was Matt Mills, of Scottsdale, AZ, and Easy Otie Whiz, a seven-year-old Quarter Horse stallion, owned by Out West Stallion Station and Bobbie Cook. Mills showed incredible intensity today in his big circles with a draped rein. His roll-backs were soft, and his changes were effortless. By the end of his pattern he had improved his score from Friday by a well-earned seven points. He ended on a score of 224.5 which earned him fourth place, just out of medal contention.
“This is definitely the best experience I’ve had with horses so far,” said Mills. “The first day wasn’t as good as I would have liked, but it really got me fired up. I know this horse is much better than what he scored the first day. It just really separates the great horses from the good ones because of the degree of difficulty with the pattern. I think that definitely—the harder the pattern, the easier it is for me to show off how strong my horse really is.”
The second U.S. rider to enter the arena was Dell Hendricks, of Tioga, TX, and Starbucks Sidekick, a six-year-old Quarter Horse stallion, owned by Adair Reiners, LLC. Hendricks also improved his score—two points from Friday, ending today with a 221 which put him in fifth place overall. Hendricks gave Sidekick a well-deserved bear hug after he dismounted and waited for his score.
When asked what was different today from Friday, Hendricks joked, “I sure liked the score a lot better. I think I had him a little more prepared. Showing in the team competition is just a different mentality; you don’t want to make any mistakes. You don’t want to get any major penalties. You’re just trying to help your team out, and today it was just all or nothing…I think his first three maneuvers were as good as he’s ever done. He tried hard; I was happy.”
With the third-highest score going into today’s competition was America’s Tim McQuay of Tioga, TX. McQuay rode Mister Nicadual, a six-year-old Quarter Horse stallion, owned by Jerry Kimmel. McQuay has a most impressive resume, more so than any competitor here. Not only has he been the only competitor to ever reach the National Reining Horse Association’s two million dollar mark, he has also won every NRHA major aged event at least once.
Today, McQuay put in a ride that was the epitome of a perfect reining run. Unfortunately for the U.S., Latimer did the same. Both riders proved their horses were willfully guided with smooth yet quick transitions, solid spins and invisible lead changes across the middle. McQuay’s mastery of multiple plus maneuvers earned him a 230 in the first round; he quickly dismounted and exhibited his content with that run by doing a little jig for the fans on his way out of the arena. His first score was an improvement over Friday of 7.5.
“We teach our horses to listen to us, and when the crowd is that loud, it’s hard to get your horse to relax and wait for your cue,” said McQuay. “But it’s still great to have them [crowd]…He came through for me. He felt really, really, really good in his first go.”
With the second-highest score from Friday, Aaron Ralston, of Silt, CO, was second to last, with only Canada’s Duane Latimer left to ride. Latimer posted the competition high score on Friday of 225.5. Ralston rode his 12-year-old Quarter Horse stallion, Smart Paul Olena, who is one of the competition’s oldest horses, while Ralston is one of the youngest competitors. Ralston’s score was an improvement of four points from Friday.
“Paul gave me everything he had today,” Ralston said. “I could not have asked for anything more from him. Any pattern that has four stops in it is really good for my horse. He is such a great stopper. I’d say about half of the patterns have three stops. Running in and stopping is just one more opportunity for me to gain points…He’s just a good old man that keeps coming back for more.”
When Latimer entered the arena at a lope and completed his first stop, it was clear the U.S. and McQuay were going to have a run for their money. Latimer’s unending plus maneuvers earned him the second 230 of the competition which meant a run-off in front of a very anxious and packed house.
McQuay was asked how he prepared for the run-off and simply stated that he didn’t have to do much. “I went and loped about two circles and said ‘we’re ready’. It’s pretty hard. We both knew our horses were ready. What more could we do. They were ready, we just had to go back and try and do it all over again.”
When asked about his horse’s technical ability, Latimer said most of all he is extremely consistent and golden-minded and that the crowd doesn’t even bother him. However, he was still concerned when he saw McQuay’s high score. “When Tim marked a 230, I said “uh-oh”. Reining’s not over until Tim shows,” Latimer said with a truthful smile.
The horses were given some time to catch their breath and were then asked to repeat the pattern, and both left nothing back yet again. McQuay was up first and earned a 226, after which he dismounted, patted his horse, loosened his cinch and asked the crowd to give Mister Nicadual a round of applause for a job well done. When Hang Ten Suprize entered the arena, it was clear he still had the energy he needed to put in a repeat performance which in the end earned him a 228, just two points more than McQuay’s but enough to earn him the title of world champion.
After an emotional medals ceremony, the competitors took their victory gallop. In a fitting tribute to his competitors but more importantly good friends, Latimer stopped and waited for the two Americans, and they did their best spins in unison for a WEG audience that most definitely got their money’s worth.
A Final Farewell
In retrospect, it is a colossal effort to stage not only one world championship, but trying to do seven in a row over two weeks is a gargantuan effort. More than 575,000 visitors made it through the gates at the venue, and the Games were broadcast in 157 countries. Sixty-one nations came to Aachen, and they brought with them 852 horses, more than 1,800 journalists, photographers and TV media personnel.
Over the two-week period, Team USA garnered a total of nine medals – one more than the eight won at the 2002 Jerez WEG. Team USA won the dressage Team Bronze; eventing Individual Bronze; reining Team Gold, Individual Silver and Individual Bronze; show jumping Team Silver and Individual Silver; and the vaulting Team Silver and Women’s Individual Gold. That’s two Gold, four Silver and three Bronze medals.
The next FEI Games – the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 – take place from September 20 through October 3, 2010, in Lexington, Kentucky
Dell & Terri Hendricks
14974 E. FM 922 Tioga, TX 76271
940-437-5157 - Barn | 940-437-5167 - Fax | 940-372-0259 - Dell's cell
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