2018 Buckeye Reining Series Easter Slide Recap
The Buckeye Reining Series kicked off their 2018 show series with large classes, new champions and even some Easter celebrations March 30-April 1, 2018 at the Champions Center in Springfield, Ohio. The event drew exhibitors from near and far as each vied for the bevy of prizes and more than $13,000 in added money.
Although each class had its own prestige to win, the Peeko De Oro Non Pro 7&Up was the featured event Saturday evening. The class offered non pro levels 2 and 4 as well as a youth division and included 70 non pro competitors and their horses. Gabriella (Boo) Kammerer aboard Gunners Star, owned by Bill Bradley, of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, scored a 220 to sweep all three divisions of the 7&Up and the Limited Non Pro class. The duo also earned reserve honors in the concurrently run Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro classes.
Lyndsey Cruise piloted Magnums Chic Magnet for only the second time together in the show pen and marked the highest score of the show with a 220.5. Cruise and Magnums Chic Magnet, owned by Becky Jordan, of Georgetown, Kentucky, took home top honors in the Non Pro and Intermediate Non Pro and were awarded a Tom Balding bit, this year's prize for the highest scoring horse and rider of each BRS show.
The $1,500 added Open was another exciting class to watch Friday as it featured many impressive runs from the 40 entries in the draw. Shawn Flarida took home Champion and Reserve Champion honors in the Open. NRHA's only 6 Million Dollar Rider didn't disappoint as he guided Katsy Leeman's Footwork Revolution to a score of 148 and the win in the Open division and AQHA Open. He followed that up with a 146 aboard Smart Chicago Spook, owned by Tommy Tucker, of Deville, Louisiana, for the reserve championship.
Shannon Quinlan and Spooked In The Dark, owned by Robert Brossia, matched Flarida's high score of 148 to win the Limited and Intermediate Open divisions. And Jesse Dillaman on Cornbreadntinseltown won the Rookie Professional with a score of 143.
While the activity in the show arena always draws a crowd at the Buckeye Reining Shows, there is just as much fun and excitement out of the show pen for exhibitors and spectators alike. Youth of all ages flocked to the youth tent as the Easter Bunny made an appearance Saturday afternoon to kick off the annual Easter Egg Hunt. Kids also kept themselves busy with the 'Cookies and Canvas' bunny painting activity Saturday as well as movie nights and the life size connect four game outside the show office.
Vendors filled the edges of the main aisle way during the show and had a constant buzz of shoppers throughout the weekend. Easter Sunday Cowboy Church drew many early morning attendees and the Pizza Party was a big hit as usual. But it was Saturday afternoon's Musical Buckets activity before the start of the 7&Up that garnered some of the loudest cheers and laughs of the show. Matt Lantz, Samantha Roper and Julian Daniel definitely got their exercise in for the weekend as they won the Men's, Ladies and Youth divisions.
The Buckeye Reining Series wants to thank all of the generous sponsors, both big and small, that make these events possible. The next Buckeye Reining Series event is the BRS Leonard Truck and Trailer No Entry Fee Derby Show, May 24-27,2018.
