The Tulsa Reining Classic Derby Open, held Sept. 4 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, featured $33,000 in added money thanks to a sponsorship by Cardinal Reining Horses. Every exhibitor in the Derby received a signature Cardinal Reining Horses jacket. Several of the horses competing in the Derby had the chance at an additional $10,000 in added money in the concurrent Whizkey N Diamonds Novice Horse Derby, thanks to a partnership with Rhodes River Ranch.
At draw No. 29, Jordan Larson and Electric Snow posted a top score of 224.5 early in the day, taking the lead in the Level 4 Open. The early lead meant the duo had to sweat out 58 more horses. In the end, the score held, and Larson and Electric Snow became the Cardinal Reining Horses Derby Level 4 Open Champions.
Electric Snow is by Jacs Electric Spark and out of Snow Gun (by Colonels Smoking Gun [Gunner]). He was out of commission for nearly all of 2015 after an injury. After finally recovering, he came back even stronger to take his first title in Tulsa on Sunday.
“That’s the best he’s been – pretty much for the whole run,” Larson said. “He ran in and stopped really good, and he turned really, really good. He had a little tiny bobble maybe turning to the left, but everything else was pretty much spot on. I couldn’t have asked him to be much better.”
Larson and Electric Snow took home an Elite Custom saddle, National Reining Horse Association trophy and $7,566 for owner/breeder Andre De Bellefeuille of Equine Plus, located in Saint-Basile-Le-Grand, Quebec, Canada.