Smart Luck continued his winning ways on Saturday, October 2, when the 4-year-old stallion won the 2010 National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Hackamore with a composite score of 441.5.

With NRCHA Million Dollar Rider Todd Bergen in the saddle, the son of Very Smart Remedy out of Gunna Be Lucky, marked a 222 in the rein work and a 219.5 in the cow work. The pair also won the 2010 NRCHA Open Derby Champions in June.

“As a 2-year-old, he sold for a lot of money, and had a chance to win the Futurity last year but fell down in the fence work,” Bergen said.”Then it kind of all came together for us at the Derby. I felt like I finally won on a good horse.”

Bergen and Smart Luck just squeaked into the Open Hackamore Finals, tying for twelfth in the preliminaries with a composite of 430.5.

“My cow took me to the corner in the prelims but it doesn’t matter how you get to the finals as long as you get there,” Bergen said with a smile. “My horse was awfully good tonight. He’s an exceptional horse and is one of a kind. He’s probably one of the best I’ve ever ridden. He’s got a big, big heart and lots of ability. When you combine those two it makes a great horse.”

Owned by Cable Creek Ranch LLC, Smart Luck added $8,120 to his growing earnings with the championship title along with a Bob’s Custom Saddle sponsored by Newt White; a Gist Silversmiths buckle sponsored by Shirts, Caps and More and Danny and Sherri Rumph; a C.R. Morrison trophy; a horse hair mecate from Krause Mecates; a monogrammed Cinch vest courtesy of Bob’s Custom Saddles; Platinum Performance; and a C.R. Morrison commemorative medallion.

And in an almost déjà vu moment, the 2010 NRCHA Open Derby Reserve Champions Corey Cushing and Smart Boons (Peptoboonsmal x Smart Little Easter) won the Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Hackamore Reserve Championship, marking a 222 in the rein work and a 217.5 in the cow work.

“In that hackamore class, there were a lot of really good horses in there and a lot of really, really good runs,” Bergen said. “Corey and I have been kind of going head-to-head. We have two really good horses and I’m sure they’ll be going for years and years to come.”

The reserve title came with a check for $6,496; a hackamore courtesy of Benny and Steve Guitron; a horse hair mecate from Krause Mecates; a monogrammed Cinch vest courtesy of Bob’s Custom Saddles; Platinum Performance; and a C.R. Morrison commemorative medallion.

The National Reined Cow Horse Association, now in its 61st year, is the governing body of cow horse competition, is responsible for promoting the sport, insuring high standards of competition and educating members and the public about the history and tradition of the cow horse. Through the support of a Corporate Partner family that includes Adequan, Bob’s Custom Saddles, Cinch, Classic Equine, Gist Silversmiths, John Deere, Markel Insurance, MD Barns, Merial products ULCERGARD and EQUIOXX, Nutrena, Pfizer Animal Health, Platinum Performance, Quarter Horse News, Rios of Mercedes, Running W Designs, the Silver Legacy Hotel and Casino, and Wide World of Horses, the Association works to keep the vaquero tradition alive in today’s equine industry.

For information on the National Reined Cow Horse Association, call 580-759-4949 or visit the NRCHA Official Web Site at www.nrcha.com.