TULSA, Okla. — Rosewood Ranch’s third year competing in the National Snaffle Bit Association World Championship Show proved to be its toughest challenge of three appearances. Still, the riders persevered, taking home 14 top-10 finishes with two Rosewood riders recording top-3 finishes, which included Rosewood’s Jamie Crone winning reserve grand champion.
Competing Aug. 15-16 at the Built Ford Tough Complex in Tulsa, Okla., Rosewood faced a larger field with stiffer competition this year.
“I believe we had better performances as a group, but with the steep competition, it was much harder to break into the top five,” said Rosewood Ranch Manager Eric Hammond. “Many of the other riders competed with two horses in the different events. One rider showed two horses in the same event and finished first and second and that pushed us down a bit in the standings. But I’m proud of our riders because they held their own through all the challenges they faced.”
In the supported rider division, Crone placed second, claiming a reserve world championship in Walk/Trot Western Pleasure category. He was followed in third place by teammate Shawn Ledesma, making his World Show debut.
Rosewood riders Jeremiah McCutchen and Robin Bethel finished fifth and sixth respectively in the same event. All four riders pushed each other in the Supported Rider – Trail Pattern category, finishing 4th through 7th  place. Ledesma led the group, followed by Crone, Bethel and McCutchen.
Leading the way among independent riders for Rosewood was Mary Minear, who placed fourth in Western Pleasure and fifth in Horsemanship. Teammate Josh Trimmer earned  fifth place in Showmanship, seventh in Western Pleasure and ninth in Trail Pattern. Fellow rider Charles Bortz earned eighth place in Horsemanship, rounding out the top-10 finishes for Rosewood. And it was the first time Showmanship and Horsemanship were offered to the independent riders at the World Show.
For riders Ledesma and Bethel, it was their first time competing in the World Show. It was also a new experience for two of the horses, Moe Coosa (also known as Moe), and Sheza Bay Invitation (aka Dottie). Hammond said changing show horses in a systematic way helps to further the development of the riders.
“Nothing stays the same and every ride is different,” said Hammond. “It’s all part of the learning process. We are gradually changing things up for our riders, and they welcome the challenge. They know that they can only grow and improve through those challenges.”
Rosewood’s riders were accompanied by 10 Rosewood horse handlers and volunteers: Eric and Tammy Hammond, Melinda Suppes, Debbie Larkin, Brian Freeman, Juan Bodine, Jennifer Stoddard, Harold Thorne, Brett Swonger, and Herbie Douglass.
Rosewood horses performing in the World Show were: Daisy (with riders Jamie Crone and Mary Minear), Dolly (Chris Devine and Shawn Ledesma), Moe (Robin Bethel and Krystal Thorne), Sheik (Josh Trimmer), Dottie (Jeremiah McCutchen and Charles Bortz).
Rosewood Results from NSBA World Show, Tulsa, Okla. — Aug. 15-16, 2013
Supported Riders
Robin Bethel: sixth place/Western Pleasure, sixth place/Trail
Jaime Crone: second place/Western Pleasure, fifth place/Trail
Shawn Ledesma: third place/Western Pleasure, fourth place/Trail
Jeremiah McCutchen: fifth place/Western Pleasure, seventh place/Trail
Independent Riders
Charles Bortz: 12th place/Showmanship, 8th place/Horsemanship
Chris Devine: 13th place/Showmanship
Mary Minear: fourth place/Western Pleasure, 14th place/Trail, 14th place/Showmanship, 5th place/Horsemanship
Krystal Thorne: 16th place/Showmanship
Josh Trimmer: seventh place/Western Pleasure, ninth place/Trail, fifth place/Showmanship, 14th place/Horsemanship
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