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Playgirl was our first reined cowhorse purchase. In 2007, we decided we really wanted to purchase a young reined cowhorse prospect that had “the makin’s “ of a futurity winner. We decided to pursue this purchase through the NRCHA Futurity Sales in Reno in October of 2007. As we researched the breeders and the prospects in the sale, we kept coming back to a 2005 bay mare consigned to the 2 Year Old Select Sale by John and Michele Rugo of Diamond RB Ranch of Murphy, California (http://www.diamondrbranch.com) . We eventually contacted their trainer, Ken Wold of Wilton, California and began discussing this mare in earnest. We couldn’t attend the sale personally but made arrangements after much, much discussion with Ken (probably wore him out) to try to purchase the mare through an agent. On the day of the sale, although attending a Christian Rock concert with our family, we were fortunate……..no blessed….to not only purchase Playgirl but also to make arrangements with Ken and his wife Ramona to continue her training.
We left her out in California and Ken agreed to send us monthly updates via video of her continued training. Although we made several attempts to get out to see our mare over the ensuing months, something always came up that kept us from it. We got to meet Ken face to face when he judged the World’s Greatest Horseman competition in Stephenville, Tx in February of 2008. Ramona, became a very good friend via the telephone as we drew near to the 2008 NRCHA Futurity in Reno. Eventually we decided due to other commitments that I would wait and fly out to Reno by myself if Playgirl made the finals (my wife Alecia and kids staying home to tend horses, play basketball, run cross-country etc)……..and make the finals she did.
I laid eyes on Playgirl for the fist time on Saturday the day prior to the 2008 Futurity Finals. On Sunday, she and Ken ended up third in the competition, winning $65,000. She missed reserve champion by ½ point and was only one point out of winning the whole deal.
I’d love to take credit for picking the right horse, the right trainer and the right arena in which to compete but very honestly, I’d rather be blessed than smart any day. There are no mistakes with our God and my family crossing paths with Ken and Ramona Wold and their family is absolutely a divinely appointed encounter. The number of lives touched through this “partnership” in a horse grows by the day. We love to share the story so contact us or contact Ken and Ramona (www.kenwoldtrainingstables.com) if you’d like to hear it sometime.
Playgirl continues to compete. She was 7th in the NRCHA Stakes in March and 13th in the Hackamore Classic in April. Next up is the NRCHA Derby in Paso Robles, Ca in June! Current LTE $77,252. We hope to flush her to TR Dual Rey in late June and likely will breed her to Jim Babcock’s Smart Chicolena next Spring. She is by Jim’s stallion “Mister Dual Pep” and out of Playgirls Miss Cross (P.E. over $100,000).
Was 15th at NSHA Classic in Feb 2010
Competing in NRCHA Hackmore Classic end of April 2010
Embryo transfer to CD Lights planned for early April 2010
Plan to embryo transfer to Smooth as A Cat late May 2010
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