EXCERPT FROM NRHA REINER ARTICLE WRITTEN BY LAURA MAE SCHOELLER…

“The Non Pro Reining Stakes was held Friday, October 7, and featured 52 non pro competitors and their mounts as each vied for a piece of the $49,000 in added money. David McGee showed Knaughtybyknature, a full sibling to Chicsdreamofdiamonds, both bred by Clinton Anderson, and took an early lead as draw 11 with a score of 218. But their run at the top would only last a short time. Hall of Famer Dr. Jim Morgan, DVM, brought two horses to show in the Non Pro Stakes at the Congress this year. Fresh off their wins in the Non Pro Futurity L3 and L4 at the High Roller Reining Classic in Las Vegas, Dr. Morgan and Partychicatrashya competed as draw 20 and raised the bar as they topped McGee and Knaughtybyknature’s score by a half point with a 218.5. Dr. Morgan and Partychicatrashya, by Gunnatrashya and out of Lenas Party Chics and bred by Teresa Hickman, hung onto the lead until draw 43 when Dr. Morgan returned to the show pen, this time aboard his Non Pro Futurity Prime Time Champion from the Tulsa Reining Classic, Shiney Workboots, by Smart N Shiney and out of Reminic At Work. The duo executed a flawless NRHA Pattern 5 to mark a 219.5 and win the Congress Non Pro L4, L3 and Prime Time Non Pro divisions. Shiney Workboots was bred by Million Dollar Owner David Silva. “Dave McGee kind of set the pace because he marked a 218 just a little before me. And one of his friends came over and kind of pushed my buttons. He looked me right in the face and said ‘Good luck Jim.’ I thought okay, let’s go get it,” Dr. Morgan laughed. “Amy told me later when she heard him say that she thought oh no, it looks like he just poked the bear because she knew it would get me going.”

But with all the fun and competition aside, the win for Dr. Morgan on the 50th Anniversary of the Congress had some special meaning. “The first time that I ever went to the fairgrounds in Ohio was in 1955. My dad would take us to a show called the Midwestern Roundup and it was quite a horse show. Then I remember being at the very first Congress and later watching my kids show at the Congress. I showed futurity horses there since the very beginning. I won it the last two years it was held during the Congress in 1984 and 1985 and then I won the Non Pro Futurity the first time it was held in Oklahoma City in 1986. So, to win it again on the 50th Anniversary gives me goose bumps even now when I think about it. There are just so many memories I have of showing there, watching my kids show and seeing some of the greats show there too,” Dr. Morgan said. And I am just really awestruck by it all this year. I am 71-years-old and for someone my age to enjoy such a thrill as being first and second in the Futurity and winning almost $25,000 with two really nice horses, well it’s just a God thing. I am just very blessed.” Dr. Morgan and Shiney Workboots, who is nicknamed Dave after David Silva who Dr. Morgan purchased the gelding from as a yearling, won a total for $15,388 for the three championships. The combined earnings for the reserve titles in all three divisions aboard Partychicatrashya added $9,509 to Dr. Morgan’s total take home. “I ride with Brian Bell and without him and Amy none of this would be possible,” he said. “Most of the horses I have owned I have raised and trained myself. I still do participate in the training of these horses, make no bones about it, but I couldn’t do all of this without Brian and Amy and all the support staff that they have. It takes a lot of preparation to compete at this level and it really takes a team and that’s what we have at Brian’s.”