Fate was on Sharin Hall’s side when it came to the Royal Crown in Waco.
“I had a rough start to the week and didn’t make it to Corpus Christi to trun there, so I had a lot riding on the Royal Crown. We went in there wanting to make a great run, and it worked out. Stella worked great and got the win. God really blessed us this week,” Hall said.
Hall’s 14.813-second run on Hello Stella, her storied 2017 mare by The Goodbye Lane and out of Go Fame by Dash Ta Fame, was good enough to win The Royal Crown 2D Barrel Breeder’s Derby in Waco, Texas on May 13.
“Stella,” was Hall’s only entered bullet in the gun. She recently picked up FL Fergalicious, a daughter of JL Sirocco with around $50,000 in lifetime earnings, but had planned on using her as a backup at Corpus Christi as needed and didn’t previously enter her in Waco.
One notable component of Hall’s riding on Stella is that she never appears to ride two-handed during her run. She noted that this isn’t her usual training style.
“We always go to two hands in between, but she’s a rocket,” Hall explained. ”I literally do have to use one hand to be on the horn. I need to be in position when I’m approaching the turn so that I don’t hinder her in any way. Honestly, she’s made me be a better jockey and stay in the middle.”
Kassie Mowry proved how tough she can be— inside and outside of the arena—in the first day of Royal Crown barrel racing. The multiple-time NFR Qualifier took the round one win aboard Sir Epic in the 2D Barrel Breeders Futurity with a smoking 14.800-second run while being nearly too weak to saddle her horses.
“When I pulled my hat down, I was crying. I was so weak. I could feel my head just throbbing— I thought it was going to explode. That horse took it upon himself to go out there and do his job,” Mowry said.
Sir Epic is that intuitive 2018 gelding by JL Sirocco and out of So Very Epic, by Epic Leader. He earned a total of $7,485 in one run— $6,275, for owners Dave and Lori Zabel, $605 for breeder Karma Rena Loftin, and $605 to the owners of JL Sirocco.
Despite his impressive run in Waco, Mowry noted that the gelding hasn’t always been at the front of the pack.
“He was a little bit of a slow mature, but I think a lot of it was because of his size. He’s like 16 hands and still not fully matured, so he can be awkward at times,” Mowry said. “He’s getting there. He keeps impressing me.”
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Mowry had help saddling up Sir Eric and her other horses, and took a different approach to her warmup routine to combat her weakness.
“I just did a lot of walking and figured I could get him loosened up and get him calm. I felt like if I needed to handle him, I wouldn’t be able to,” Mowry said., “Maybe I learned something about him through this. Today I took a different approach, just being easy and calm.”
After placing in the round on KL Touch of Heaven, and placing in the 2D Barrel Breeders Derby as well, it’s back to Dublin, Texas, for some much needed rest for Mowry, and turnout time for her horses.
Mowry is passionate about the Royal Crown events, so it should come as no surprise that she was willing to fight through her sickness to compete.
“The Royal Crown is my favorite. I love the format, they’re so easy to work with and user friendly. It makes it easy for somebody like me with a lot of horses,” Mowry said. “They give you an opportunity to be prepared—like right now. You didn’t like your run today? The arena is open for the rest of the day, you can go work your horse. I love the payout because I’m not a fan of the top-loaded payout. You can make good, consistent runs and leave with a big chunk of change—it isn’t just one or two people winning all the money.”
Royal Crown 2D Barrel Breeders Futurity
Results
1D
- Kassie Mowry on Sir Epic, 14.800-second run, worth $6,275 owner, $605 stallion, $605 breeder
- Mark Bugni on JL Roc Lost A Sock, 14.867-second run, worth $5,456 owner, $526 stallion, $526 breeder
- Josianne St-Cyr on DesignedBy Starlight, 15.018-second run, worth $4,638 owner, $447 stallion, $447 breeder
- Kassie Mowry on KL Touch of Heaven, 15.040-second run, worth $3,819 owner, $398 stallion, $398 breeder
5/6. Jolene Montgomery on MCM Firewater Dixie, 15.170-second run, worth $2,592 owner, $250 stallion, $250 breeder
5/6. Stevi Hillman on Luv My Design, 15.170-second run, worth $2,592 owner, $250 stallion, $250 breeder
7. Brittany Mayfield on Chasin LBJ, 15.226-second run, worth $1,364 owner, $131 stallion, and $131 breeder
8. Britany Diaz on A Blazin Dude, 15.227-second run, worth $548 owner, $56 stallion, $56 breeder
2D
- Pete Oen and Baptized By Fire, 15.573-second run, worth $1,569 owner, $151 stallion, $151 breeder
- Abby Pursifull on Strait Up Streakin, 15.576-second run, worth $1,569 owner, $112 stallion, $112 breeder
- Shyann Lucas on WY Porsche By Design, 15.577-second run, worth $1,160 owner, $92 stallion, $92 breeder
- Ben Beall on ChicksDashForHayes, 15.587-second run, worth $955 owner, $92 stallion, $92 breeder
- Nicole Ratkowski on Streakers Cartel, 15.591-second run, worth $750 owner, $72 stallion, $72 breeder
- Dacota Monk on Divine Guy, 15.619-second run, worth $545 owner, $52 stallion, $52 breeder
- Lacy Billingsley on Smokin The Fame, 15.628-second run, worth $341 owner, $33 stallion, $33 breeder
- Mitzi Duke on Shawne Bugs Honor 4M, 15.63-second run, worth $138 owner, $15 stallion, $15 breeder
Stay tuned for more results as they become available, and view the full payouts and draws here.
