Once again… The 2011 Wells Fargo Advisors Celebrity Slide draws a crowd!

  
2011 Celebrity Slide Winner Michael Byatt

 A new event launched in 2010 proves the accuracy of Joe Betten’s observation with the launch of the “Wells Fargo Advisors Celebrity Slide.” The idea is simple, find a group of a half dozen or so willing participants from other show disciplines who have good basic riding skills, assign them to a reining trainer for a few sessions of intense training and let them compete against each other. But then heat up the action with little twist by auctioning each rider-trainer team in a Calcutta with 65% of the auction total awarded to the buyer of the winning team and the balance donated to ARHA.

 This year’s winning team was Michael Byatt, of Michael Byatt Arabians, Inc. in New Ulm, TX, best known for his success in halter training, and Scottsdale reining trainer, Crystal McNutt of Crystal McNutt Performance Horses. And did Byatt get hooked by participation in this event? “I now have three horses with a reining trainer back home,” he responds, “and yes, I am going to do this!” Indeed he did.

 The Byatt-McNutt duo were first on the Calcutta and Tim Anderson of Amani Reiners of Milbank, South Dakota, got the deal of the evening. His $900 bid paid a handsome $6,955 of the total purse of $10,700. This just adds to the list of reasons that Scottsdale is one of Tim’s favorite shows of the year. Asked why he bought the team, he simply smiled and said, “I just liked the way I saw him ride. And then I have a couple horses with Crystal.”

English Pleasure trainer Mary Trowbridge slides with style

Sheila Varian with trainer Russ Brown

The team of well-known Arabian breeder and cow-horse girl, Shelia Varian Arroyo Grande, CA and Russ Brown of Diamond B Training Stables in Newberg, OR brought the highest bid at $3,000. They finished only a few points behind. Other teams included Kim Diercks of Kim Diercks Reining Horses, Coloma, Wisconsin and John Rannenberg, trainer at Rohara Arabians, Orange Lake, FL; Tyson Randle of Randle Performance Horses, Kiowa, Colorado and Wendy Potts, trainer at The Brass Ring, Burleson, TX; LaRae Fletcher Powell of Silver Aspen Ranch, Auburn, WA and Brian Murch, trainer at Strawberry Banks Farm, East Aurora, NY; and Brian Welman of Goodwin Stables, Hastings, MN and Mary Trowsbridge, Trowbridge's Ltd, Bridgewater, CT.

Thanks to all our Celebrity Slide riders (left to right): Sheila Varian, Brian Murch, Michael Byatt, Mary Trowbridge, John Rannenberg and Wendy Potts

 Equally excited are the folks from Wells Fargo Advisors. “It was a great event for our clients and employees. Everyone enjoyed the great barbeque along with the Celebrity Slide Event. We look forward to next year’s show,” said David Kistner, Managing Director for the Northern Arizona market.

Wendy Potts

 Futurity sponsors also joining the “Slide” fun included Markel Insurance and Iron Horse Jeans who provided opening entertainment with a country music performance by rising Nashville star, Brian Mullen. Iron Horse staged a “dress for success in jeans” fashion show of their handmade jeans prior to the riding competition.