Lance Johnston and Annies Smart Cat scoop second Open Bridle title of the year!

Posted onApril 3, 2023 by Amy Olson

Not only did Lance Johnston qualify for The Run For A Million (TRFAM) at the NRCHA Stallion Stakes presented by Teton Ridge. He and Annies Smart Cat (WR This Cats Smart x Shiny NU Annie x Shining Spark) put up a 659.5 to win the Open Bridle Spectacular. A 219 in the herd work only jumpstarted the week for Johnston and the Rocking BS Ranch stallion. They marked a 216.5 in the rein work and sealed the deal with a 224 on their cow.

They bested other talented bridle horses such as Kreyzy Horse (Dual Rey x Shes Twice as Smooth x Smooth as A Cat), Bet He Sparks (Bet Hesa Cat x Sparking Train x Shining Spark) and Hazardouz Material (Metallic Cat x Scooters Daisy Dukes x Dual Smart Rey) to a $11,720 paycheck. Thus, bringing Annies Smart Cat’s EquiStat earnings to $115,460.

This was not the pair’s first big showing in 2023. At the NRCHA Celebration of Champions, Johnston and the 2016 sorrel stallion were the Open Bridle World Champions. This year’s earnings for Annies Smart Cat already top those of 2022 according to EquiStat, and the team still has a long season ahead of them.

The stallion bred by Wagonhound Land and Livestock wasn’t shown as a futurity horse but wasn’t shy when he stepped into the big lights in 2020 and became the NRCHA Hackamore Classic Novice Horse Open Champion for owner Rocking BS Ranch.