Brett and Heather Caplinger, of Xenia, Ohio, walked away with $4,900 in cash and another $2,000 in prizes for their efforts in the Brad Borton Memorial Limited Non-Pro Longe Line class held today at the Tom Powers Futurity in Berrien Springs, Michigan.

Brett showed Best By Design, a 2018 gelding by RL Best of Sudden and out of Shez Good N Sultry to a win in the Limited Non-Pro Longe Line, collecting the Memorial trophy, donated by Tom and Dominique Powers and $1,750 in cash, plus a trophy buckle. They also won the breeder/owner/exhibitor bonus of $1,750, plus a custom designed Brad Borton Memorial Silver Show Halter, valued at $1,500.

Heather showed Itz Lazy Time, a 2018 mare by Lazy Loper and out of An Hour In Time, to Reserve in the class. They were awarded $1,400 in cash and a gift certificate for a Golden West show pad, donated by Lori Heckaman.

The Brad Borton Memorial Limited Non-Pro Longe Line honors the memory of InStride Edition Publisher Brad Borton, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 60, after a long battle with cancer. A total of $9,860 in cash was awarded to the top 10 competitors in the class, plus another $2,500 in prizes. The Limited Division of the class drew a total of 21 entries.

“I only had about five conversations with Brad Borton,” said Brett. “But he always had good advice. I’m usually nervous before a class, but Brad would offer positive encouragement. He’d tell me to just put it all out there and let it go. He was a nice man, and having spoken with him a few times makes this win even more special.”

Brett’s day job is in construction, running heavy highway equipment, while Heather has managed a western store since 1988. They’ve been married five years, and both agree that they’ve found their niche showing yearlings. “We really enjoy them,” Heather said. “We both work full-time, and training yearlings fits into our schedule really well.”

Brett said showing horses is his vacation but he and Heather take it very seriously. 

“The yearlings work for us because they need patience and time, and need training for only a few minutes a day,” he said.

When asked how they decide who shows which yearling, Heather replied with a laugh, “That changes daily, depending on how we’re feeling. We both work with all the horses, but the filly, Itz Lazy Time, is usually more of a fit for me, and Brett gets along better with the gelding, Best By Design.”

Itz Lazy Time has been sold and will leave the futurity with her new owners. The will continue to show Best By until he’s sold. In addition to his placings in the Limited Non-Pro Longe Line, the youngster also won the Open Western Color Longe Line yesterday with Kenny Lakins on the line. He also helped Brett tie to win the Open Division of the Non-Pro Western Longe Line today.

“This is a tough business, or hobby, to make money in,” admitted Brett. “You have to have horses that are bred right, and spend a lot of time. The horse show world is very trendy, but if it’s your passion, then it’s all worth it. It’s a labor of love.”

The rest of the placings in the class were:

Third: Shes Plenty Southern owned and shown by Rebecca Smiecinski; $1,100 and a 20x Felt Hat donated by Brook Parrish

Fourth: Dun Lopin owned by Dennis & Karen Reifsnyder and shown by Jessica Wazny; $850 and a Kathy Williams Tail Extension 

Fifth: Shez Just That Pretty owned and shown by Jack Creditt; $750 and a Yeti Roadie Cooler 

Sixth: Money Gate owned and shown by Jaida June Dreyer; $650 and a Harris Show Longe Line

Seventh: All A Sudden Lopin owned and shown by Traci McDavitt; $550 and a fully loaded groom bag

Eighth: Ima Kustom Kruzer owned and shown by Mark Smuda; $450 and a Kathy Williams Tales Fitted Shirt

Ninth: These Irons Are Wise owned and shown by Rebekah Tackett; $350 and a Harris Leather Cleaning Kit

Tenth: The Solitaire Affair owned by Brent Walker and shown by Mallory Vroegh; $260 and a Harris Longe Whip 

In other competition today at the Powers, Nancy Ditty tied with Brett Caplinger to win the Open Division of the Non-Pro Longe Line with Stanley and Susan Scott’s entry, A Cowboy For You. The class drew a total of 31 entries and ran concurrent with the Limited Division.

In the 3-Year-Old Limited Open Hunter Under Saddle (6 shown), results were: Champion, Lucky To Sleep, owned by DeAnna Darroh and shown by Judy Zeitler; Reserve, Im Willy Good Today, owned and shown by Sandra Morgan; Third: Sittin On Kruze, owned by Anita Darnell and shown by Tami Thurston; Fourth: Love Matters Most, owned by Jennifer D’Onofrio and shown by Missy Thyfault, Fifth: Maid For Money, owned by Deanna Bailey and shown by Amber Pickard Hanson; Sixth, Moonlite Made owned by Paul & Joanne Straus and shown by Darci Rapley.

Aaron Moses won the 3-Year-Old $2,500 Limited Horse Western Pleasure Champion aboard Snap It Send It, owned by Kent Ray Taylor. Reserve champion was KM Betcha Im Best owned by Jaida June Dreyer and shown by Karen Hornick. Other placings were: Third, Knockin It Out, owned by Kathryn Frederick and shown by Katy Jo Zuidema; Fourth, Chasing Batterflies, owned by Linda Berwick and shown by Angie Rigdon Cannizzaro; Fifth, Shootin The Breeze, owned by Kathryn Frederick and shown by Tim Zuidema; Sixth, Extremely Good Looking, owned by Kaleena Katz Weakly and shown by Kenny Lakins; Seventh, Whoz Dat Batt Girl, owned by Bryan Reger and shown by Brian Cox; Eighth: Lazy Loping, owned by Randy Kimmel and shown by Wade Black; Ninth, Last At Batt, shown by Jim Chafin; Tenth/Eleventh (tie) Sure Am Southern, owned by Marlee White and shown by Jason English and Shes So Southern, owned by Tamara Ray and shown by Jamie English.

A total of 10 competed in the Maturity Limited Western Pleasure with Championship honors going to KM Nothin Better, owned by Masterson Farms, and shown by Houston Huff. Reserve was Live N It Up, owned and shown by Aubrey Alderman; There was a tie for third and fourth between Been There Scene It, owned by Coleen Bull and shown by Austin Gooding and To Cool To Be Hot, owned by Suzan VonEssen and shown by Cody Conover. Other placings were: Fifth, Wham Bam Thankyou Man, shown by Charles Cannizzaro; Sixth, Scoot Over, owned by Linda Neece and shown by Jessica Duffy; Seventh, VS The First Lady, owned by Capall Creek Farms and shown by Kelby Hutchinson; Eighth: Made Just Right, owned by Patti Ross-Abbott and shown by Becca Britton.

Kenny Lakins won the Color Breed Open Western Pleasure with eight entries aboard Born Sophisticated, owned by Dr. Laura Bracken. Reserve champion in the class was Bikinis Only, shown by Brian Rastall. Third place went to Been There Scene It, owned by Colleen Bull and shown by Garth Gooding.

Several classes, scheduled at the end of the show day were postponed to first thing Friday morning due to inclement weather.

Debbie Curtis also contributed to this report