The weather is always the wild card at the Tom Powers Triple Challenge Futurity, held each year in Berrien Springs, Michigan. This year is no exception.

A storm rolled in to the Berrien County Fairgrounds late Tuesday night, outing power for a few hours and drenching the outdoor pens.

But Tom Powers and his crew are pros at getting the grounds back into shape and by the first break on the opening day’s schedule, competition had moved to the outdoor arenas, under bright sunny skies.

Nancy Wilkerson has plenty of experience showing a yearling in the indoor arena at the Powers and that experience paid off this morning as she opened the first day of competition by showing The Best Ticket, owned by Wilkerson’s parents, Stanley and Susan Scott, to a win in the Non-Pro Color Longe Line. A total of 16 yearlings competed. Other placings were: Reserve Champion, Dun Lopin, owned by Dennis and Karen Reilfsnyder and shown by Jessica Wazny; Third, Capitol Gain, owned by Dennis Robinson and shown by Terry Robinson; fourth, Extremely Hot Goji, owned and shown by Jennifer Hagen; fifth, Rock One Seven, owned and shown by Danita Drake; sixth, Portrait Of Grace owned and shown by Debbie Wadds; seventh, Dun Lazy Lopin, owned and shown by Melissa Baker; eighth/ninth (tie), Rock Paper Scissors, owned and shown by Jillian Willem and Cheevas On The Rocks, owned and shown by Nathalie Richer; 10th, Almost Moonlite, owned and shown by Melinda Reiss.

A total of 16 competed in the Open Color Longe Line as well. Kenny Lakins showed Best By Design to victory for owners Brett and Heather Caplinger. Reserve was The Best Ticket, shown by Jon Barry. Other placings were: third, Dun Lopin, owned by Dennis and Karen Reilfsnyder and shown by Alan Wood; fourth/fifth (tie) Rock Paper Scissors, owned and shown byGavin Pope and Almost Moonlite owned by Melinda Reiss and shown by Anthony Leier; sixth, Capitol Gain, owned by Dennis Robinson and shown by Terry Robinson; seventh, Portrait Of Grace owned by Debbie Wadds and shown by Gord Wadds; eighth/ninth (tie), Dun Lazy Lopin, owned and shown by Melissa Baker and Extremely Hot Goji, owned and shown by Jennifer Hagen; 10^th, Rock One Seven, owned and shown by Danita Drake.

Al Be Bleu, bested five other entries to capture the Championship title in the 3-Year-Old Novice Horse Hunter Under Saddle, with Farley McLendon in the irons for Tali Terlizzi. Reserve Champion was Hoos Initials, owned by Edgehill Farm and shown by Trisha Yamber. Finishing third was Love Matters Most, owned by Jennifer D’Onofina and shown by Missy Thyfault.

Dr. Laura Bracken piloted Born Sophisticated to a win in the six entry Color Breed Non-Pro Western Pleasure. Reserve Champion was Refleet, owned and shown by Andrea Foss. Third was Hotroddin Ona Ranger owned and shown by Riley Gelger.

The 2-Year-Old Color Western Pleasure drew three entries with the win going to VS Code Of Gold, owned by David and Tasha Winterfield and shown by Pasley Puthoff. Reserve honors went to Kiss My Special Asset, owned by Penny Kelahan and shown by Jeremy Rosheisen. Third place was Lazy Sunday Drive, owned by Rebecca Smiecinski and shown by Jennifer Stein.

In the 3-Year-Old Limited Open Western Pleasure, with 16 entries, Stephanie Armellinirode Shootin The Breeze to victory for owner Kathryn Frederick while Bettin Ona RV, owned by Vickie Kent and shown by Mallory Vroegh, claimed Reserve honors. There was a tie for third and fourth between Barry Barry Good, owned and shown by Katherine Crowe and Last At Batt shown by Kyle Pierce.

This year, Powers opted to run a total of 12 classes in a two-go format.

New classes this year are:

50 & Over Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle, $1,000 added, two go-rounds with a NSBA trophy and Championship Buckle;

Open Ranch Riding, $500 added with a NSBA plaque and Championship Buckle;

Green Ranch Riding, $250 added with a NSBA plaque and Championship buckle;

Non-Pro Ranch Riding, $250 added with a NSBA plaque and Championship buckle

Judges for this year’s event are Jan Hoskins Hay, Charlene Carter, Patty Campbell, Carla McMullen, Bob Kail, Debbie Kail, Tom Robertson and Bruce Walquist.

Tomorrow’s competition begins at 8 a.m. with the Open English Longe Line, followed by the Brad Borton Memorial Limited Non-Pro Western Longe Line. The class runs concurrently with the Non-Pro Western Longe line. The memorial was established to honor the memory of InStride Edition Publisher Brad Borton, who passed away last year at the age of 60, after a long battle with cancer. Brad had a real passion for the Longe Line class and for inspiring breeders and owners to showcase their young pleasure prospects.Over $10,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded in the memorial class, including a bonus for the top placing breeder/owner/exhibitor.

For official results from Wednesday Click Here.

 For additional information on the Tom Powers Futurity, including a schedule of events, visit www.tompowersfuturity.com