Champions were crowned, memories were made and the 2025 NRCHA Kimes Ranch Derby delivered another unforgettable 11 days of high-caliber cow horse action! This event wouldn’t be possible without the unwavering support of our title sponsor, Kimes Ranch, whose commitment to the sport continues to elevate the Western performance horse industry.
Open Derby Champion
After years of dedication, Jordan Williams finally achieved a long-awaited milestone: his first-ever NRCHA premier event win, riding Tazzy Es Savvy to dominate both the Open Derby and Intermediate Open Derby.
Scoring an impressive 663.5 composite (H: 216.5/R: 222/C: 225), Williams piloted the talented mare, by CR Gotcha Covered, out of Mizz Savannah Taz, by Pepto Taz, to the top of the leaderboard for Bonds Ranch of Saginaw, Texas. The win earned Bonds Ranch nearly $78,500 and secured Williams’ place among the reined cow horse’s elite.
“Honestly, it’s hard for me to even fathom winning almost $120,000 with these horses throughout this show,” Williams said in disbelief. “That’s a lot of money, you know? I’m extremely blessed to be able to have the opportunity to go show such a nice horse, and when you come out on top, there’s no greater feeling.”
But the story of this victory goes far beyond the show pen. Tazzy Es Savvy, bred by Center Ranch and raised by Bonds Ranch, nearly didn’t make it past the early stages of her training. Williams recalled a pivotal conversation with an NCHA professional who was very familiar with her breeding, Tarin Rice, during those uncertain first weeks.
“The funny story is after the first couple weeks we started her, I was honestly contemplating sending her home, because she was just a wild individual,” Williams admitted. “I called Tarin and visited with him about it. Tarin said, ‘Just keep grinding, she’ll come through.’ And he wasn’t lying. She did.”
Her sire, CR Gotcha Covered (Dualin Boon x The Cattac x High Brow Cat), is a proven powerhouse in the performance horse world. The 2019 NCHA Open World Champion and World Champion Stallion boasts over $300,000 in lifetime earnings, all under the guidance of Rice. “Gotcha’s” legacy and talent is alive and well in his daughter.
“She’s been an unbelievable horse,” Williams said. “I feel very blessed to have her. Bonds Ranch has been an incredible customer. They’ve trusted me for years now and we’ve been close a few times but hadn’t been able to pull it off, until now.”
While the hardware and payout are monumental, what moved Williams most was the response from his peers and encouraging members of the reined cow horse community.
“I’m a student of the game,” he said. “I’ve studied these guys for years, and I have so much respect for them. We’ve all become a family, and I’ve become good friends with a lot of these guys. So to come out and for all of them to be whooping and hollering, giving me high fives and shaking my hands and telling me ‘This couldn’t happen to a better person,’ it just means the world to me.”
Heading into the Open Derby Finals, Williams kept his focus on staying grounded.
“My mindset was just to trust my training, trust my horses and let the outcome be what the outcome’s going to be.”
This time, the outcome was a long-deserved and unforgettable victory; proof that years of hard work, loyalty and trust in your horse (no matter how wild they may have started) still pay off at the highest level.
Non Pro Derby Champion
For the second time this year, the team of Hope Mills and the impressive 4-year-old stallion SmartLookinMercedes (Dual Smart Rey x Smooth Play Kit x Smooth As A Cat) have claimed a coveted derby title—proving once again that this pair is not just a fluke, but a force to be reckoned with.
You may recognize their names from earlier this year when the pair won the Non Pro Derby at the NRCHA Stallion Stakes. To win back-to-back premier events as a 4-year-old is a rare but special occurrence.
“These wins mean that he has the heart,” Mills said. “He wants to go show”
Making the trip to Scottsdale from Oklahoma presents challenges that some might not consider—especially environmental ones. Oklahoma is humid, while Arizona is dry. Coming from a region where the humidity often exceeds 50% during summer to a desert climate can affect how a horse feels.
“He was fresh at the beginning of the show, and I’d never felt him like that before,” Mills said. “I wasn’t sure how it was going to go, but I trusted him”.
That trust and confidence Mills has in her horse to let him do what he loves is truly remarkable and it paid off. We all know that the cattle element separates this sport from others, but it can also create a mind game that messes with your head, especially when you make it to the finals.
“The cows looked totally different from the prelim cows; you can’t get into your head and you can’t think about it too much,” Mills said. “The cows will be what they are.”
Mills took the pressure off of performing and gave her horse a chance to have fun and be good.
“There’s never a moment when I’ve shown him where he doesn’t want to do it,” Mills said. “It’s always lets keep going.”
The pair’s connection has shown in every run. For a young horse to win at this level twice in one year says a lot about their bond.
“You don’t have to prove to people that you can do it again,” she said. “It wasn’t just a fluke; he’s a good horse, and he continues to want to try.”
Looking ahead, Mills plans to continue to show SmartLookinMercedes, giving him every opportunity to do what he loves and keep building on their success together. Their story is another testament that success isn’t solely based on talent. It’s based on trust and perseverance to prove you have it.
“To have a horse that can come off a win at the Stakes means a lot to both me and him, especially as a 4-year-old,” Mills said. “He has taken it like a champ”.
Non Pro Boxing Derby Champion
Consistency and 28 Sour Patch Kids paid off for Erin Keys and Dixies Reybl Yell (Dual Smart Rey x Dizzy Miss Dixie Cat), who claimed the Non Pro Boxing Derby Championship in Scottsdale with a composite score of 647 (R: 215.5/H: 214.5/C: 217).
Affectionately known as “Bubba J,” the 6-year-old gelding has been with the Keys family for two years competing, entertaining the kids and keeping the candy aisle clean.
“He is a goober,” Keys said. “You have to keep him in a good mood, and he loves Sour Patch Kids. He gets around 28 every time before we show.”
Bubba J holds many titles: barn favorite, good boy and occasional babysitter, but his proudest title is Keys’ finish yesterday. After countless miles and practice hours, they finally came together as a team. This win is special to Keys for many reasons.
“It’s great to end strong, because we were not strong in the beginning, and I’m super-excited to start him as a bridle horse next,” she said.
They’ve been chasing this win for some time, consistently staying in the top 10 along the way. This past week has proven that consistency counts by staying in the top four of each phase.
As always, great riders have an even better team behind them who push, motivate and encourage every ride along the way. Keys expressed her gratitude to those who are a part of her team.
“I’d like to thank my trainer, Mark Sigler,” she said. “He’s put up with me for years and is able to get me a horse that I can show and win on. Also, thank you to my husband and family for the support at home.”
Keys final thank you is to the Atlantic and New York Reined Cow Horse Associations for being a great support system.
