Old Fort Days Futurity Time Trials Showcase Multiple Talents
This futurity season is tough as ever with equine athletes and skilled riders all blazing through the timers, hoping to be top of the leaderboard. This week was the kick off to the 47th annual Old Fort Days Futurity in Fort Smith, Arkansas. There is an aspect that makes Old Fort Days stand apart from other futurities, and that is the separation of the 4-year-old and 5-year-old colts.
The four-year-old futurity time trials were on Thursday, May 16, and it was absolutely stacked with incredible horsepower.
When the last horse ran out the gate, the leaderboard score lit up with a 16.541. The ever-talented Kassie Mowry, who is no stranger to the winner's circle, rode the phenomenal mare Goodbye Sophie to the win. The 2020 mare is sired by The Goodbye Lane and out of Famous Sophie (Dash ta Fame).
Mowry and Sophie have already shown that they mean business in the futurity industry with their second round and average win at the Ruby Buckle race last month, along with winning fourth place and a $15,000 check at the Barrel Futurity Super Stakes.
Another well-known, highly-skilled barrel racer, Jolene Montgomery, was hot on Mowry’s trail with a 16.658 second run. Jockeying the gray mare by Tres Sies and out of the blue-hen mare, Mulberry Canyon Moon, this duo has been picking up checks. Between winning round one and the average in Waco, Texas, along with round one of the Lonestar Futurity, they’ve shown they are not a team to be ignored.
While this mare is registered as MCM Tres A Legacy, those who watch Montgomery’s “Between The Reins” training videos, will know her as Tiffany.
There’s still quite a bit of barrel racing action left at Old Fort Days. Who will come out as the Old Fort Days Futurity Champion?
MADI ROELOFSEN
Madi Roelofsen is a writer for Sports Illustrated's feature, Rodeo Daily. Madi not only writes about the western lifestyle and rodeo world but lives it daily. She attended Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, and competed in the barrel racing as part of their rodeo team. Roelofsen graduated in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in animal science. Madi enjoyed not only competing in rodeo events but also spectating the greatest sport on dirt. In 2017, while on vacation attending the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, she met her husband Tim Roelofsen. They got married a few years later in 2020. Tim had already established TVR Working Horses but together they grew their program and enjoy raising foals, training colts, barrel racing, team roping and standing their stallions (TVR Eye Needa Corona and CR Baron Bee Joy "Big Sexy") in both Texas and Iowa. They stay busy with the horses, farming alfalfa and raising their baby girl, Texi. Madi has always been passionate about horses, from learning about different bloodlines, breeding the foals themselves to training and competing. She expresses that passion within the articles she writes to open up the world of horses and rodeo to everyone. Twitter-@Madi_Roelofsen Facebook- @TVR Working Horses