For do-it-yourself horsewoman Noreen Fenske, nothing could be more thrilling than showcasing the talent of her unmistakably flashy Paint stallion Spooks Delta Dude to a cheering crowd, and she got such a chance at the Canadian Supreme October 5 in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.
The horsewoman from Jedburgh, Saskatchewan, has raised and trained “Spook,” a 2007 bay tovero stallion by Spooks Gotta Gun and out of Deltas Spicy Diamonds, since his 2-year-old year.
“I wanted a Paint stallion with potential to do well in working cow horse events, and I spent a long time looking to find something I thought was right,” Noreen said. “He’s just been super—I’ve never regretted my decision. He’s incredibly talented and great to work with.”
Though Noreen had never trained a stallion before, Spook proved to be an avid student, and he quickly took to cattle.
“It just comes so naturally to him,” she said. “It only took a few times of showing the cow before he was following and stopping right along with it. He knows his job and he just lights up when he sees a cow.”
Once successful at their local level, Noreen and Spook set their eye on a much larger prize—the Canadian Supreme, a weeklong show that highlights more than 500 of the best reining, cutting and working cow horses from the Pacific Northwest and boasts a purse of nearly $500,000.
“Horses come from all over Western Canada and the Northern United States; it’s a pretty big deal,” Noreen said. “It’s always been my dream to have a horse good enough to compete at the Supreme.”
Though they had competed twice before, Noreen had never been satisfied with their performances. This year, she made it her goal to make the final round.
Competing in the Non-Pro Bridle class, Noreen and Spook earned a 134 in the rein work and a 128 in the cow work—enough to make it to the Top Five final round on Cinch Night.
“I thought, ‘I made it to the finals, we have nothing to lose,’ so my goal was to just go out there and show everybody what he can do,” Noreen said. “The crowd was full and everyone was cheering. We were the first to go out there, and we just showed off. I think it was the best run we’ve ever had!”
Their dazzling performance didn’t go unnoticed; the pair earned a 144.5 in their final fence work, placing third overall to win more than $475. Above titles and cash, though, was the recognition for their hard work, Noreen says.
“I was really emotional once it was over,” she said. “I’ve done all the work, so I had such a feeling of pride to get to compete against some of the best professionally trained horses. Just to be out there riding with them gives you an amazing feeling.
“It was his best run ever, and we made it count when it counted. The people that come to our local shows know what my bright, white Paint can do, and I know what he can do. Now the world knows, too.”
Learn more about Noreen and Spooks Delta Dude at downthefenske.com. Watch their Canadian Supreme finals run on Facebook.
[Reprinting all or part of this news release is permitted, so long as credit is given to the Paint Horse Journal and a link provided back to apha.com.]
About APHA
The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association, registering more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories since it was founded. APHA creates and maintains programs that increase the value of American Paint Horses and enriches members’ experiences with their horses.