Open Two-Rein: A Starlights Magnum & Kyle Trahern Power to NRCHA World Title

Most horses only have to handle one cow in the finals of a major National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) event. A Starlights Magnum and Kyle Trahern worked three Wednesday night during the Open Two-Rein finals at the NRCHA Celebration of Champions.

The first one tried to vacate the arena. The second one was far more agreeable, but apparently lost interest when it came time to run down the fence. After the judges blew the whistle the second time, affording Trahern a third cow, he was offered the chance to wait until the end of the set to try again.

He thought about it, but waved it off. Send in another cow. A Starlights Magnum had it covered.

“I knew they passed that rule a couple of years ago where, after you called off your second cow, you can wait and go at the end of the set,” he explained. “But, I kind of had the momentum, my horse was ready and he felt good on those first two cows. I knew I had enough horse, so I just didn’t want to lose that momentum that we already had.”

A Starlights Magnum rewarded his trainer’s confidence with a strong performance, marking a 226.5. It was just enough to earn the championship with a composite of 448 (221.5 rein/226.5 cow).

The win in such a tough two-rein class — Trahern had a good run in the first round, but the competition was so tough he almost didn’t make it to the finals—said a lot about the horse’s talent.

“That just kind of confirms what we already knew about him,” Trahern said.

Bred by Terry Martin, of Canyon, Texas, A Starlights Magnum is out of Shiny Starlight (by Grays Starlight). He is the leading earner for his dam, with the $7,061 first-place prize in the Open Two-Rein pushing his lifetime earnings to more than $49,433, according to EquiStat.

A Diverse Pedigree

From a pedigree standpoint, A Starlights Magnum could have been pointed in many directions. His sire, Magnum With A Dream, was a reining horse who earned $127,204 during appearances in the Open finals of several of that sport’s biggest events, including the National Reining Horse Association Futurity and Derby. His dam, Shiny Starlight, on the other hand, earned $17,251 in cutting events.

Most of A Starlights Magnum’s money-earning siblings have been reiners, although one — Whizkey N Starlight (by Whizkey N Diamonds) — is a successful, money-winning roping horse.

Kyle Trahern on A Starlights Magnum * Photo by Primo Morales

A Starlights Magnum started his career as competing as a 3-year-old in ranch events and reining with Keith and Ryan Birkenfeld. Trahern bought him the following year, saying he liked the horse and thought he would be a good non-pro horse or roping horse. He didn’t buy the horse with the expectation he would be winning the Open Two-Rein World Championship at the Celebration of Champions.

Sometimes, a trainer will say it seemed like things suddenly came together for a horse, who then began advancing in his training. The light came on, so to speak. Or, they’ll say a horse just gradually began to get stronger in his training, gaining skills and confidence as he went along.

According to Trahern, neither was the case with A Starlights Magnum. The horse was always good. People just didn’t know it.

“Our light kind of finally came on and we realized just how good he was,” Trahern said. “But, we’ve always liked him just because he was such a good horse to go use and rope on—and anybody can ride him. He’s just a big old pretty teddy bear.”

Going forward, the goal is to keep showing him. First up was the Celebration of Champions Open Bridle and Intermediate Open Bridle preliminary round Thursday morning in Fort Worth. Trahern and the 2017 gelding had another strong showing, marking a composite of 293 (147 rein/146 cow). Those scores earned them the title of Reserve World Champion in the Intermediate Open Bridle and earned them another chance to show in the Open Bridle finals.

Open Two-Rein Reserve World Champion

The Open Two-Rein Reserve World Championship went to Bad To Tha Boon and Erin Taormino, who marked a composite of 447 (221.5 rein/225.5 cow). The 2017 gelding by Peptoboonsmal and out of Bet On Merada (by Bet On Me 498) earned $5,526 for owner Kathleen Pinkney. He was bred by the Aaron Ranch, of Commerce, Texas.