Nunn And Casillas Victorious At Sherry Cervi Youth Championships
Nunn And Casillas Victorious At Sherry Cervi Youth Championships
Lilly Nun won the junior division and Dallys Casillas won the senior division at the Sherry Cervi Youth Championships in Marana, AZ.
In a fierce competition at the Sherry Cervi Youth Championships, two young barrel racers left with the victories in their home state this past weekend in Marana, Arizona.
The Marana race was first of two Sherry Cervi Youth Championships being held this year, the other takes place in Ceres, California, on May 27-28. The format of the event is unique and is only open to two divisions: the junior division, which is 12 years and under, and the senior division, which is ages 13-18.
Lilly Nun captured the junior race, and Dallys Casillas won the seniors. Both barrel racers brought the heat in each round and stayed consistent and smooth.
The 14-year-old Casillas, who is from Thatcher, Arizona, rode her 8-year-old dun grade mare, Harley, to the winner's circle in the senior division. The Casillas family bought Harley when she was 4 years old, and Casillas explains that she could not ask for a better teammate or best friend in the arena.
"She is very smart and a very fast learner, Casillas said. "She has a big heart and she always makes sure to keep me safe. She loves running barrels and I love that I get to be the one to do it with her.
While this was Casillas' first time competing at the Sherry Cervi Youth Championships, she didn't let first-time jitters get in the way of her and Harley having a successful weekend.
"It was a great experience for me to get to go to Sherry's race," Casillas said. "I know that there are many other girls that would've liked to have been there, so I am very thankful that I got to go. I look up to Sherry very much, not only because she is an amazing barrel racer but because she truly loves her horses and is kind to everyone she meets."
Casillas finished strong in the first round of the seniors with a 16.438 that placed her fifth in the 1D. She came back in the second round and was a mirror of consistency, running a 16.552 to again place fifth in the 1D. Her smooth showing was good enough for 32.990 seconds on two runs and first in the average.
The 12-year-old Nunn, who hails from the state's cowboy capital of Wickenburg, rode OBD Eclipse A Bug to the championship in the juniors. "Clipper" as they affectionately call the red and white overo gelding is by Other Brother Daryl, whom Nunn's mother, Betsy, trained and ran at the futurities before the talented stallion got hurt.
"Daryl was an outstanding futurity horse that my mom could have made the NFR on, but he ended up getting hurt before they ever had the chance," Nunn said. "He sired almost 100 colts."
This was also Nunn's first time competing at the coveted event and she hopes to come back as long as she is eligible.
"This was my first time competing in the Sherry Cervi Youth Championships," Nunn said. "It was very exciting but also nerve-racking, because you just want everything to be perfect from the quality of your run to your time because you are running in front of a rodeo celebrity.
Nunn and Clipper came in hot in the first round and won it with a 16.640. In the second round, Nunn and Clipper clocked a 16.723, which was good enough for third in the 1D. With a total time on two runs of 33.363 seconds, Nunn found herself in the driver's seat for the average.
Both girls won gorgeous Martin Saddles, Classic Equine Legacy boots, Renew Gold feed, Oxy-Gen Equine supplements, a certificate for Resistol hats and much more.
Be sure to check out the next Sherry Cervi Youth Championships race onMemorial Day Weekend in Ceres, CA!
By Hope Sickler-Raley
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The Marana race was first of two Sherry Cervi Youth Championships being held this year, the other takes place in Ceres, California, on May 27-28. The format of the event is unique and is only open to two divisions: the junior division, which is 12 years and under, and the senior division, which is ages 13-18.
Lilly Nun captured the junior race, and Dallys Casillas won the seniors. Both barrel racers brought the heat in each round and stayed consistent and smooth.
The 14-year-old Casillas, who is from Thatcher, Arizona, rode her 8-year-old dun grade mare, Harley, to the winner's circle in the senior division. The Casillas family bought Harley when she was 4 years old, and Casillas explains that she could not ask for a better teammate or best friend in the arena.
"She is very smart and a very fast learner, Casillas said. "She has a big heart and she always makes sure to keep me safe. She loves running barrels and I love that I get to be the one to do it with her.
While this was Casillas' first time competing at the Sherry Cervi Youth Championships, she didn't let first-time jitters get in the way of her and Harley having a successful weekend.
"It was a great experience for me to get to go to Sherry's race," Casillas said. "I know that there are many other girls that would've liked to have been there, so I am very thankful that I got to go. I look up to Sherry very much, not only because she is an amazing barrel racer but because she truly loves her horses and is kind to everyone she meets."
Casillas finished strong in the first round of the seniors with a 16.438 that placed her fifth in the 1D. She came back in the second round and was a mirror of consistency, running a 16.552 to again place fifth in the 1D. Her smooth showing was good enough for 32.990 seconds on two runs and first in the average.
The 12-year-old Nunn, who hails from the state's cowboy capital of Wickenburg, rode OBD Eclipse A Bug to the championship in the juniors. "Clipper" as they affectionately call the red and white overo gelding is by Other Brother Daryl, whom Nunn's mother, Betsy, trained and ran at the futurities before the talented stallion got hurt.
"Daryl was an outstanding futurity horse that my mom could have made the NFR on, but he ended up getting hurt before they ever had the chance," Nunn said. "He sired almost 100 colts."
This was also Nunn's first time competing at the coveted event and she hopes to come back as long as she is eligible.
"This was my first time competing in the Sherry Cervi Youth Championships," Nunn said. "It was very exciting but also nerve-racking, because you just want everything to be perfect from the quality of your run to your time because you are running in front of a rodeo celebrity.
Nunn and Clipper came in hot in the first round and won it with a 16.640. In the second round, Nunn and Clipper clocked a 16.723, which was good enough for third in the 1D. With a total time on two runs of 33.363 seconds, Nunn found herself in the driver's seat for the average.
Both girls won gorgeous Martin Saddles, Classic Equine Legacy boots, Renew Gold feed, Oxy-Gen Equine supplements, a certificate for Resistol hats and much more.
Be sure to check out the next Sherry Cervi Youth Championships race onMemorial Day Weekend in Ceres, CA!
By Hope Sickler-Raley