Why would Ray Montgomery, co-owner of the No. 8 BHR2 team in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, elect to be in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada and miss one of the most exciting events of the season at Bristol?  Not only did Ray miss watching his son Chase compete for the first time this season, he was also in a part of the world where you can go 100 miles in any direction and see where all the wheat in the world must be grown – or so it seems.  The closest race track for him on this day was Regina’s ¼ mile track - which just also happens to be surrounded by wheat.

But Ray was not there to go to the track; instead he was supporting his daughter, Paige, in the 47th Annual Canadian Arabian and half Arabian Championship Horse Show.

In impressive fashion, Paige won the championship in the JOTR 17 and under Reining Class the night after her big brother Chase came home safely to a 20th place finish at Bristol.  She competed against entrants from both the US and Canada with qualifying based on winning regional events throughout the year.

The reining class is a western-style class, which highlights the agility and willingness of the horse to be guided by the rider demonstrating difficult movements necessary in working cattle.  The class is judged by the riders control over quick spins, straight sliding stops and lead changes, ability to stay on course, as well as the smoothness, fitness, quickness, attitude and authority with which the rider has control over the horse.

Paige also won a Reserve Championship in the AHA Reining Seat Equitation and three top ten’s in horsemanship and Hunter events at the show.

“It was a dream of a lifetime for me to be at the show and watch my daughter compete and win against some of the best riders and horses in North America,” said Ray.

But watching Chase compete at Bristol on TV from over 2000 miles away proved a little nerve-wracking for the normally calm dad.  Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on who you ask), his radio just wouldn’t work at such a distance.