On Feb. 24, Russell Dilday of Porterville, Cal ifornia, riding his horse, Topsails Rien Maker, finally captured the National Reined Cow Horse Association’s World’s Greatest Horseman title in Stephenville, Texas. But, the road to the Championship wasn’t easy.

The World’s Greatest Horseman title is an elite competition that celebrates the early California traditions of highly-trained working cow horses. Riders compete in four different ranch work competitions: reining, steer stopping, roping and cow work. The World’s Greatest Horseman title is bestowed upon the horse-and-rider combination that has the highest score at the end of the four events.

After the first two events, it seemed clear that it would come down to two riders: Russell Dilday and Robbie Schroeder.
“I haven’t absorbed it yet, Dilday said after his Sunday win. “I keep waiting for them to announce ‘we have a review.’ ”
Having finished as Reserve World’s Greatest Horseman twice, Dilday knew he needed to lay it all on the line to win, but it seemed that luck wouldn’t be on his side. Drawing up first in the herd work, he only managed to score a 211 — a score that normally wouldn’t seem too promising. However, tough cattle made it difficult for any competitor to mark high, and Dilday ended up in fourth place.

“I scored two 211s, and I was bummed about both of them,” Dilday noted. “I knew it was time to play catch up.”
From the beginning of his reining pattern, it was easy to see that Dilday was not planning on taking it easy. From super fast spins to flawless lead changes, he was clearly out to mark high. A score of 221 put him a few points ahead of Robbie Schroeder and another equally talented stallion, Shine By The Bay.

Going into the steer stopping, a little strategy was needed. “I played it safe, but I knew it still had to be good because Robbie was right there with me — and he’s a much better roper. Obviously, he won that part, but we did OK,” he said.
After the roping, Dilday and Robbie Schroeder were tied and it all came down to the cow work, where Dilday drew first. A difficult cow looked like it would put the leader out of the running after another 211 score. “We just didn’t have luck,” Dilday said. “I thought it would run and it didn’t, so I figured we would get beat. But I considered it and thought ‘Oh well, second’s cool. I’ve done that before.’”
But, as luck would have it, Robbie Schroeder also had a difficult cow, and marked a lower score than Dilday. The competition had come down to 10 finalists, with seven horses left to work after Dilday and Schroeder, so it was possible for another rider to take the lead, but none of the remaining finalists got close.

“All these horses could have legitimately won it,” noted Robbie Schroeder, who finished with the Reserve Championship. “But it all came down to luck. I’m very happy for Russell to have won it, finally.”

Finishing Reserve and winning a $22,500 was especially exciting for Robbie Schroeder, of Gainesville, Texas. Although he has competed in the event three other times, 2008 is the first time he has made the finals.

Russell Dilday didn’t look very happy as he rode out of Lone Star Arena after finishing the fence work finals in the World’s Greatest Horseman in Stephenville, Texas, on Feb. 24.

The Porterville, California, trainer, who drew first in the cow work, entered the arena a half-point behind leader Robbie Schroeder and Shine By The Bay, so he knew he and Topsails Rien Maker (Topsail Cody x Jameen Gay x Toby Gay Bar) had to score big.

After two very uncooperative cows, Dilday and his stallion marked a disappointing 211, so he thought they’d wind up second, a position he earned in 2004 and 2005. But Robbie Schroeder – and others after him – drew tough cows too, so Dilday’s composite of 867.5 netted him the prestigious National Reined Cow Horse Association title and a check for $30,000.

Robbie Schroeder and Shine By The Bay (Shining Spark x Metermaid To Order x Doc O’Lena) finished Reserve, which earned $22,500 for the team and the stallion’s owners, Shine By The Bay Partnership.

In addition to the 211 in the fence work, Dilday and Topsails Rien Maker marked a 211 in the herd work, 221 in the reined work, and 224 in steer stopping. Schroeder and Shine By The Bay netted an 860.5 composite that was comprised of 213 in the herd, 216 in the reined work, 227 in steer stopping, and 204 down the fence. Afterward, Dilday’s megawatt smile shone even brighter than usual.

“This is the biggest thing I’ve ever won,” he said. “It’s the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me by and far.

“Slider (Topsails Rien Maker) won over $140,000 by the end of last year. He was the top-earning Topsail Cody son, so this will put him up there in the national NRCHA earnings for all time. So I’m just ecstatic. And he’s just 9 years old!”
Dilday, who was nowhere to be seen while the remaining teams battled recalcitrant cows, left the warm-up pen to get some new reins until all the runs were over. 

“I didn’t even watch Robbie’s run because I wanted him to do so good,” he explained. “I didn’t want anyone to think I was standing there hoping he’d crash. Some customers of mine bought me some reins, so I went and got them from Steve Guitron and hung out there.”

Schroeder, who has competed in the World’s Greatest Horseman three other times, was elated with being Reserve. This was the first time the Gainesville, Texas, horseman made the finals. “I’m just thrilled to be here in the finals, with this caliber of horses,” he said. “I’m very happy for Russell to have won it, finally. You bring the horse you think you can win it on, and Shine By The Bay is the one for me.”

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