Spice is ready to shine

By Melissa Piche Times Contributor

Matt Gingras of Gingras Performance Horses showcased the talent of a horse named Spice (Metalic Cat Itchi) in Ponoka in the Northern Alberta Reined Cow Horse Club Oct. 12-16.  

Gingras has qualified for the National Reined Cow Horse Association’s Kalpowar Quarter Horses Celebration of Champions in Fort Worth, Tex. Feb. 11-20, 2023. Spice and Gingras will be competing in the hackamore event. Hackamore is headgear for a horse that doesn’t have a bit. She will also compete in the snaffle bit derby, which is an aged event. 

“They’re essentially aged events because they’re for (horses) three, four, five and six years old,” said Gingras.

The owners of Spice, John and Suzette Krug of Wheatland County, who own and operate JSK Arena and Boarding Facility, will be attending the Celebration of Champions with Gingras in February. 

“The mare is a Canadian bred horse,” he said. “There have been a few Canadian bred horses that have done really well over the last few years.” 

Gingras explains that Spice isn’t very big. 

“She’s tiny, like the size of a pony. She’s very small only 13.2 (hands),” said Gingras. “She’s got a really big heart, just a really nice horse.” 

Gingras has shown horses in competition for other events before, but this is his first time participating in the derby categories. 

Spice and her team have done other competitions this year – she won in Saskatoon and placed in the Montana Reined Cow Horse Futurity 

“She had a really great year,” he said. 

On top of winning buckles and a chunk of the $1 million in prize money, Gingras hopes to come home with a world title. For more information on this event you can visit the National Reined Cow Horse Association website (https://nrcha.com).