Cooper Clark, Alll Inn Claim Intermediate Open Derby Championship at NCHA Summer Spectacular

Cooper Clark netted his first big NCHA win in Fort Worth on Saturday, July 18, in the Summer Spectacular Intermediate Open Derby riding stallion Alll Inn, marking a 221 to earn $16,427.

Clark and Alll Inn then put another run together in the Open Derby, cutting from the last position in the second set for a score of 217, finishing No. 6 in the open and earning an additional $24,042 for late owner Tom Bailey.

“Big shout out to Mr. Tom,” Clark said. “I was glad I got to do that on his horse. I think he was watching today, and I was happy to be able to get it done for him and his wife Lisa.”

To advance to finals Saturday, Clark, an assistant trainer for Adan Banuelos, put together a 215.5 in the first go, 218 in the second go and a 218.5 in the semifinals before turning on the gas for their Intermediate title.

“We had a good draw, [second out] so we had a bunch of fresh cows,” Clark said. “We had our cows that we had picked out and they all got in the right spot, and we got to cut them good.”

Clark said he looks for a cow that “moves around a little bit more,” so he can ride it to a spot and show Alll Inn, known as “Oliver,” off a little more. The 221 ranks among his best scores in the arena, making the the moment even more memorable.

Bred for It

Alll Inn is sired by Reyzin the Cash and out of the mare All Spice (by Once In A Blu Boon). All Spice won the 2020 NCHA Futurity Open Championship with Banuelos and went on to earn 2021 NCHA Open Horse of the Year honors with more than $384,000 in earnings.

She is a full sister to 2018 NCHA Futurity Reserve Champion Badboonarising and a daughter of the million-dollar producer Show Biz Kitty.

Clark, who calls the horse Oliver, has been around him since he was started as a 2-year-old by Tanguy Saulnier and turned over to Banuelos as a 3-year-old.

“He’s just a very easygoing horse, and he has a very good move on a cow,” Clark said. “I know if you get cows out in front of him that are good, he looks pretty good on them.”

Clark thanked helpers Jesse Lennox and Colt Moore, along with his father, Jason Clark, and Banuelos, who he also thanked for the opportunity to ride a horse like Alll Inn.

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