The top five races in the Holiday Auto Group Challenge of the Champions standings are tightening, with the Oct. 30 update showing less than $400 separating fifth and sixth place in three of the four divisions. Much of the movement came at the Congress Super Sort Oct. 16-18 in Jackson, Ohio, where several contenders added to their earnings.
Compared with the Oct. 13 update, the top five cutoff remained unchanged in the Open ($16,835) and Amateur ($12,605) divisions. It rose in the Novice division from $10,937 to $11,430 and in the Rookie division from $5,602 to $5,752. The gap between fifth and sixth place, known as the Face-Off Zone, is $2,359 in the Open, $360 in the Novice, $286 in the Amateur and $150 in the Rookie. At season’s end, the top five money earners in each division qualify for the year-end tournament at the World Finals in June.
Open: Chris Mangold Moves Into Third
Hunter Brzymialkiewicz (Waller, Texas) continues to lead the Open with $25,376, but his advantage over No. 2 Jessie Wolfe (Wellington, Colorado) has narrowed to $2,902. Wolfe now has $22,474, up from $21,994 on Oct. 13, after a strong showing at the Congress Super Sort.
Chris Mangold (Hesperia, California) moved up one spot to No. 3 with $20,395 after spending the season on the road chasing points and earnings. At Congress, he placed second in the Laredo Conversions #10 with Elizabeth Erb and picked up checks in both the Ride TV Western Heritage All Levels and the separate All Levels class. He also placed third in the Priefert Open Gold Shootout with Logan Wolfe.
Kevin Reese (Fayetteville, Tennessee) slipped to No. 4 with $20,100, just $295 behind Mangold. Joel Lesh (Stillwater, Oklahoma) holds the final qualifying spot at $16,835.
Logan Wolfe (Wellington, Colorado) moved up one spot to No. 6 with $14,476, putting him $2,359 outside the Face-Off Zone. He had a busy weekend at Congress, winning the Hyer Boots #11 Rookie with Tamara Gates and the #12 with Eddy Gonzalez. He also placed second in the #15 3-Rider 2-Gate with Jen Miller and Beth Shaw.
Rodi Torres (Waller, Texas) jumped two spots to No. 8 with $11,574.
Amateur: Top 5 Holds as Floyd Foster Closes In
The Amateur top five remains unchanged from Oct. 13. Ella Snyder (Fayetteville, Tennessee) leads with $36,776, followed by Nelson Mas (Allentown, New Jersey) with $20,813. Jennifer Marshall (Modesto, California) holds third with $14,502.
The race for the final qualifying spots is much closer. BJ Hilborn (Terrell, Texas) is fourth with $12,650, just $45 ahead of Victor Dold (Appleton, New York), who holds fifth with $12,605.
Floyd Foster (Cogville, Oregon) moved into the No. 6 spot with $12,319, only $286 behind Dold. Foster had a strong weekend at the Oct. 17 CTPA show at Rim Rock Riders Arena in Powell Butte, Oregon, winning the #18 3-Man 2-Gate, #11 Rookie, #14 and All Levels.
Mary Richards (Modesto, California) also moved into the Top 10 at No. 8 with $11,482. She won the #18 All Levels, #12 and #13 at the Just Keep Riding Events show at Long Road Performance Horses Arena in Lemoore, California, Oct 17–18.
Novice: Adley Reneau Jumps to Third
Eric Turner (Sellersville, Pennsylvania) continues to lead the Novice with $20,490, up from $19,709 on Oct. 13. Hannah Wibbens (Eastvale, California) holds second with $16,659.
Adley Reneau (Corpus Christi, Texas) made the division’s biggest move, climbing three spots to No. 3 with $12,535.
Aspen Reese (Fayetteville, Tennessee) slipped one spot to No. 4 with $12,152. Ron Vanderziel Jr. (Caliente, California) holds the final qualifying spot with $11,430, up from $10,937. At Congress, he placed fourth in the #10 Masters with Robin Woessner.
Nikki Hale (Corpus Christi, Texas) dropped two spots to No. 6 with $11,070, putting her $360 outside the Face-Off Zone. Aric Adams (Ocala, Florida) climbed two spots to No. 7 with $8,545 after winning the Mil-Spec Liners #6/4 INC, a 203-team class, with Teresa Adams at Congress.
Rookie: Just $150 Separates Fifth and Sixth
Christy Hayes (Dawson, Pennsylvania) holds the lead at No. 1 with $10,066, up from $9,293 on Oct. 13. Jodie Distad (Albert Lea, Minnesota) holds second with $8,316.
The race for the final qualifying spots is especially close. Tracy Reed (Summerville, Oregon) is third with $5,933, Lauri Vanderziel (Caliente, California) is fourth with $5,887 and Chelsie Schmidt (Glide, Oregon) holds fifth with $5,752. Jayden Mitchell (Campbell, Texas) is sixth with $5,602, just $150 outside the qualifying cutoff.
Vanderziel climbed two spots after a strong Congress, where she placed third in the Hyer Boots #11 Rookie with Logan Wolfe and placed third in the US Rider #5 Gold Shootout with Teresa Adams.