On July 23, Courtney Goodman piloted the 2023 gelding Lil Whizkey Gun (Whizkey N Diamonds x Lil Gun Affair) to a 216½ and the win at the 2026 100X Brazos Slide Non Pro Futurity in Waco, Texas. The score earned the pair $13,893.47 and marked the gelding’s first time in the show pen.
“I can’t really put into words the excitement that I felt in that moment,” Goodman said.
A Winning Debut
Goodman said the run came together from start to finish. The non-pros competed on NRHA pattern 8, a pattern that opens with spins, a maneuver that “Cruz” excels at. From the first maneuver, Cruz and Goodman maintained that momentum throughout the rest of the run.
“He was super good in the circles, and then he just absolutely stops huge,” Goodman said. “I was really happy with how we were both able to lay out that pattern.”
For a horse making his first appearance in the show pen, Goodman said Cruz’s composure stood out most.
“He’s super calm and collected. He just kind of takes everything one step at a time,” she said. “He’s a really big turner, he stops huge, he’s got definitely all the parts, so he’s really fun to ride.”
How Cruz Found His Way to Goodman
Goodman bought Cruz as a 2-year-old in December while searching for a 3-year-old prospect for the futurity season.
“I had seen some video of him that just really stood out. He looked like something I would enjoy,” she said. “As soon as I tried him, I knew he was a perfect fit for me. He just really fit the way I like to ride.”
Cruz has found his forever home now with Goodman.
“I am a keeper of all my horses,” she said. “I get so attached that I just felt like he kind of fit in the family.”
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Meaningful Moment
The victory came during a difficult stretch for Goodman, who lost her father this past March. She credits her family, especially her husband and her mother, with supporting her through the season.
“It’s been a little bit tough going through this experience without him, but I knew he was really looking down on me and so happy for me and Cruz,” she said.
Goodman and Cruz will head to the 100X Reining Classic in Tulsa, Oklahoma, next, with an eye toward the NRHA Non Pro Futurity in December.