Skyler Nicholas dominated the Cinch Young Guns Long Go with Last Chance Qualifier, winning first on Stoli My Guy and second on Perrywater Dash March 12, 2025.

Nicholas, a 17-year-old from Rockdale, Texas, took the win with a 15.425-second run aboard her 16-year-old mare to also lead the Hooey Jr. Patriot Qualifier and the 1D of the Open 5D. Her 13-year-old mare Perrywater Dash—by Stratospheric out of Fire Waters Free—was right behind Stoli with a 15.660. Stoli, by Traffic Guy out of Sixes Future, has grown up alongside Nicholas.

“She’s very, very special,” Nicholas said. “We bought her as a 2-year-old freshly broke, and then my mom trained her on barrels and futuritied her. She’s always had a wild side, too. She will still buck in the warmup pen with me sometimes—doesn’t matter. But she’s very special to our family, and we have babies out of her that we’re running, so we’re very excited.”

Being able to show the talents of a home-trained horse and win on her is indescribable for Nicholas and her family.

“It is the best,” said Nicholas, who is still determining where she’ll continue her education after graduating this spring. “Especially with the babies—that’s one of my favorite parts, training them, seeing them progress and you finally do win on them. It’s like, ‘I knew you had it.’ It’s the most rewarding.”

Nicholas had a clear plan for Stoli inside the Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth.

“Ride to the wall,” Nicholas said with a laugh. “And then as tight as I can be around [the barrels] so my legs are not in the way. She’s likes to turn; she’s a very turn style horse. So, that’s something that I kind of always focus on is just getting her to her spots.”

Nicholas will run again Thursday, March 13, in the Jr. Patriot Semi-Finals, followed by the Cinch Young Guns Short Round Friday, March 14. As for the Patriot Open 5D, the long round will conclude March 14, as well.