Ceri Ward isn’t new to the futurity scene, but her performance at the 2025 Run at the Rose marked a major first: her first title at the Montrose event.
And she didn’t just take home a check—she was ultra-consistent across each day of competition on nearly everything she jumped aboard.
Riding Nonstop Lane Ta Fame, a 2019 mare owned by Sharin Hall, Ward stayed sharp in both rounds of the $15,000-added Horse Hair Analysis Futurity. She finished second in Round 1, fifth in Round 2 and came out on top in the average, earning $3,502 for the aggregate win and a total of $6,932 with the mare.
“Laney pretty much lets me just jump ride her. She’s so solid,” Ward said. “She doesn’t care if we haven’t made runs in weeks or if we’re trying a new setup. She just goes in and does her job every time.”
Ward first got the call to ride Laney earlier this spring at the BBR World Finals when Hall was injured and unable to compete. Despite the limited time together, the duo found fast success and have kept the momentum rolling at some of the year’s toughest futurities.
“I try to keep things really simple, especially when I’m getting on one I didn’t train. I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel—I just figure out what makes that horse tick and try to keep them confident. With Laney, I know Sharin has put in the work, and I trust that foundation. My job is just to stay out of her way and let her do what she knows how to do.”
Ceri Ward
Laney is by The Goodbye Lane and out of CM Famous Victory by Famous Bugs. Hall purchased her at a young age from breeder Mary Crago after carefully selecting her based off confirmation and pedigree. Now, Laney’s becoming a a shining example of a collaboration between multiple top trainers.
When Hall needed somebody to take Laney’s reins for a spell as a 3-year-old, she called upon Dale Long, whom Hall held high praise for in his ability to help Laney gain confidence and exposure. He helped prepare the mare for, and step in as a jockey at the Barrel Futurities of American $uper$takes juvenile in November 2024. Hall ran the mare in the spring of 2025, then handed the reins over to Ward.
“Laney is a special mare,” Hall said. “Ceri’s been able to keep her progressing while I’m on the road with Stella. I’ve learned to really respect Ceri not just as a talented rider, but as a businesswoman and a trainer who always puts her horses first.”
With Hall focused on rodeoing aboard her standout mare Hello Stella, the timing was right for Ward to take the reins on Laney full-time.
“This mare is just easy to be confident on. She’s the kind of horse where you don’t have to question your plan. Sharin has done a great job with her, and I just try to stay out of her way,” Ward said.
Ward’s weekend success didn’t stop with her win on Nonstop Lane Ta Fame. She also picked up a sixth-place check in Round 2 aboard Gamblingslick for $800 and went on to finish sixth in the average with the gelding, adding another $1,021. She rounded out her string with BTR Moonflash, who placed twelfth in the average. All three horses landed inside the top 15 of the 102-head futurity—an impressive display of depth and consistency in Ward’s program.
“It felt like everything finally clicked,” Ward said. “The horses were working, the ground was great, and the vibe at Montrose just makes you want to do your best. It was just a fun, rewarding weekend.”
Ward also acknowledged the power of collaboration in her program, crediting the support she’s received from fellow trainers Brandon and Emily Cullins.
“Working with Brandon and Emily was something I found very helpful recently,” she said. “We help each other because we have different strengths and weaknesses and can bounce ideas off one another. I rode with them recently and spent some time over there, and it’s really made a difference. We talk a lot about keeping horses working mentally and physically.”
Ward is looking to roll straight into the second weekend of Montrose futurities as strong as her first, and she’ll be a crowd favorite with a trailer full of talented athletes in the futurity, maturity and open sections. Her mindset appears rock solid, and she won’t be making a ton of changes between events.
“The biggest thing for me is consistency and confidence,” Ward said. “I don’t believe in drilling these horses. I want them to feel good every time they go in the pen so that when the big moments come, they’re ready. If I can get them to enjoy their job, they’ll give me everything they’ve got.”
“To see (Laney) win a futurity that Horse Hair Analysis sponsored made it even sweeter. She’s been on their program for over a year now, and it’s made a huge difference. They care about the long-term soundness and performance of our horses, and they put their money where their mouth is by supporting events like this one.”
Sharin Hall
