LBR Hangem, ridden by Kenny Platt and owned by Solo Select Horses, tied for first place in the 5/6-Year-Old Open Classic Challenge at the 2025 NCHA Summer Spectacular with a massive 224, earning $61,669 and pushing his lifetime earnings to $259,789.
Champions united: Melanie Smith with LBR Hangem, Misty Greeson with Phil N Dangerous, and trainer Wes Galyean celebrate their shared win at the 2025 Summer Spectacular.
“What an honor to share a championship with two great horses—Phil N Dangerous and Kittenish. Tonight, we get to go head-to-head again... almost like a run-off for $100,000. I expect all three will put on a show. That’s what it’s all about, and we’re grateful for the opportunity,” said Melanie Smith, owner of LBR Hangem and founder of Solo Select Horses.
LBR Hangem and Kenny Platt
Shotty shared the win with two top-tier horses, Kittenish (ridden by Austin Shepard) and Phil N Dangerous (shown by Wesley Galyean), as all three competitors marked identical scores in a stacked field. The three horses will now face off again tonight under the bright lights at The American Performance Horseman, where they’ll compete for the $100,000 championship title.
While it was a co-championship on paper, LBR Hangem once again showed why he’s become one of the most talked-about young stallions in the industry—blending intensity, cow sense, and undeniable athleticism.
“This horse is just so consistent,” said Melanie Smith of Solo Select. “He’s intense and gritty, and there’s nothing mechanical about him. He’s a true cow horse, through and through.”
2025 NCHA Summer Spectacular Open Champion
A fitting full-circle moment: LBR Hangem was bred this year to Show Biz Kitty, the legendary dam of his fellow co-champion Kittenish, making this win not just a highlight in his show career but a hint at the next generation of champions to come.
