RMR Competition Results - NCHA crowns 12 new champions at Summer Cutting Spectacular

( Fort Worth , TX ) –Three weeks, 12 champions, $2 million. That sums up the National Cutting Horse Association’s 2010 Summer Cutting Spectacular, presented by Great American Insurance. The show took place July 11-31 at Will Rogers Memorial Center .

The Summer Cutting Spectacular includes a derby for 4-year-old horses and a classic challenge for 5- and 6-year-olds. This was the final leg of the Triple Crown of Cutting, which began with the 2009 Futurity in December.

` Eight of the 12 champions scored a 220 or better. Last year’s derby champions Third Cutting and Boyd Rice, Spearman, Texas , had the top score overall with a 230 point win in the classic open.

Despite a power outage causing a two hour delay-of-game after the first set of Non-Pro finals, Phil Hanson, Weatherford , Texas , shined at the open finals. Taking the championship with a 227 point run with LHR Smooth Jamie May and tying for reserve on Pounce, Hanson took home more than $85,000.

“I would have never dreamed it,” said Hanson, who began his dual victories with a 223 point performance on Pounce, by High Brow Cat. That score stuck until Hanson entered the working area again in the second set, this time aboard LHR Smooth Jamie May.

“She’s tight and smart on a cow and does everything that she needs to do,” he said of the Smooth As A Cat daughter. “She can look pretty on a soft cow and look pretty running and stopping, and we had a little of both in that run.”

Sherry Chamberlin’s South Lazy H Ranch, in Weatherford , Texas , owns LHR Smooth Jamie May, after Scott Johnston sold her last year.

Pounce is owned by Julie Clark, of Bend , Ore. , and was trained by Zane Davis through the 2009 Futurity. Hanson also recently won the Breeders Invitational and the Bonanza Cutting on LHR Smooth Jamie May.

Rascal Cats and Wesley Galyean, Claremore , Okla. , followed Hanson’s winning performance three horses later, matching Hanson’s first score of 223 points for the co-reserve championship.

“I always felt he could mark those (scores),” said Galyean, who also placed third with Rascal Cats at the Augusta Futurity and the Breeders Invitational. “He’s always had that kind of talent, but it’s tough to get those runs.”

Steven Feiner, Las Angeles, Calif. , owns Rascal Cats, and Galyean trained him for his breeder, Billy Martin.

Derby Non Pro

Two hours in the dark and a cattle change later, Kristen Galyean, Claremore , Okla. , and Harley took the Derby Non-Pro title with 221.5 points. Galyean has been showing cutting horses for just two years, and this was the duo’s second win at the show – the first being the Limited Non-Pro. Harley also showed as a Derby Open semifinalist under Kristen’s husband, Wesley.

“The other night, I think we did well because Harley is so creative and made the run with the cool things he does out there,” said Galyean of her first win. “Tonight we had a tough run that had me sweating a couple of times. The cows were pretty testy, but Harley was right there and not about to give up.”

Harley is sired by Spots Hot, the stallion that Wesley won the 2004 Futurity and a handful of other major shows with.

“I don’t know what Spots Hot felt like to ride, but Wesley always described him as a shark in the water — so fast and explosive, but so smooth at the same time,” said Kristen. “I think I feel that on Harley, because he gets left and right so fast and you don’t even know how he got there. It’s like no other feeling I’ve ever had riding.”

After watching his horse, Third Cutting, win the Classic Open with Boyd Rice, Carl Smith, of Jacksboro , Texas , got in on the action himself as reserve champion of the non-pro with 218 points. His mount was Mr Rister, by Mr Boonsmal To You.

“I’ve been third four times (at major events), so I was real glad to move up a notch,” said Smith.

Smith had taken Mr Rister back to the barn following the power outage after the first set.

“We thought it would have to be (resumed) the next day,” said Smith. “But about the time we got his saddle off they said they were going to close the gate in 15 minutes. “We just relaxed and had fun.”

Derby Amateur

Kathleen Moore, Madill , Okla. , made the most out of her two entries in the derby amateur. She racked up a win on Sarenadual with 217.5 points and tied for reserve on Heres Lookin At You, sired by Smooth As A Cat. Bernie Kirkland, Weatherford , Texas , and Be Clever also took home a reserve championship with 215 points.

Classic Open

Breaking records was the name of the game for the Classic Open. Third Cutting and Boyd Rice, Spearman, Texas , took the win with a crowd-pleasing 230-point performance. They set a new record with their fourth consecutive win at Will Rogers Coliseum, two of which were 230-point runs, for two new NCHA records.

R.L. Chartier, Weatherford , Texas , and Special Nu Kitty also set a five-year record with 225 points for the reserve. Wrigley Ranch’s Special Nu Kitty also has the highest score, a 227, in NCHA Futurity history for the first and second go-rounds.

Third Cutting is owned by Carl and Shawnea Smith, Jacksboro , Texas . Carl originally purchased Third Cutting as a Non-Pro horse, but quickly realized the horse’s potential and turned him over to Rice.

“He was the best he’s ever been, dead-on the whole time,” said Rice, who hasn’t quite recovered from breaking his leg in a riding accident shortly after the Super Stakes.

Third Cutting has been in the spotlight since the 2008 NCHA Futurity where he placed eighth. Since then he won the 2009 Super Stakes and Summer Cutting Spectacular, and the 2010 Classic Challenges at both those shows. They tied with Phil Rapp, Weatherford , Texas , and Don’t Look Twice at the 2010 Super Stakes.

The Smith’s plan for Rice and 5-year-old Third Cutting to continue showing in Fort Worth next year, although he is in demand for the 2011 breeding season.

“We bred 85 mares to him this year,” said Smith. “And Special Nu Kitty and Rey Down Sally are (among the mares that are) going to breed to him next year.”

Classic Non-Pro

Bonnie Martin, Las Vegas , Nev. , is no stranger to the winner’s circle. She has 30 championship and 21 reserve titles in limited age events. However, none of those 51 titles were won at Will Rogers, until recently when she won the Classic Non-Pro. The 221 point run also sealed her victory as the Senior Non-Pro champion. Chad Bushaw, Weatherford , Texas , came in reserve with 220 points on Snow Rey.

The finals started off in great form with Nelson Knight, Weatherford, Texas, and Candy Cat DNA marking a 218 which held for a third place victory. Martin drew two horses later and stayed on top. Bushaw drew fourth on Reylena Moon, but the run that earned him a reserve championship didn’t come until the next-to-last horse.

“We’re from the West Coast, so when we come here and compete against the best of the best, it’s really an honor to do well,” said Martin. Her husband, Frank Martin, also earned a Senior title in the Derby Non-Pro Limited division.

Classic Amateur

Jon Winkelried, Meeker, Co., was seeing double after his 219-point win on Cherry Chex Dually, by Hes A Peptospoonful. Winkelried received a check from the NCHA for more than $6,000 for the win. However, the winning didn’t stop there. Since Jon’s horse is sired by the Fort Worth-based McDavid family’s horse, Hes A Peptospoonful, he was eligible for the “Double Down Bonus” which matched his earnings.

“I’ve shown her three times now, and each time I’ve gotten better because Roger Wagner’s teaching has helped me handle an open quality mare like her,” said Winkelried, who hired Wagner as resident trainer for Marvine Ranch in Aledo, Texas. However, the 6-year-old Cherry Chex Dually was trained by Eddie Flynn, Lipan, Texas , who has earned nearly $200,000 with her in open competition.

Laura Landers, Weatherford , Texas , came in reserve with a 217 after leading the go-round on Sweet Lil Scoot. Landers’ husband is Joe Landers, operator of Joe Landers Stallion Station where McDavid’s prized studs Hes A Peptospoonful and Widows Freckles are standing.

Derby John Deere Open

Geoffrey Sheehan, Bearden , Ark. , is no stranger to the Open Limited division. A 220 point run on Dualin Cats Merada earned him a second victory in the John Deere Derby Open Limited. Jaime Beamer, Grandview , Texas , wasn’t far behind with 219.5 points on GP Scooter Cat, owned by Gil Porter, Sand Spring , Md.

“The two cows we watched were supposed to be good and they were,” said Sheehan. “That’s the best she’s been. I’ve just had bad luck on her lots of times.”

Dualin Cats Merada is owned by Cal and Debbie Sanders, Camden , Ark. , who purchased the Cats Merada daughter from Hope and John Mitchell, Weatherford , Texas . Sheehan won the Futurity Open Limited division on Jojo Boon, bred by Hope Mitchell and now in the hands of Steve Anderson, Victoria , Texas .

“Before the Futurity, she was probably my favorite of the two,” said Sheehan of Dualin Cats Merada, in comparison to his other finalist mount, Sweet Little Kitten. “I trained her all the way through.”

Sheehan is the head trainer for Justice Farms in Camden , Ark. , which is owned by Hope Mitchell’s father, Arlis Justice.

Classic Non-Pro Limited

Tassa Cat and Alvin Fults, Amarillo , Texas , took the Classic Non-Pro Limited division with 217 points. The win marked Fults’ first Fort Worth victory in his six years of owning cutting horses.

Cassity Mitchell, Weatherford , Texas , and Special Blue Bayou, by Blue Bayou Boon, came in reserve with 216 points.

Beau Galyean, Amarillo , Texas , trained Tassa Cat. Fults and Galyean have a history of success together with Galyean having won the 2008 Futurity on another of Fults’ horses, Metallic Cat.

Youth

Eleven-year-old Ali Good, of Ringling , Okla. , made a 224 point run for a junior championship win on Cees Little Poo, sired by SR Instant Choice. Lauren Middleton, a former junior youth winner from Flora , Miss. , owns the gelding. Sydney Roland, Murchison , Texas , took home the reserve with 223 points aboard Miss Smokin Garfield.

Good is the granddaughter of NCHA Hall of Fame rider Bill Riddle, Ringling , Okla. , who helped her pick cows. She drew fifth in the second bunch – the same draw Middleton had when she won the junior youth in 2001 on Widows Freckles.

Only half a point separated the senior youth champion Taylor Carbo, of Plaquemine , La. , and reserve champion Blaze Cogdell, Tulia , Texas . Carbo scored 220.5 points with 7-year-old Cats Starlight while Cogdell came in with 220 points on Dual With Lena.

“When I cut my last (second) cow, I didn’t know how much time I had left,” said Taylor . “I was waiting to get off of it and when it stopped, I just quit it. I tried to cut another one, but I didn’t have time.”

Carbo is competing for the Senior Youth World Championship on Cats Starlight. He currently has 110 points in the standings, second only to Alannah Chalmers, Weatherford , Texas , who has 135 points.

“I just went down there and had fun,” said Fults. “My horse is six, and it was his last hurrah here (in Will Rogers Coliseum). It was pretty exciting to end it like that with him.”

Tassa Cat got his start with Jody Galyean as a Futurity Open finalist, then went on to win the 2008 Abilene Spectacular Non-Pro under Jody’s son, Beau, who turned pro later that year.

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