Augusta Futurity action began on Thursday, January 23 with with 70 entries in the 5/6-Year-Old Amateur go-round. Andrew Sligh, Altoona, Ala., the second rider in the first of five sets, laid down the pace with 219 points on the Kit Kat Sugar gelding Carmylantalized LTE $45,030, who had been an Augusta Open finalist in 2018 and 2019 with Todd Gann.
Jessie Pritchard and Who Ya Callin Shorty, by High Brow CD, scored 222 points on Tuesday to win the Augusta Futurity 4-Year-Old Intermediate Finals. Walt Erwin and Sweet Metallic CD 16, by Metallic Cat, marked 218 to place second in the nine-horse finals, while Gabe Reynolds and Reyz Your Chelada, by Reydioactive placed third with 215 points.
Austin Shepard, the NCHA Hall of Fame earner of over $8.1 million, holds the record for Augusta Open championship wins, with five in the Futurity and three in the 5/6 Classic. He claimed last year’s Futurity with 225 points on Bama Jelly LTE $149,005, by Bamacat, and on Sunday, January 19, he showed Bama Jelly to top the 2020 Augusta Futurity 5/6 Classic qualifying go round, with 222.5 points.
The 2020 Abilene Spectacular concluded on Saturday, January 11 with the 5/6-Year-Old Non-Pro Finals, won by Paula Wood, Stephenville, Tex., with 222.5 points, on Cool N Hot. Kylie Rice, Weatherford, Tex., scored 221 points as reserve champion on Miss Kitty Russel, while Nadine Payne, Overbrook, Okla., placed third with 218.5 riding Blu Velvet.
Langston Pattillo, St. Elmo, Ill., scored 222 points on Catsa U Later LTE $19,784, by Boon Too Suen, to win the Abilene Spectacular Amateur Derby. Hunter Williams, Nolan, Tex., took second with 219 points on Rumor On The Street, by Dual Rey, as well as first in the Amateur Gelding division. Williams also placed sixth in the seven-horse finals aboard Mightee Merle, by WR This Cats Smart.
Ireydescent, shown by Adan Banuelos, and Stole A Kiss, with James Payne, were the stars on Wednesday, January 8, at the Taylor County Expo Center, as 221.5-point co-champions of the 2020 Abilene Spectacular Derby. Miss Blu Boon, ridden by Lloyd Cox, was next with 219 points, while Jae Zee, with Tatum Rice, scored 218 points to place fourth, with the third-highest score in the 28-horse Finals field.
The stakes were high on Tuesday at the Abilene Spectacular, where the second go-round of Open 4-year-old competition saw 28 horses with cumulative scores of 434.5 points or more advance to Wednesday’s Derby Finals, and 19 Open 5- & 6-year-olds with scores of 220.5 points or more advance to the Classic Finals.
Metallic Rey Mink and Bellenfant stole the show with a 226
Hall of Fame Rider Gary Bellenfant earned two championships, and a place in the history books with his victory on Metallic Rey Mink in the 2019 Great American Insurance NCHA Futurity presented by the North Texas Chevy Dealers on December 15 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Brandon Westfall, Weatherford, Tex., aboard I Reckon So, by Kit Kat Sugar, and Kristen Galyean, Claremore, Okla., showing Coureygous, by Dual Rey, tied with 222 points on Friday, Dec., 13, to become co-champions of the NCHA Non-Pro Futurity; each earned $52,672. Westfall also claimed the reserve championship and $37,726 with 218.5 points on Desires One And Only, by One Time Pepto.
New to the Congress, the Cutting Champions Challenge filled the Coliseum on Sunday night with spectators eager to see champions from 20 different classes go head to head in a winner-takes-all competition.
The Brazos Bash is always known for big scores and epic runs from year to year. The arena makes for on edge circumstances which in turn equal some pretty impressive finals. It is hard to get to the finals because of the tough situation, but also it has to do with being in the heart of the cutting capital! This time of year should be impressive though, the four-year-old’s are confident, the three-year-old’s are coming into their own, and the five-six year old’s well, they are better than ever. We are steadily approaching the NCHA Futurity, but there are a few big shows left before the granddaddy of them all!
Stay updated with our latest news and offers. Subscribe now!