NCHA News

Metallic Rebel and Beau Galyean lead 88 entries with scores of 213.5 points or more to Wednesday’s second go-round of the 2017 NCHA Classic Challenge Open. Metallic Rebel scored 223 points on Monday, the first day of competition, where Peeptos Cat and Paul Hansma ranked second with 222 points.

CR Tuff Lucy, with John Mitchell, and Amandas CD, under Matt Miller, topped the second and last day of the first round on Tuesday with matching scores of 221.5 points; The Reyl McCoy and Tate Bennett were next with 221.

Five-year-old Amandas CD, LTE $236,766, owned by Chris and Tracy Brengard, Paragould, Ark., won five major limited age event championships under Miller in 2016, including the Abilene Spectacular and the Brazos Bash. The High Brow CD daughter, bred by Sunrise Ranch, also placed ninth with Miller in the 2015 NCHA Futurity and was reserve champion of the 2016 Breeders Invitational and the Ike Hamilton Futurity.

Matt Miller, an NCHA Hall of Fame Rider and earner of $2,920,320, also scored 218.5 points in the Classic Challenge go-round riding Amandas CD’s 6-year-old full sister, Sweet Lil Amanda LTE $238,555, also owned by the Brengards. Miller who gave up his non-pro status to become a professional trainer in 2008, won the 2006 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity aboard Travs Scooter LTE $221,566 and is also an NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame member.

Six-year-old CR Tuff Lucy LTE $334,162, is owned by Slate River Ranch, Weatherford, Tex., who purchased her for $600,000 at the 2015 Center Ranch Sale. Sired by Center Ranch stallion Woody Be Tuff, CR Tuff Lucy began her career as fourth-place finalist in the 2014 NCHA Futurity under Tarin Rice, who also showed her to win the 2015 Abilene Spectacular and claim reserve in the NCHA Derby. John Mitchell and CR Tuff Lucy most recently earned the reserve championship of the 2017 NCHA Super Stakes Classic, which they also claimed in 2016, along with the reserve championship of the 2016 NCHA Classic Challenge.

John Mitchell, an NCHA Hall of Fame Rider with earnings of $4,050,523, won the 2014 NCHA Super Stakes and the 2015 NCHA Super Stakes Classic on Slate River Ranch-owned Junie Wood LTE $525,782, the 2014 NCHA Open Horse of the Year.

The Reyl McCoy LTE $124,176, owned by Anderson Cattle Co., Victoria, Tex., began his career in the 2015 NCHA Futurity, where he placed sixth under Bennett and went on in 2016 to win the Arbuckle Mountain Open championship, and place fourth in the NCHA Super Stakes. The 5-year-old Dual Rey son, bred by Broom Tree Ranch and purchased by Bennett at the 2013 NCHA Summer Spectacular Sale, is a half-brother to Toy Engine LTE $194,612 by Playgun.

Tate Bennett, the NCHA earner of $839,977, won the Cattlemen’s Derby Novice championship this year on his own horse, Uno Mas LTE $15,736, by Dual Rey. Bennett was also Open Limited champion of the 2012 NCHA Futurity and the Abilene Spectacular on Rios Jewel LTE $51,397; the Open Limited champion of the 2011 NCHA Super Stakes, 2011 NCHA Derby, and 2012 NCHA Super Stakes Classic on Reyn Maker LTE $169,801, owned by Anderson Cattle Co.; and Open Limited champion of the 2014 Cattlemen’s Derby on Red Boon Rey LTE $135,558, owned by Anderson Cattle Co.

The 2017 NCHA Summer Spectacular continues on Wednesday, July 19 with the Classic Challenge Open second go-round.