NCHA News

Morgan Cromer on Stylish Look Bella. Midge Ames photos.

Stylish Look Bella and NCHA Hall of Fame Rider Morgan Cromer marked 225 as the final contestants to win the Mercuria NCHA World Series of Cutting Saturday at The Mane Event, South Point Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada.

In the Non-Pro division, Hall of Famers Bill Cowan and Elizabeth Quirk shared the spoils with 218s on Billies Catty and Cat Sheree, respectively.

Stylish Look Bella’s only previous Mercuria finals was in the Non-Pro at El Rancho last fall, ridden by Tracey Woodward, daughter of owners Marvin and Paulette Teixeira of Los Alamos, California. It was Cromer’s third Mercuria victory. She previously scored with Lizzys Gotta Babe at El Rancho and Woodys Wildest Cat at the Las Vegas aged event, both in 2014.

Bred by Bishop Ranch, Stylish Look Bella is a 6-year-old mare by Dual Smart Rey out of Stylishious, by Docs Stylish Oak. Her family produced NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity reserve champion Love M N Lena.

Stylish Look Bella sold for $2,900 as a yearling at the Western Bloodstock NCHA Futurity Sales, and she earned some reined cowhorse money herself early in her career. In her cutting campaign, she has now made more than $98,000, as an Open finalist with Cromer at the Pacific Coast Futurity and Classic, Pacific Coast Winter Roundup, Pacific Coast Derby and Idaho Classic. Tracey Woodward has won a good chunk of money with her in rider classes, including the $100,000 Amateur and Unlimited Amateur championships at El Rancho.

Mercuria NCHA World Series Mane Event Open Finals

Bill Cowan on Billies Catty.

In the Non-Pro division, Bill Cowan of Ardmore, Oklahoma marked 218 on his homebred 7-year-old mare Billies Catty in his first shot at a Mercuria paycheck.

Billies Catty is by Catty Hawk, which Cowan rode to win the Limited Non-Pro championship at the 2008 NCHA Futurity, out of Little Bonnie Blue a Mecom Blue mare that was Limited Open reserve champion at the 2007 NCHA Futurity with Ryon Emerton.

Cowan showed Billies Catty in the Non-Pro finals of all the NCHA Triple Crown events, and won the Breeders Invitational Classic with her last year. With The Mane Event check for $9,642, Billies Catty has now earned more than $165,000.

Elizabeth Quirk on Cat Sheree.

Sharing the Non-Pro win was Elizabeth Quirk of Denham Springs, Louisiana on Cat Sheree. Quirk, had previously been in four Mercuria finals, including one with Cat Sheree.

Cat Sheree was bred by Bill Paxton by High Brow CD out of Nurse Sheree, a Peptoboonsmal mare from the family of  $34 million sire Dual Rey. The 8-year-old mare got a jump start on her cutting horse career when Wayne Robinson won the Limited Open championship with her at the 2013 NCHA Futurity. She went on to win Open and Novice titles at the NCHA Eastern Nationals with Austin Shepard, and take a string of Open aged event checks with Shepard and with Sean Flynn.

Meanwhile, Quirk picked up Non-Pro money with the mare at the NCHA Classic Challenge and Breeders Invitational. Cat Sheree has now earned more than $174,000.

Mercuria NCHA World Series Mane Event Non-Pro Finals