NCHA News

2017 NCHA Eastern National Championships – March 15, 2018 – Jackson, Miss.

Lauren Middleton, Weatherford, Tex., and Eric Vanboekel, Mt. Elgin, Ontario, each scored 216.5 points to tie for the championship of the 2017 NCHA Eastern Nationals $5,000 Novice Non-Pro division. Kolby Don Moore, Williston, Fla., placed third with 215 points.

Eric Vanboekel on Peppys Cashin Checks. Hart Photography.

Eric Vanboekel showed 7-year-old Peppys Cashin Checks LTE $120,356, by Im Countin Checks, who he rode as reserve champion of Wednesday’s $25,000 Novice Non-Pro Finals, as well as reserve champion of the 2016 NCHA Super Stakes Classic Amateur Unlimited, and champion of the 2016 West Texas Futurity 5/6 Amateur Unlimited. Peppys Cashin Checks also won the 2015 Southern Futurity Open with Lee Francois.

Vanboekel, the NCHA lifetime earner of $372,044, won the 2016 Cotton Stakes 4-Year-Old Amateur Unlimited on Wendels Little Missy, as well as the 2012 Tunica Futurity 4-Year-Old Non-Pro Limited with Mister Boss Hog, and the 2011 Southern Futurity 4-Year-Old Amateur on Scarlet Catdancer.

Lauren Middleton on Ironn Butterfly. Hart Photography.

Non-Pro Hall of Fame rider Lauren Middleton showed 8-year-old Ironn Butterfly LTE $99,344, by Just Playin Stylish. Middleton, the lifetime earner of $667,640, won the NCHA World Non-Pro Finals last December in Fort Worth on Sweet Reyvenge LTE $166,774, who she showed to placed fourth in the NCHA Non-Pro World standings.

Middleton has placed four times in the NCHA Non-Pro World standings (2002, 2010, 2011 and 2017); Thursday’s $5,000 Novice Non-Pro title marked her ninth NCHA Eastern Nationals championship win. She won has won the Non-Pro title three times – in 2002 on Widows Freckles, and in 2010 and 2015 on Cees Little Poo.

Kolby Don Moore, the lifetime earner of $64,486, won the 2011 NCHA Eastern Nationals $2,000 Limited Rider division, the same year that he also placed third in the Junior Youth.  He has placed in the finals of nine NCHA Eastern Nationals events, including six Youth finals, including 2015, when he was reserve champion of the Senior Youth.

Highbrow Nadine, Moore’s mount in this year’s $5,000 Novice Non-Pro Finals, is a 5-year-old daughter of High Brow CD and the earner of $4,311.

Moore will show Highwood Dancer and Catscratch Sister in Friday’s Non-Pro go-round, where Eric Vanboekel will also be showing Peppys Cashin Checks and Times For Desire. Catscratch Sister LTE $111,104 carried Kolby’s brother, Colt Moore, to place third in the $25,000 Novice Non-Pro Finals earlier this week, and Colt’s and Kolby Don’s father, Casey Moore, showed the WR This Cats Smart daughter last week to place fourth in the Open Finals. Colt Moore won the Eastern Nationals $35,000 Non-Pro in 2015 with Highwood Dancer.

NCHA Eastern National Championships action continues through Friday, March 16. For complete results: http://www.nchacutting.com/events/national_championships/eastern/schedule