NCHA News

Hesa Belle Cat, ridden by Mike Wood. Hart Photography.

Friday, November 30
Hesa Belle Cat, who will be the 2018 World Champion in the $5,000 Novice division, won the first round of the Mercuria NCHA World Finals Friday morning in Fort Worth’s Watt Arena. Ridden by Mike Wood for Butlin Ranches of Edmonton, Alberta, he marked 224 for a five-point lead over Smart Lookin Hanna, ridden by Richard Hayes for Terry Mize of Weatherford, Texas.

Bred by River Bend Ranch, Hesa Belle Cat is a 7-year-old gelding by High Brow Cat out of RBR Lady Belle, by Shorty Lena. He was an NCHA Derby finalist with Grant Setnicka during his limited age career, and he has earned more than $165,000 to date. During the 2018 point year, he made $53,849 in the $5,000 Novice, giving him a lead of more than $11,000 coming into the World Finals.

Kathy Bro on Superfly. Hart Photography.

Kathy Bro of Roosevelt, Utah, marked 222.5 on Superfly to win the first round of the $50,000 Amateur division of the Mercuria NCHA World Finals. Colleen Wallace of Okotoks, Alberta, was second with a 221.5 on Onetime Is Short.

An NCHA earner of $131,000, Bro finished the point year in 12th place in the World Standings. Her first-round win moves her up to 9th in the standings. Bro as an Amateur and Unlimited Amateur finalist with Dual N Gritty earlier this year at the Pacific Coast Derby.

Superfly was bred by Dave and Georgia Husby by Smooth As A Cat out of Lenas Horn. The 6-year-old gelding has won Limited Open championships with Hayden Upton at the NCHA Super Stakes Classic, Cotton Stakes and Brazos Bash.

Amanda Smith on Im Short And Smooth. Hart Photography.

In the $25,000 Novice Non-Pro, Amanda Smith of Wembley, Alberta, led the field with a 218 on Im Short And Smooth. Emily Clark of Bend, Ore., and LHR Who Dat Cat were next with a 217.

Smith, an NCHA earner of $133,000, won the $15,000 Novice Non-Pro championship at the NCHA Western Nationals in 2012 with Whirl N Play. She won the 7-Up championship at last year’s Calgary Futurity with Im Short And Smooth.

Im Short And Smooth was bred by Pine Island Ranch. The 10-year-old gelding is by Smooth As A Cat out of Chiquita Shorty, by Shorty Lena. He was an NCHA Futurity Open finalist with Michael Cooper in 2011, and he has earned more than $138,000.

Smith and Im Short And Smooth moved up a notch in the World Standings into eighth place.

Meanwhile, Priscilla Wilson of Unadilla, Georgia and Yadayadayadatime clinched the World Championship on Friday. They have $25,354 in earnings for the year, which puts them a few hundred dollars out of reach of Emily Clark and LHR Who Dat Cat.

Dannica Percevich on Imasmoothlittlecat. Hart Photography.

In the $15,000 Amateur, Dannica Percevich of Belle Fourche, South Dakota, won the go-round with a 225 on Imasmoothlittlecat, followed by Madison Melasky of Groesbeck, Tex., with a 222 on Two Time Dual.

Percevich, an NCHA earner of $54,000. She won the NCHA Denver Nationals last year in the $50,000 Amateur on Imasmoothlittlecat, and this week she secured the Reserve World Champion’s title in the $35,000 Non-Pro.  She has an unbeatable lead with $15,865 for the $15,000 Amateur World Championship.

Imasmoothlittlecat is a 9-year-old mare bred by RCJ Land & Cattle Co. by Smooth As A Cat out of Little Lena Merada, by Smart Little Lena. She has earned more than $62,000 and has taken Percevich to five NCHA National Championships finals.