On Sunday, June 23, Peeptos Cat scored 221.5 points to win the NCHA Transwest Western Nationals, presented by 6666 Ranch, $25,000 Novice championship under Mike Wood, who also showed reserve champion Little Jackson Cat, with a score of 221. Gettin Hott In Here placed third with 219 points under Ryan Moore.
Peeptos Cat LTE $103,990, an 8-year-old Cat Ichi daughter out of Little Bow Peepto, by Peptoboonsmal, was bred by Peter and Nora Stent and is owned by Christine King, Scottsdale, Ariz. As an Open limited-age event finalist, Peeptos Cat was reserve champion of the 2015 Southern Futurity, as well as of the 2017 Bonanza 5/6 Classic, under Matt Gaines. She was also reserve champion of the 2017 Brazos Bash Non-Pro Classic with Alexa Stent.
Christine King, Peeptos Cat’s owner and the NCHA earner of $296,087, was reserve champion of the NCHA Western Nationals $5,000 Non-Pro Novice Finals in 2016, riding TR Misty Smooth. Last year, she placed fourth in the NCHA World Championship $5,000 Non-Pro Novice on Metallicsfirstchoice, the horse she also showed as 2017 Pacific Coast Derby 5/6 Amateur champion.
Little Jackson Cat LTE $220,298, a 9-year-old High Brow Cat daughter out of Rey To Play, by Dual Rey, was bred by Kenneth Jackson and is owned by Dawn Chapman, Chandler, Ariz. Little Jackson Cat began a successful limited age event career as 2013 NCHA Futurity Open Limited reserve champion, and last year won the NCHA World Championship $25,000 Novice Finals for the second consecutive time, placing first in the $25,000 Novice World standings.
Owner Dawn Chapman, the NCHA earner of $258,082, also showed Little Jackson Cat to place third in last year’s $25,000 Non-Pro Novice World Finals.
Hall of Fame Rider Mike Wood topped the $2,000,000 NCHA earnings’ mark in Sunday’s $25,000 Novice Finals, where, in addition to Peeptos Cat, who won $4,175, and Little Jackson Cat, with $3,436, he also earned $1,311 for a 12th-place finish on Candy Girl, sired by Sly Cat and owned by Sandero Ranch Ltd., Lac La Biche, Alberta.
Gettin Hott In Here LTE $18,067, a 5-year-old Hottish son out of Black Lace Cat, by High Brow Cat, was bred by Beechfork Ranch and is owned by Ryan Moore, who purchased him for $4,000 as a yearling, during the Western Bloodstock NCHA Futurity Sales. Last year, Moore, the NCHA earner of $279,240, showed Gettin Hott In Here to place as Open Limited reserve champion of the 2018 Southern Futurity. And earlier this year, the pair placed third and seventh, respectively, in the NCHA Eastern National Championships $5,000 Novice and $25,000 Novice Finals.
Gettin Hott In Here also qualifed for Monday’s $5,000 Novice finals, ranking fifth with a 218 behind Ben Roberson’s 220 on Laneys Gotta Player, owned by Kandace Stone.
Moore also showed Catareycious, sired by Halreycious and owned by Larry Grimes, Thayer, Okla., to tie 13/14 with 214.5 points, in Sunday’s $25,000 Novice Finals.