Stacie McDavid, Fort Worth, Tex., was the clear winner of the 2019 NCHA Futurity Unlimited Amateur Semi-Finals on Wednesday, Dec. 11. Showing DMAC Mr Plumley, by Smooth As A Cat, McDavid scored 219 points in the Semi-Finals, where a score of 211.5 points was needed to advance to the Finals on Friday, Dec 13.
Adrian Alverez, of Miami, Florida, marked 216.5 on S Peregrino, while two riders, Blake Heid and Regan Plendl tied for the third high score, 215.5.
McDavid, an NCHA Hall of Famer who was inducted into the National Cowgirls Hall of Fame this year, first qualified for the NCHA Futurity Amateur and Non-Pro finals in 2000 with Lenas Smart Missy. She was a Non-Pro finalist in 2009 with DMAC See Jane Go. She has won Non-Pro championships at The Bonanza, Abilene Spectacular, and Sun Coast Winter Championship.
DMAC Mr Plumley is a home-bred gelding by Smooth As A Cat out of Shesa Little Dually, by Smart Little Lena. Shesa Little Dually is half-sister to Cherry Chex Dually ($230,000) who was by the McDavids’ stallion Hes A Peptospoonful.
Adrian Alvarez will be heading to the finals with career earnings of $6,179. He was an NCHA Classic Challenge Amateur finalist on Grenache Grape last summer. His Futurity mount, S Peregrino, is a three-quarter brother to Grenache Grape. S Peregrino is by Dual Rey out of Safari Fever.
Blake Heid of Fort Worth, Texas, rode Jane Blu Boon, a mare by Once In A Blu Boon out of Jae Bars Fancy Cat. Heid was a Limited Non-Pro finalist on the mare earlier in the show.
Regan Plendl of Kingsley, Iowa, rode Reyning Metallic, a mare bred by her father by Metallic Cat out of Rey Of Oak, the dam of Mr Metallic Rey ($171,000) and Cats Lightning Rey ($131,000).
The Unlimited Amateur finals will be held Friday, December 13.