NCHA News

Jessica Gonsalves scored 220 points riding 5-year-old Mean Bean LTE $24,509, by Dual Rey, on Friday, March 6, to win the Cattlemen’s 5/6 Non-Pro championship. Nadine Payne, Overbrook, Okla., earned 216.5 points for reserve on 5-year-old Blu Velvet LTE $78,493, by Once In A Blu Boon, and Kathleen Moore, Madill, Okla., placed third with 216 points aboard 5-year-old Summer Time Fun LTE $94,824, by Metallic Cat. 

Mean Bean and Jessica Gonsalves earned their first check together with a sixth-place finish in the 2019 PCCHA Cutting Stakes Non-Pro Intermediate, after Gary Gonsalves showed the gelding as a 2018 NCHA Futurity Open Semi-Finalist. Last month, Jessica and Mean Bean stepped up to tie with 222 points for the reserve championship of the Arbuckle Mountain Classic. 

The NCHA earner of $304,355, Jessica Gonsalves, Millsap, Tex., claimed her first major title as Non-Pro champion of the 1996 PCCHA Cutting Stakes, riding Starlight Jewel, by Grays Starlight. In 2012, she won the NCHA Futurity Non-Pro Limited on Poundcake Deluxe, by Cats Quixote Jack.

Mean Bean is a full brother, out of Spookys Cash LTE $284,313, to Reyzin The Cash LTE $274,376, shown by Gary Gonsalves to win the 2015 NCHA Derby, among seven major limited event wins.

Nadine Payne, the NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame earner of $648,857, showed Blu Velvet as a finalist in five major 2019 events, including as champion of the NCHA Non-Pro Derby.  In addition to the Cattlemen’s Classic Non-Pro reserve title, Payne and her blue roan mare also placed third in the 2020 Abilene Spectacular Non-Pro Classic and eighth in the 2020 Bonanza Classic.

Bred by Nadine Payne, Blu Velvet, out of Velvets Best Shot LTE $53,156, by Playgun, is a half-sister to Velvets Revolver LTE $277,351, by WR This Cats Smart.

Kathleen Moore, the NCHA earner of $635,242, has been an NCHA Futurity Non-Pro finalist for three consecutive years on Hear Me Purr LTE $27,057, in 2019; Khaleesi Kat LTE $84,638, in 2018; and Princess Betty Rey LTE $31,017, in 2017. While the 2020 Cattlemen’s Classic marks Moore’s first time to show Summer Time Fun in a major aged event, her Metallic Cat daughter earned her first check as an Open semi-finalist under James Payne in the 2018 NCHA Futurity. Payne and Summer Time Fun then went on to place in the finals of six major events, including as champions of the 2019 NCHA Derby.

Bred by Ty Moore, Summer Time Fun is a full sister to Let Georgie Do It LTE $145,592, out of Hey Georgy Girl LTE $130,829. 

Lil Metallic Ace and Clay Johnson ace Cattlemen’s Derby Open Ltd

Lil Metallic Ace scored 221 points under Clay Johnson to win the 2020 Cattlemen’s Derby Open Limited on Friday, March 6. Ahhh Honey Honey, also shown by Johnson, and Olde Towne Road, ridden by Steve Oehlhhof, tied with 219 points to split second and third.

Owned and bred by WR Diversified Holdings, Clarksville, Tex., Lil Metallic Ace came into the Cattlemen’s Derby with $3,686, following finals performances under Johnson in the Bonanza Open and the Arbuckle Mountain Open Limited. Sired by Metallic Cat and out of MH Split The Aces LTE $204,320, by San Tule Freckles, Lil Metallic Ace is a three-quarter brother to Cougarace LTE $174,631, by High Brow Cougar.

Ahhh Honey Honey, bred by Ashley Snider and owned by Billie and William Aylesworth, Lipan, Tex., earned her first major check as third-place finalist under Johnson, in the Arbuckle Mountain Open Limited. The Hottish daughter is the top money earner out of unshown Outreygeous Style, an 11-year-old Dual Rey daughter. 

Olde Towne Road, sired by Docs Stylish Oak and bred by Wrigley Ranches, is out of Special Nu Kitty LTE $301,268, dam of six NCHA earners of $448,482, and half-sister to Special Nu Baby LTE $481,197. Owned by Rose Valley Ranch, Weatherford, Tex., Olde Towne Road collected his first NCHA earnings in the Cattlemen’s Open Limited Finals.

To read more from Sally Harrison, visit her blog at sallyharrison.com.