NCHA News

Larry Cooper, Orleans, Ind., overwhelmed the field with a 222-point win on LCS Silver Cat, by High Brow Cat, in the NCHA Eastern Nationals $35,000 Non-Pro Finals, on Wednesday, March 11. Carrie Watkins, West Mansfield, Ohio, claimed the reserve title with 216 points on Smart Mojo Cat, by Cats Moonshine, while Madeline Nix, Blackville, N.C., and Chase Lackey, Burlington, N.C., tied with 214.5 points to split third and fourth on Two Cat Shakur and Cowgirl Catsanova, respectively.

Larry Cooper, the NCHA earner of $24,441, first showed LCS Silver Cat LTE $41,838 to place as a 2016 NCHA Futurity Amateur Semi-Finalist. He then placed third in the 2017 Augusta Futurity 4-Year Old Amateur Unlimited, at the same time that Nick Pilcher was reserve champion of the Augusta Open Futurity on the gray mare. In 2018, Pilcher showed LCS Silver Cat as an NCHA Eastern Nationals $5,000 Novice Finalist. Out of Ms Silver Pitchfork, by Playgun, LCS Silver Cat is a three-quarter brother to Happy Tobe Here LTE $135,328, by Metallic Cat.

This is the first NCHA Eastern Nationals Finals for Carrie Watkins, the NCHA earner of $11,537, who also placed as a finalist in the $15,000 Amateur Finals. Ryan Smith also showed Smart Mojo Cat in the $2,000 Limited Rider Finals on Friday, March 6. Twelve-year old Smart Mojo Cat LTE $34,149, the only NCHA money earner out of Mates Jo, by Smart Mate, was an Open finalist under Matt Williams in the 2011 AQHA Congress 3-Year-Old Futurity and the 2012 CHAN 4-Year-Old Futurity.

Madeline Nix, the NCHA earner of $32,474, showed Two Cat Shakur LTE $76,452 as reserve champion of the $35,000 Non-Pro and as a $50,000 Amateur finalist in last year’s NCHA Eastern National Championships. Most recently, Nix placed third in the 2020 Augusta Futurity on 4-year-old  Gurl Friend LTE $8,169, by Stylin Cat. Earlier in his show career, 10-year-old Two Cat Shakur, by Metallic Cat, was a successful Amateur Unlimited finalist for Bubba McAnear, Weatherford, Tex.

Riding Cowgirl Catsanova on Tuesday, March 10, Chase Lackey tied for third place in the NCHA Eastern Nationals $15,000 Amateur Finals. Lackey, the NCHA earner of $32,495, also placed in the Augusta Futurity 5/6 Classic Amateur Limited and Amateur Intermediate earlier this year, showing Streyght Drive LTE $9,047, by Hydrive Cat. Last year, Lackey was an NCHA Eastern Nationals $15,000 Amateur finalist riding Stellas Lil Scoot LTE $107,286, by Smart Lil Scoot. Cowgirl Catsanova LTE $32,495, Lackey’s 2019 Eastern Nationals entry, is a 10-year-old daughter of Cowboy Cattylac.

The 2019 NCHA Eastern National Championships continue through Saturday, March 14. To read more from Sally Harrison, visit her blog at sallyharrison.com.