NCHA News

Austria Arnold, Terrell, Tex. scored 220 points showing Cat About Houston to win the NCHA Metallic Cat Summer Spectacular 5/6 Amateur Finals and the 5/6 Amateur Gelding championship, on Saturday, July 25. Troy Stewart, May, Tex., scored 219.5 on Little Puma to claim the reserve championship, while Jacob Taurel, Whitesboro, Tex., and Michelle Reichart, Frankton, Ind., tied for third with 218 points riding V Eight Looks Hot and Sweet Lil Prime Time, respectively.

In addition, to her NCHA winner’s share of the purses ($8,224 and $3,450), Arnold was also awarded the $15,000 Metallic Cat Incentive, as the owner of the highest-scoring Metallic Cat entry, and $12,500 from the Texas Quarter Horse Association (TQHA), as the owner of the highest-scoring Texas-bred horse. Altogether, Austria Arnold, the NCHA lifetime earner of $132,875, claimed $39,177 for her win.

Arnold placed ninth in the 2018 NCHA Super Stakes Amateur on Bet Sheza Kat, but Saturday’s win on Cat About Houston was her first limited age event win in Will Rogers Coliseum. So far this year, Arnold and 6-year-old Cat About Houston, by Metallic Cat, her most consistent money earner, have won the Cattlemen’s Amateur Unlimited; claimed reserve in The Non-Pro Plus Open Amateur Intermediate, the Bonanza Amateur, and the Arbuckle Mountain Amateur Intermediate; and earned the Gelding champion’s purse in five events.

Cat About Houston, bred by Rose Valley Ranch, Weatherford, Tex., is a three-quarter brother to Bet On A Cat LTE $414,798, out of Bet On Houston LTE $42,089, the dam of 11 earners of over $900,000 and half-sister to NCHA Open World champion Bet Hesa Cat LTE $267,465, among over $1.2 million earners out of NCHA Open World champion Bet Yer Blue Boons LTE $332,960.

Troy Stewart, the NCHA earner of $217,684, bred his horse Little Puma LTE $23,294, by Sweet Lil Pepto, out of the High Brow Cat daughter Lil Puma LTE $54,403, who he showed to place fourth in the 2011 NCHA Super Stakes 5/6 Amateur. Last year, Stewart and Little Puma placed sixth in the NCHA Classic Challenge 5/6 Amateur, as well as tenth in the Brazos Bash 5/6 Amateur.

In addition to his reserve championship purse of $5,581, Stewart also earned $3,581 as winner of the Senior division, and $7,500 from the TQHA.

Michelle Reichart and 5-year-old Sweet Lil Prime Time LTE $73,625 have enjoyed a rewarding two weeks during the Summer Spectacular. Paul Hansma showed the Sweet Lil Pepto gelding to place eighth in the Classic Challenge Open and Reichart scored 220.5 points with him in the Amateur first go-round. In addition, Reichart and Sweet Lil Prime Time tied with 218 points, the second-highest score leading to the Classic Challenge Intermediate Finals.

Reichart, the NCHA earner of $179,246, also showed 4-year-old R Maximillion Kat, by High Brow Cat, to place fifth in the NCHA Derby Amateur, where they won the Gelding division and claimed second in the Novice, and placed eleventh in the Derby Amateur Intermediate, as well.

Jacob Taurel, the NCHA earner of $227,910, is no stranger to Will Rogers Coliseum. He placed fifth in  the 2014 NCHA Derby Amateur Unlimited on Shesa Scoot, and was reserve champion of the 2018 NCHA Super Stakes 5/6 Classic Amateur Unlimited on Little Jewels Olena. During the 2020 Summer Spectacular, in addition to V Eight Looks Hot LTE $39,875, by Hottish, he also showed Bet On Banner LTE $16,512, by Bet Hesa Cat, to place seventh in the NCHA Derby Amateur and fourteenth in the Amateur Intermediate.

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