NCHA News

Michelle Reichart, Frankton, Ind., and Sweet Lil Prime Time have enjoyed a rewarding two weeks during the 2020 Summer Spectacular. Paul Hansma showed the 5-year-old Sweet Lil Pepto gelding to place eighth in the Classic Challenge Open Finals and Reichart scored 221 points on him in the Amateur first go-round, then tied for third in the Amateur Finals. But the best was yet to come.

Reichart and Sweet Lil Prime Time scored 221 points to win the NCHA Metallic Cat 5/6 Amateur Intermediate championship, the last of three finals held on Saturday, July 25. Vick Etheridge, Corinth, Miss., claimed reserve with 219 aboard Metallic Royal Mate, by Metallic Cat, while Andrea Sutten, Weatherford, Tex., placed third with 218 points on Wicked Metal, by Metallic Cat.

In addition to her winner’s share of $5,967 from the 5/6 Intermediate Amateur purse, Reichart, the NCHA earner of $179,246, earned first-place money in the Gelding division for a grand total of $8,907.

Reichart 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, claimed second in the Novice division, and placed eleventh in the Derby Amateur Intermediate, as well.

Vick Etheridge, the NCHA earner of $235,186, enjoyed his first success in Will Rogers Coliseum, as an Amateur Unlimited finalist and Amateur Semi-Finalist in the 2014 NCHA Futurity on Chexs For Shoes LTE $39,251, by Im Countin Checks. But 2020 has been a banner year for Etheridge and 6-year-old Metallic Royal Mate LTE $119,724, by Metallic Cat. The NCHA Classic Challenge 5/6 Intermediate Amateur counts as the second reserve championship this year for Etheridge and his stallion. They also claimed reserve in the Arbuckle Mountain Intermediate Amateur, and placed third in the Amateur at the Non-Pro Plus Open in Ardmore.

Rodrigo Taboga, who shows Metallic Royal Mate for Etheridge in limited age Open competition, was reserve champion with him last week in the Classic Challenge Open Intermediate and placed ninth in the Open Finals.

Andrea Sutten, the NCHA earner of $176,230, placed third in the 2011 NCHA Classic Challenge Amateur on Money Talks Mate LTE $44,797, by Meradas Money Talks. But since 2018, when she was third with the then 4-year-old Wicked Metal, Sutten and the red roan Metallic Cat gelding have become leading contenders, with a win in the 2020 Ike Hamilton 5/6 Amateur, and reserve championships in the 2019 and 2020 Cattlemen’s 5/6 Amateur Unlimited, and the Bonanza Amateur Unlimited, as well as wins in Gelding divisions of the events.

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