NCHA News

 

Spookys Favorite Cat, shown by Josh Sleeman, scored 222 points to top Day 4 of 2020 NCHA Futurity Open first go-round competition, on Sunday, November 22, at Will Rogers Equestrian Center in Fort Worth, Tex. Nitreyious, with Dirk Blakesley, posted 221.5, while Savannah Cat under Guy Woods, and Stars Copper Cat with Grant Setnicka tied with 221 points.

Catolena Cashin In and Tarin Rice, who worked on Thursday, retain the first go-round lead with 224 points, while Spookys Favorite Cat is tied at 222, for second place, with five other horses: Aspenglow, with Sean Flynn; Intox O Cating, with Michael Cooper; Lil Ricky, with John Mitchell; Speak Easie, with Cass Tatum; and Sweet Lil Kit Kat, with Armando Costa Neto.

Owned and bred by Jerry and Kathy Erwin, Vancouver, Wash., Spookys Favorite Cat is a High Brow Cat daughter out of Perfect Hand Plum LTE $56,668, a 2009 NCHA Futurity Open semi-finalist and 2010 El Rancho Futurity reserve champion under Todd Bimat. Perfect Hand Plum, by Mecom Blue, is out of the Lenas Telesis daughter Plum Spooky LTE $32,694, whose top money earner from six performers is Perfect Hand Plum.

Josh Sleeman, the NCHA Hall of Fame earner of $1,320,335, was a 2009 NCHA Futurity Open Semi-Finalist on Patty La Cat LTE $84,480, by High Brow Cat.

Nitreyious, a gelding owned by Regan and Reyly Plendl, Kingsley, Iowa, was sired by Metallic Cat and bred by Rodney Wrinkle Cutting Horses, Lebanon, Mo. Nitreyious’s, dam Cherrey LTE $27,646, by Dual Rey, is out of Shesa Smarty Lena LTE $211,389, the dam of 13 earners of $253,711, including Chers Shadow, dam of cutting’s leading living sire Metallic Cat. Cherrey has produced one money earner, Canterbury Breeze LTE $3,985, by Canterbury Cat.

Dirk Blakesley, the NCHA Hall of Fame earner of $1,495,740, won the 1994 NCHA Futurity Open Limited championship on My Gals In Trouble LTE $24,271, by Smart And Trouble. Blakesley has been an NCHA Futurity Open finalist six times, including last year, when he placed sixth on Kual Kat LTE $161,532, by High Brow Cat.

Savannah Cat, by Laker Doc, is owned by his breeder, EE Ranches, Whitesboro, Tex., and is the first performer out of the Cat Ichi daughter Miz Savannah Ichi LTE $66,679. Miz Savannah Ichi is a full sister to Rue Du Ichi LTE $223,217, Ichi La Roo $123,132, and Ichis Snicker Doodle.

Guy Woods, the NCHA Hall of Fame earner of $2,779,370, has competed in nine NCHA Futurity Open Finals, including on Laker Doc LTE $175,663, in 1995; and on Cat Ichi LTE $238,691, in 2000. Both Cat Ichi and Laker Doc are owned and were bred by EE Ranches, out of Laney Doc LTE $221,332, an all-time leading dam of cutting horses.

Stars Copper Cat, a mare owned by J Five Horse Ranch, Weatherford, Tex., and sired by High Brow Cat, was bred by Tommy Jones, Gainesville, Tex., out of Stars Miss Fancy LTE $40,482, by Grays Starlight. Stars Miss Fancy is the dam of 11 NCHA earners of $135,215, including Geronimos Catillac $93,335, a 2016 NCHA Futurity Open and Non-Pro finalist and full brother to Stars Copper Cat. 

Grant Setnicka; the NCHA Hall of Fame earner of $3,226,156, has been an NCHA Futurity finalist 10 times, including in 2015, on J Five Horse Ranch-owned Ichis My Choice LTE $418,693,  who Setnicka would also show as 2016 NCHA Open Horse of the Year.

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