BillCowan

Bill Cowan & Merada Jo Top Breeder’s Invitational Derby Non-Pro

BillCowanBill and Makayla Cowan with Merada JoBill Cowan and his wife’s horse, Merada Jo, won the Breeder’s Invitational (BI) Derby Non-Pro title Saturday, May 25, in Tulsa, Okla., to earn $30,404. But while his wife, Michelle, is proud of the effort, she still expects her horse back for the next show.

Cats Merada x Sanjo Sue x San Jo Lena) left the BI with $42,205 earned. The next time she earns money, though, it probably won’t be with the same rider. “Michelle was real proud of me, but he’s going right back in her string. I probably won’t get a crack at him again,” Cowan said. “I tried and tried to get this horse for the [NCHA] Futurity, but it didn’t work then either.”

Spots Hot x Heavenly Reys x Dual Rey) were Derby Non-Pro Reserve Champions with a 219 worth $25,258. Later in the day, her husband, Wes, and “Buck” also finished seventh in the Derby Open finals with a 218 to earn another $18,111.

Wes also earned $28,099 by guiding the couple’s mare Dark And Sultry (Spots Hot x Hissy Cat x High Brow Cat) to a third-place finish in the Derby Open with a 222 score, after Kristen finished third worth $21,407 after marking a 216 in the Derby Non-Pro with the same horse.

$10,000 Novice Non-Pro

Borick owns a ranch in Weatherford, Texas. His gelding Catch A Few Zees (Smooth As A Cat x Zee Dually) “just started coming around about a month ago,” his owner said, after passing through the hands of several trainers early in his career. He credited tune-up work at the show by BI Derby Open Champion Lloyd Cox.

Reserve Champion Anderson, Weatherford, Texas, finished second with Cats Estrallita, sired by her and her husband, Steve’s, cutting stallion Cats Quixote Jack, and out of their Dual Pep mare, Esther Rita. Cats Quixote Jack earned $273,197 as a cutter prior to concentrating on his new job as a breeding stallion.

Borick’s victory pushed him over the $400,000 mark in career cutting earnings. Anderson’s Reserve finish pushed her career total past $600,000.

For complete coverage of the Breeder’s Invitational, subsribe to Quarter Horse News.