Dustin Adams holds 1-year-old daughter Adelynn Jo as she gives Hottish a well-deserved pat • Photo by Jennifer K. HancockArmando Costa Neto, of Weatherford, Texas, and Pow Wow Pep marked a 221 as the first team to work in the Classic/Challenge Non-Pro finals on Tuesday afternoon at the 2014 NCHA Summer Spectacular. The bar was set high, but Hottish and Dustin Adams, of Poolville, Texas, were up to the challenge. The 16th horse to work in the 18-horse finals, Hottish got down in the dirt and left the pen with a 228.
“Lloyd’s just done a tremendous job,” Adams said, giving credit to trainer Lloyd Cox. “I’m envious of feel that he puts on a horse. And what an incredible horse! I think he’s a freak of nature.”
NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Famer Adams is less than $70,000 away from topping the $4 million mark in lifetime earnings, according to Equi-Stat. He also rode Hottish to win the 2012 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro and the 2013 Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association 5/6-Year-Old Non-Pro.
The 6-year-old stallion (Spots Hot x Stylish Play Lena x Docs Stylish Oak) passed the $300,000 mark in earnings. In the Open, he has recorded victories in the 2012 NCHA Derby Open and 2012 Breeder’s Invitational Derby Open with Cox in the saddle. Last year, Hottish did double duty in the show pen and the breeding barn. His first foals arrived in 2014.
“We’re such big horse fans, my wife and I, and we’re such big fans of this horse. Every once in a while we have to pinch ourselves and say, ‘Oh yeah, he’s ours,'” said Adams, as his wife, Deena, rewarded “Hottie” with horse treats before the trophy presentation.
Costa Neto claimed the Reserve Championship with Pow Wow Pep (Hickory Indian Pep x Little Moria Pep x Dual Pep). Costa Neto has an Equi-Stat record of nearly $600,000, while Pow Wow Pep significantly added to her prior record of $22,857 with this win.
Read more about the NCHA Summer Spectacular in the print edition of Quarter Horse News.
