ReyceLights

Bonanza Cutting Non-Pro and Amateur Champions Named

ReyceLights4-Year-Old Non-Pro Champions Lindy Ashlock & Reyce Lights • Photo by Hart PhotosTen days of cutting at the Bonanza Cutting in Glen Rose, Texas, wrapped up Feb. 20 with finals for four Amateur classes. Earlier in the week, the non-pros competed for their share of prize money.

The 4-Year-Old Non-Pro finals featured 12 horse-and-rider teams. Lindy Ashlock, of Abilene, Texas, and Reyce Lights (CD Lights x Twice As Reycy x Dual Rey), bred by Double Dove Ranch, of Fort Worth, Texas, were third to enter the herd and left the pen with a 219. Ashlock and the mare won $14,209 for their performance.

Chad Bushaw, of Weatherford, Texas, and Thata Rey (Dual Rey x Cat Smarts x High Brow Cat), bred by Mahler & Meredith, of Olney, Texas, were eighth to work and came close to unseating the leaders, but fell just shy with a 218. Bushaw had two in the finals. In addition to the Reserve Champion’s check for $11,368, he also picked up $4,263 for eighth place on My Redemption (High Brow Cat x Dual Kual x Dual Pep), bred by Stump Lake Ranch & Cattle, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

5/6-Year-Old Non-Pro

In the 5/6-Year-Old Non-Pro, 18 horses made it back to the finals. Stacie McDavid, of Fort Worth, Texas, and Starz N Boon (Peptoboonsmal x Staraleno x Grays Starlight), bred by Marvine Ranch, of Meeker, Colorado, marked a 221 from the 11th draw as the second team to work in the second set of cattle.

The score was enough to take the lead from Ty Moore and Let Georgie Do It (Metallic Cat x Hey Georgy Girl x Wild Thing DNA), who marked a 220 as the third draw in the finals. McDavid won $15,787 as the Champion, and Moore picked up $13,630 for the Reserve Championship.

4-Year-Old Amateur

LPinkston4-Year-Old Amateur Champion Lica PinkstonLica Pinkston, of Alice, Texas, and Stylish Metallic Cat (Metallic Cat x Stylish Lil Player x Playin Stylish) were second to work in the 4-Year-Old Amateur final. The duo marked a 216, and the score held to the end of the eight-horse final.

Pinkston’s homebred gelding picked up a check for $3,765, and Pinkston also picked up Senior Champion honors in the class.

Mike Wood, of Combine, Texas, and Linkinparkafterdark (Third Cutting x Travs Scooter x Smart Lil Scoot) were next-to-last to work and marked a 213, which was tied by the final team – Shari Mohl, of Sulphur Springs, Texas, and Done With Grace (Smooth As A Cat x Gracefully Done x Dual Pep). The Co-Reserve Champions each received $2,635.

4-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur

With a change of cattle, the finals for the 4-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur was the next to go. The 10-horse finals had a tough herd to work, and only four of the 10 finalists marked above a 200.

Lisa Bankston, of Fort Worth, Texas, and Hya Lights Me Now (CD Lights x SR Hyacinth x Doc’s Hickory) marked a 213 as the fourth to work. Mary Jo Hawkins and Smart Lika Fox (Dual Smart Rey x Foxies Secret x Docs Stylish Oak) were eighth to work and matched the 213 to take Co-Championship honors. Bankston and Hawkins each received a check for $4,561.

5/6-Year-Old Amateur

Gary Fields is returning to cutting in a big way after back surgery forced him out of the saddle. Teaming with Never Been High (High Brow Cat x Wood I Never x Zack T Wood), Fields marked a 220 in the 5/6-Year-Old Amateur finals. Never Been High, bred by Wrigley Ranches, of Weatherford, Texas, was the ninth horse to work in the 12-horse finals and earned $4,426 for the effort.

Catty Gucci Girl (Cats Merada x CD Bright Lights x CD Olena), bred by Danny Motes, of Weatherford, and Willem Bembom, of Monaco, North Carolina, were the fifth team to work in the set and marked a 215 that was tied with the last rider, Larry Irvin, who was aboard Dr Metallica (Metallic Cat x Nurse Gray x Grays Starlight), bred by Sunrise Ranch, of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Bembom and Irvin each received $3,293 for the Reserve Champion finish.

5/6-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur

The 2015 Bonanza wrapped up with an 18-horse finals in the 5/6-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur. Proving that good cattle can be found late in the draw, Taylor Carbo, of Plaquemine, Louisiana, rode Scooters Daisy Dukes (Dual Smart Rey x Scooters Playmate x Freckles Playboy) into the herd with only one other competitor waiting. Scooters Daisy Dukes earned the highest score of the day – a 222.5 – and the Champion’s check for $7,509.

Von Sutten and Compact Style (CD Lights x Moms Stylish Pepto x Peptoboonsmal), bred by Rhodes River Ranch, of Arlington, Washington, were the first to go to the herd in the class, and originally marked a 217. But after a lengthy review, the score was adjusted up to 219 – enough to edge Deb Herold and Over Reyted’s 218 for Reserve Champion honors. Sutton earned $6,007 for the second-place finish.

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