Lloyd Cox and Smooth Talkin StyleThe Breeder’s Invitational (BI), which spanned more than two weeks in Tulsa, Oklahoma, came to a close Saturday, May 23, after a competitive Derby Open finals. Equi-Stat Elite $7 Million Dollar rider Lloyd Cox and Smooth Talkin Style rose to the top of the 25-horse finals with a 225 to take the Championship.

Cox, of Marietta, Oklahoma, and Smooth Talkin Style (Smooth As A Cat x Stylish Play Lena x Docs Stylish Oak) earned a check worth $71,064. The stallion’s lifetime earnings now total $274,293, according to Equi-Stat. Cox and the horse were also Open Co-Champions at the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes in April.

“He [Smooth Talkin Style] has a lot of really good things about him,” Cox said. “He’s smart and so consistent. He just tries hard for me every time.”

Smooth Talkin Style, bred by Double Dove Ranch, of Fort Worth, Texas, is owned by Double Dove Ranch and Bobby and Dottie Hill.

The Derby Reserve Championship went to Button Down Supercat (Dual Rey x Highbrow Supercat x High Brow Cat) and Wes Galyean, of Claremore, Oklahoma. They scored a 222 and brought home $42,803 in winnings. SMF Cutting Horses LLC owns the mare, who was bred by Cross Timber Cutting Horses LLC.

Derby Non-Pro

In the first set of the day, Kelle Earnheart, of Weatherford, Texas, and Kitty Can Dual scored a 219 to take the Derby Non-Pro Championship and a paycheck worth $22,380.

“My mare was really accurate and held the situation really well, because that first cow really tested her, ” the Equi-Stat Elite $1 Million Dollar rider said. “I’m really proud of her. This is only her fourth show.”

The mare’s lifetime earnings now exceed $75,000, according to Equi-Stat. Earnheart purchased Kitty Can Dual (Dual Rey x Cancan Kitty x High Brow Cat), who was bred by Cinder Lakes Ranch LLC, as yearling.

With two scores of 215.5 in the finals, the Derby Non-Pro Reserve Championships went to Ryder Carpenter and Smooth Miss Trona, as well as Ty Moore and Tallica.

Carpenter, of Silverton, Texas, piloted Smooth Miss Trona (Smooth As A Cat x MK Little Miss Trona x Little Trona), bred by the Gene McKown Living Trust, of Norman, Oklahoma. Moore rode Tallica (Metallic Cat x Playin T Etta x TR Dual Rey), bred by Christina Galyean Cox, of Marietta, Oklahoma. Each rider garnered a paycheck worth $16,984.

Derby Non-Pro Limited

Sheri Matthews, of Weatherford, Texas, and Christmas Time marked a 215 to earn the Derby Limited Non-Pro Championship; however the win only became official after Wade Smith’s score was adjusted from a 215 to a 213 after the set was finished.

“It was a nice surprise to win,” Matthews said. “I was just happy that we finished on a good note. It had been kind of a tough one for us, because we are still learning to figure each other out.”

Matthews and Christmas Time (One Time Pepto x Farra Rey x Dual Rey) earned $9,109, which more than doubled the mare’s lifetime earnings, according to Equi-Stat. Christmas Time, bred by Tiffany Curtis Manion, received her name because she was given to Matthews as a Christmas gift from her husband.

After their adjusted score, Smith and Some Sweet Checks (Im Countin Checks x Some Kinda Sweety x Sweet Lil Pepto) took home the Limited Non-Pro Reserve Championship. The mare was bred by Grimes Ranch LLC, of Baird, Texas.

$10,000 Derby Non-Pro

Joey Blann and Cattys Bonnie Blue emerged as the $10,000 Derby Non-Pro Champions after they marked a 213 in a workoff against Scotty Rice and Metallicalexis.

Blann, of Hampton, Arkansas and his gelding, Cattys Bonnie Blue (Catty Hawk x Little Bonnie Blue x Mecom Blue) initially drew first in the first set of the finals, marking a 215. Rice and Metallicalexis (Metallic Cat x TM Smart Alexis x Smart Little Lena) duplicated that score, resulting in a workoff for the title.

After winning the coin toss, Rice chose to cut first on his Metallicalexis, bred by Alex Franz, marking a 208. Blann and Cattys Bonnie Blue went next, scoring a 213 and taking the Championship.  and earned the Reserve Championship. The win earned the duo a paycheck worth $14,515. Prior to the BI, the gelding, bred by Cowan Ranch of Ardmore, Oklahoma, had earned $700 with trainer Sean Flynn, according to Equi-Stat.

“The horse has been good all week,” Blann said. “I’m really proud of him. I think we have a lot of money to win with him in the future.”

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