Spud Sheehan (left) & Savannah Blue Rey

Savannah Blue Rey Debuts Big at West Texas Futurity

Spud Sheehan (left) & Savannah Blue ReySpud Sheehan (left) & Savannah Blue Rey pictured with Lincoln SmithThe West Texas Futurity, which runs Aug. 8-16 in Amarillo, Texas, featured debut performances for many talented 3-year-old horses, including Savannah Blue Rey. The mare carried Geoffrey “Spud” Sheehan to a big 226 in her first finals appearance to win the Futurity Open Championship.

Sheehan, of Bearden, Arkansas, and Savannah Blue Rey (Dual Rey x Savannah Hickory x Docs Hickory) impressed the judges during the first and second go-rounds, earning them a 439 that topped the composite. The duo kept up that momentum in the clean-slate finals, where they picked up $14,000.

“It was a little nerve-racking before we came up here, because we have never shown her before,” Sheehan said of the 3-year-old mare. “I have always liked her, but we never did any pre-works with her or anything like that; we just worked her at home.”

Savannah Blue Rey, owned by Beechfork Ranch, of College Station, Texas, was purchased at the Cottonwood Springs Ranch dispersal sale in Marietta, Oklahoma.

The Reserve Championship went to Equi-Stat Elite $1 Million Rider James Payne and Checks For Cats (Im Countin Checks x Charmed Cat x High Brow Cat), bred by Australia’s Little Stone Performance Horses. The duo, who drew next-to-last in the finals, marked a 221 to earn $12,000 for owner Carole Wyatt, of Marietta, Oklahoma.