The Lucas Oil American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World Championship Show kicked off Nov. 5 in Oklahoma City, and with a revamped schedule, the first championship trophies were awarded in cutting. The three newly crowned champions shared a common bond of being homebreds.
Michael Cooper, of Weatherford, Texas, rode Kyle Manion’s Holly Is Smooth (Smooth As A Cat x Holly N Zack x Zack T Wood) to a score of 222 to win the title in Senior Cutting, which is open to 6-year-olds and older horses.
Manion of Aubrey, Texas, bred the 9-year-old mare, who had $191,542 in National Cutting Horse Association earnings prior to the AQHA World Show. With 36 entries, the class had a purse of $45,522, and the 20 percent winner’s share of $9,104 pushed the mare’s earnings past the $200,000 mark.
It was a record-breaking show for Phil Rapp, of Weatherford, Texas, too. He secured the Senior Cutting Reserve World Championship with Waco Bend Ranch’s Manytimes (One Time Pepto x Cats Twisted Whisker x High Brow Cat) and placed fourth with Gale Force Quarter Horses’ Reyzin (High Brow CD x Miss Reycine x Dual Rey). Rapp broke the $9 million mark for rider earnings with his World Show placings.
Metallic Cat x Teles Lies x Lenas Telesis) marked a 225 to secure another title. The 2010 bay roan stallion was bred by Hedlund’s parents, Rock and Landy Hedlund, of Wilton, California.
It was déjà vu in Junior Cutting as reigning 2014 champions Cody Hedlund, of Lipan, Texas, and Meteles Cat (“He’s just a pretty amazing animal,” Hedlund said after the victory. “He’s one of a kind. He’s very special. We raised him, and Dad trained him. Dad and I have both been lucky enough to have some success on him, and he just tries his heart out every time.”
The Junior Cutting class had 36 entries and offered $46,823 in purse money.
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