Kelle Earnheart & Flash N SilverThe Non-Pro classes at the Bonanza Cutting, held in Glen Rose, Texas, were full of competitive horses and riders. Exhibitors in the 4-Year-Old Non-Pro had to contend with the 2015 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity Non-Pro Champion, while those in the 5/6-Year-Old Non-Pro went up against the 2015 NCHA Non-Pro Horse of the Year.
In the 4-Year-Old Non-Pro, Kelle Earnheart came out of the first draw in the set to mark a 219 on Flash N Silver.
“I drew up first, which was a little challenging because I’ve had some issues with that lately, but it all worked out,” Earnheart said. “It’s not really [nerve-wracking] going first. I’ve been cutting for a very long time, since I was a kid. Just walking into the herd, I just kind of relax. I wasn’t nervous. But to me, being first is the hardest position to be. It’s the most challenging and hardest draw. I like a challenge, and I’m just glad we got through it.”
The 219 held through the finals, and Earnheart and her Jack Waggoner-bred gelding (Purdy Boy Flash x Aristocraticaly You x Smart Aristocrat) returned to Weatherford, Texas, with $10,438 for the Championship. Earnheart is a repeat champion in this division, having won it with Hiasacat in 2014.
Receiving the Reserve Championship for scoring a 218 were Lindy Ashlock and Smooth Kwackin Cat (Smooth As A Cat x Kwackin x Dual Pep), who were fresh off a win at the Abilene Spectacular in the 4-Year-Old Non-Pro. Smooth Kwackin Cat was bred by Cottonwood Springs Ranch LLC and belongs to Ashlock and her husband, Wes Ashlock, who reside in Abilene, Texas. Ashlock received a check worth $8,408.
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