InthePast NuCircleOfLight

In the Past: Nu Circle Of Light

InthePast NuCircleOfLightNu Circle Of Light and Ted Robinson accumulated 654 points (213.5 herd/216.5 rein/224 cow) to take the $100,000 Open winner’s check in the 2005 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity. • Photo by Primo Morales

Nu Circle Of Light carried reined cow horse trainer Ted Robinson to his seventh National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Championship nearly 11 years ago, in October 2005. The win was especially meaningful to Robinson because he had won his first Futurity Championship, in 1987, on the stallion’s grandsire, Nu Cash. Nu Circle Of Light’s dam, Katie Starlight, also provided many special memories for Robinson with the mare having carried Robinson to two World’s Greatest Horseman championships, in 1999 and 2001.

Nu Circle Of Light is by Nu Circle N Cash, who was the 2001 NRCHA Stallion Stakes Open Reserve Champion and accumulated $68,408 in lifetime earnings before his retirement from the show pen. Nu Circle Of Light was his first foal, and he got off to a rough start from the day he was born in March 2002.

The colt, affectionately nicknamed “Theo,” was born with contracted tendons and initially could not stand without Robinson’s help. The newborn foal was Katie Starlight’s first, and Robinson said the colt knew him even before the colt knew his dam, who at first was not sure she wanted any part of the little sorrel foal.

There was doubt that the well-bred colt would ever be sound enough to ride, much less perform. He wore casts on his legs for the first few months and seemed to be getting along fine until weaning time, when it was discovered that he also had a bone spur. The consulting veterinarian advised Robinson that the horse should probably never be ridden.

With Robinson’s help, Nu Circle Of Light proved otherwise. He not only remained sound through the futurity training process, but entered the prestigious NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity winner’s circle in 2005.

During his career, Robinson won three NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open championships in consecutive years on Nu Cash offspring: The Nu Colonel in 1995; Shesa Lota Cash in 1996; and Smart Little Cash in 1997.

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