cullenchartierweb

Cullen Chartier Dominates Open at NCHA Western Nationals

cullenchartierwebOpen Champion & Reserve Champion Cullen ChartierThe Open finals at The Four Sixes/NCHA Western National Championships played host to a group of 21 talented horses. Cullen Chartier entered the pen as draw No. 1 aboard Once You Go Black and marked a 221. He came back in the second set with Scooter Mcgavin and marked a 220. Those scores held up and Chartier claimed both the Championship and Reserve Championship.

Chartier earned checks totaling $7,426, which boosted his Equi-Stat record to more than $370,000. Once You Go Black (Hydrive Cat x RG Sugar Lena x Poco San Lena), who is owned by Alexis Stephas, has garnered more than $150,000 in his career, and Tom and Hilary Watson’s Ronald Abbott-bred Scooter Mcgavin (Smart Lil Scoot x Natalie Rey x Dual Rey) boasts lifetime earnings in excess of $75,000 following this win.

“They both try their guts out,” Chartier said of his mounts. “I love riding both of them.”

This is the second title for Scooter Mcgavin in Denver. The Wayne and Jody Robinson-bred gelding and Chartier won the $15,000 Novice Co-Reserve Championship prior to this win.

$5,000 Novice

mikewoodweb$5,000 Novice Champion and Reserve Champion Mike WoodMike Wood also made good use of his time in Colorado. In the $5,000 Novice, he rode Scootin Solano to a 219 and then marked a 218.5 on the Otto Stanislaw Jr.-bred gelding This Cats Phat. Wood’s victories in the 26-horse field earned him a total of $8,690.

Scootin Solano (Smart Lil Scoot x Boon Glo Solano x Peptoboonsmal), who was bred by Curt and Kate Running and is owned by Dan and Janice Eaton, has an Equi-Stat record that reflects more than $150,000, while Butlin Ranches Inc.’s This Cats Phat (WR This Cats Smart x CC Topsy x CD Olena) has lifetime earnings of nearly $60,000. Wood, of Scottsdale, Arizona, has accumulated nearly $1.2 million since posting his first check to Equi-Stat in 1993.

“I just wanted to be penalty free and cut clean,” Wood said following his winning run. “It worked out for us.”

$2,000 Limit Rider continued on page 2