Harlee Cogdell & Cat CeeOn the last day of the West Texas Futurity, the Amateur riders took over the arena, and the excitement didn’t end until the last horse left the working area. The 4-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur finals were first, and Harlee Cogdell walked away with the Championship. With her grandmother’s horse Cat Cee between the reins, she took home a $4,000 paycheck after marking a 220.5.
Cogdell has earned nearly $25,000, but this payday kick started Cat Cee’s Equi-Stat record. The Tulia, Texas, resident earned her first check in the cutting pen nearly 11 years ago, but this has been her most lucrative payday thus far. She said it was special to win on her grandmother, Bette Cogdell’s, horse.
“When I got home [from college] for summer, I was eating breakfast with her [my grandmother] one day and she told me she wanted to give [Cat Cee] to me,” Cogdell explained. “I was super excited.”
Laura Landers piloted Smartlee As A Cat (Smooth As A Cat x Smart Jerri Lee x Smart Little Jerry) to the Reserve Championship. Their score of 217.5 was worth $3,500.
5/6-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur
Eric Van Boekel & Peppys Cashin ChecksEric Van Boekel had two horses in the 5/6-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur finals and he made sure he didn’t leave empty handed. In the first set, he made an appearance with Peppys Cashin Checks (Im Countin Checks x Peppys Stylish Lena x Docs Stylish Oak) and together they marked a 224. Then, he returned in the second set with Elseware (High Brow CD x Readtoware x Peptoboonsmal) and received a score of 211.
His run aboard Peppys Cashin Checks, who he owns with his wife, Katherine Van Boekel, was unable to be topped, so they took home a check for $4,000. He received an additional $1,100 for Elseware’s performance, and his wife also garnered $2,400 for her fifth place finish on Sweet EE Motion (Cat Ichi x Mimi Floyd x Freckles Floyd).
This win brings Van Boekel’s Equi-Stat record to more than $285,000, and Peppys Cashin Checks has garnered more than $78,000 in his career.
“The last cow really tested us, but luckily it all worked out,” Van Boekel said after his winning run.
Milton Greeson and Metallics Star (Metallic Cat x Swingin Star Lady x Justa Swinging Peppy) clinched the Reserve title after they marked a 223 from draw No. 1. They added $3,600 to their Equi-Stat records.
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