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Three Open Horses Retired After NCHA World Finals

ALittleBossy-web2016 NCHA Open World Champion A Little Bossy is one of three horses whose retirement was announced at the Mercuria NCHA World Finals. • Photo by Jennifer K. HancockDuring the final round of action at the Mercuria National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 3, the retirement of three horses, including the newest Open World Champion, was announced.

The eldest of the top 15 Open finalists at the NCHA World Finals – 11-year-old A Little Bossy – earned the coveted World title with 2016 earnings $98,247. Ridden by NCHA Hall of Fame Rider R.L. Chartier, A Little Bossy (CD Lights x Pistol Smart x Smart Little Lena) exceeded $400,000 in lifetime earnings at the World Finals. Owned by Gary and Karen Fields, of Weatherford, Texas, A Little Bossy will be inducted into the NCHA Horse Hall of Fame in June.

While A Little Bossy, a gelding, will be enjoying some well-earned R&R in the pasture, two other open horses – Reserve World Champion NRR Cat King Cole and two-time World Finals Show Champion CR Sun Reys – are retiring to the breeding shed. The new retirees have combined earnings of approximately $1 million and together they raked in $222,096 in 2016 alone.

Owned by Finis Welch’s Center Ranch of Centerville, Texas, and bred by Oxbow Ranch, CR Sun Reys (Dual Rey x Play Peek A Boon x Freckles Playboy) is an 8-year-old mare with NCHA earnings of $360,793. Ridden by NCHA Hall of Fame Rider Boyd Rice, CR Sun Reys swept all of the rounds at the 2014 World Finals to earn the Show Championship. She added another Show title to her accolades in 2015, and for 2016, she ranked ninth in the World with earnings of $38,534. Welch said the mare will retire from competition to become a broodmare.

NRR Cat King Cole (High Brow Cat x Uno Del Rey x Smart Little Uno), a 9-year-old stallion owned by North Ridge Ranch, of Pierre, South Dakota, has earnings of $230,918 according to the NCHA. With NCHA Hall of Fame Rider Tracy Barton in the saddle, the stallion finished 2016 as the Open Reserve World Champion with earnings of $85,316. NRR Cat King Cole will stand Weatherford Equine in 2017.

Be sure to check out the upcoming issue of Quarter Horse News to read complete coverage of the Mercuria NCHA World Finals.