MetallicManziel KQueen

Queen Wins New Title at Bonanza

MetallicManziel KQueenKatherine Queen & Metallic ManzielThe Bonanza Cutting 5/6-Year-Old Non-Pro finals took place Feb. 15 at the Silverado Arena in Weatherford, Texas, and the class proved tough. Each horse-and-rider pair gave it their all, and only one team scored less than a 210.

While there were many good runs, Katherine Queen, of Allendale, South Carolina, and Metallic Manziel’s stood head and shoulders above the rest. The duo marked a 224, 6 points above the Reserve Champions’ score. Queen and “Manny” recently won the 5/6-Year-Old Classic Non-Pro at the Augusta Futurity in January before continuing their winning streak in Weatherford.

“It’s pretty cool; it’s everything I wanted,” Queen said. “To win two is pretty great, especially both of them on him.”

Queen said she had a few nerve-wracking moments during her run at the Bonanza. Her first cow was good, but her second one made her nervous.

“We got close to the herd and I was getting a little bit worried about it, but he was really good and we stayed out of the herd, didn’t flush or anything,” she said. “He did all his pretty moves and everything.”

They finished up on a tough third cow, but Queen said Manny handled it well, hitting the huge stops she can always count on.

Manny was bred by Strawn Valley Ranch, in Strawn, Texas. He is by Metallic Cat and is the only money-earner out of Smart Look N Pepto, a daughter of Peptoboonsmal.

“He’s really special,” Queen said of her gelding. “I would never be able to sell him.”

Manny and Queen collected $13,016 for the win, giving the gelding $146,414 and Queen $31,850 in lifetime earnings.

“I want to thank my grandparents [Miles and Becky Elliott],” Queen said. “They bought him for me, so a big thanks to them. And everybody that helps support me, and especially my parents [Elizabeth and Equi-Stat Elite $2 Million Rider Skip] for everything they do.”

The Reserve Championship was split by Ryan Rapp aboard Teresa Wilson-bred Tuff Julie (Woody Be Tuff x Missys Powder x Powder River Playboy) and Armando Costa Neto on his homebred mare Watch Me Whip (Playgun x Look The Look x High Brow Cat), the 2016 National Cutting Horse Association Non-Pro Horse of the Year. Each duo scored a 218 and received $9,198.

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