The National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Scottsdale Nationals wrapped up on May 10, with six more champions being named at the inaugural event.
On the final day, Bea Pure Cat, who clinched the Open Co-Championship with Morgan Cromer earlier in the week, carried owner Jill Roth to the Non-Pro Championship after marking a 224. The duo added $3,148 to their records, which brought Roth’s lifetime earnings to more than $162,000.
Bea Pure Cat (High Brow Cat x Mae Bea Marie x Freckles Playboy), who was bred by Jim Crawford, elevated his lifetime record to nearly $117,000 with this title. Last fall, Bea Pure Cat and Roth, of Paso Robles, California, won the second go-round and the average in the $25,000 Novice Non-Pro at the NCHA World Finals, which rounded out the horse’s 2016 show season with $47,778 earned.
Kim Adolf piloted Smooth Criminal Cat to a 223, which secured the Reserve Championship. Adolf, of Morristown, Arizona, collected $2,658 for the title. Smooth Criminal Cat, who was bred by Dustin and Deena Adams, is by Smooth As A Cat and out of the Tangys Classy Peppy mare Tanganilla.
$35,00 Non-Pro
In the $35,000 Non-Pro division, Israel Valles piloted Smokem Jo Lena to the leaderboard over 24 other entries to take the title.
After riding to the herd from draw 21, the duo marked a 221 to claim the Champion’s check, worth $2,231. Valles, of Mesilla Park, New Mexico, took over the ride on the gelding (Joes Midnight Son x Peppys Smokem x Peppy San Badger) at the end of 2016. The 9-year-old gelding made the Augusta Futurity 4-Year-Old Futurity Non-Pro finals and the 4-Year-Old Non-Pro finals at the Southern Cutting Futurity back in 2012, and so far, Smokem Jo Lena has garnered more than $43,000 in the show pen.
Valles earned his first paycheck in 2012 aboard MH Willing To Listen, and he has racked up a bankroll totaling more than $12,000. This is, by far, the horseman’s most lucrative payday in his career.
Primo Oakleys (Teninas First x Supercleanhighoctane x Doc’s Oak) carried Jason Simmons to a score of 219, which was worth the Reserve Championship and $1,954.
$25,000 Novice Non-Pro
Out of 17 horse-and-rider combinations in the $25,000 Novice Non-Pro finals, Too Kool and Donna Flanigan were victorious with their score of 221. Their efforts brought them a check for $2,937.
Flanigan posted her first check to Equi-Stat in June of 1985, and over the past three decades, she has amassed more than $260,000. Too Kool (WR This Cats Smart x Smoken C Starlight x Charlies Starlight) has been her main player since the beginning of 2015. Together, they made the finals at multiple limited-age events in the Non-Pro. In addition to Flanigan, Tom Long has shown the 6-year-old mare in the Open. All in all, Too Kool has a lifetime record of more than $42,000.
Janice Eaton picked up the $25,000 Novice Non-Pro Reserve title with Scootin Solano (Smart Lil Scoot x Boon Glo Solano x Peptoboonsmal) between the reins. Their score of 220 yielded a return of $2,498.
$5,000 Novice Non-Pro
Coming out on top of the $5,000 Novice Non-Pro division was Athenitall, who was piloted to a score of 218 by Kim Adolf. The duo was third to go in the 18-horse finals and their score held out until the end, when they clinched the Championship and collected a check for $3,080.
Athenitall (Athena Puddy Cat x Uno Reba x Smart Little Uno) made his debut at the 2014 NCHA Futurity with Gusti Buerger in the saddle. They made the Limited Open finals to kick-start the gelding’s Equi-Stat record. He was purchased by Adolf and her husband, Todd, who both campaigned him throughout the 2016 season. Following their win in Arizona, Athenitall has lifetime earnings of more than $20,000.
Adolf earned her first cutting check in 2012 and has since racked up more than $47,000, including a check from the 2016 NCHA Futurity, where she rode Pitchforks Bet 013 in the Limited Non-Pro finals.
Im Countin Katz (Im Countin Checks x Joyce Katz x Grays Starlight) and Christina Delpozo claimed the $5,000 Novice Non-Pro Reserve Championship with a score of 217.5. They went home to McClave, Colorado, with a check for $2,606.
$50,000 Amateur
Colleen Pearse and Reys Hot Wheels took top honors at the end of the $50,000 Amateur finals. The duo marked a 219.5 for the Championship and they took home a check for $3,080. This is not the first title for the gelding at an NCHA National Championship event. Last year, he and Ashley Nicole Bosack were the Reserve Champions in the $2,000 Limit Rider finals in Denver. This title pushed Reys Hot Wheels’ (Dual Rey x Smart Little Beauty x Smart Little Lena) Equi-Stat record past the $160,000 mark.
While Reys Hot Wheels has an extensive show record, Pearse just began hers back in 2015. This is the third check she has earned on the gelding, and her earnings now stand at nearly $13,000. This payday was also her most lucrative to date.
Kimberly Irons and Caviar Cat (High Brow Cat x Lenas Horn x Holidoc) earned the $50,000 Amateur Reserve title and $2,606 with a score of 219 in the finals.
$15,000 Amateur
As the NCHA Scottsdale Nationals came to a close, the $15,000 Amateur finalists took to the pen to show off their skills. Out of 19 participants, Cathy Jackson and Catsblue Boon took home the lion’s share of the purse after marking a 219 from draw No. 13. They left with an extra $2,609 in their pockets.
Jackson significantly boosted her lifetime record with this title. It was her biggest paycheck to date and brought her earnings to nearly $10,000, according to Equi-Stat. Last year, she and Catsblue Boon made the $35,000 Non-Pro finals at the NCHA Western National Championships in Denver, where they tied for fifth. The 11-year-old mare (Duals Blue Boon x Genuine Gold Cat x High Brow Cat) has accumulated more than $37,000 under many different riders throughout her career.
Boot Scootin Bonnie (Olenas Bonnies [PT] x Nitas Starlight x Grays Starlight) carried Sherry Stryker to the $15,000 Amateur Reserve Championship with a score of 215. Their efforts were worth $2,249.
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