Derby Limited Open Champions HC Herd Boss & Justin Chalmers • Photo by Kelsey Pecsek

HC Herd Boss Takes Charge in Derby Limited Open Finals

The cooler weather moving through Fort Worth, Texas, this week made for some tricky cattle in the Will Rogers Coliseum during the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Summer Spectacular Derby Limited Open finals, but that didn’t stop HC Herd Boss and Justin Chalmers from commanding attention.

Chalmers, of Brady, Texas, piloted Eddie and Barbara Young’s homebred gelding HC Herd Boss (Herding Cats x Chinosa Rey x Dual Rey) to a powerful 225 from draw seven out of 13 in the finals. The duo edged the competition by a 6-point margin.

“It was fun. The cows just set up right, and I think that made a difference,” Chalmers said. “I was happy with him all the way through. He was smart and reading right.”

HC Herd Boss garnered $4,408 for his performance, pushing his lifetime earnings past the $16,000 mark. The paycheck also has Chalmers nearing the $30,000 milestone. And thanks to their go-round composite score of 434, the duo will advance to the Derby Open semifinals on Aug. 5, as well.

The Derby Limited Open Reserve title went to Somethingtobelievein (Hydrive Cat x Playin T Etta x TR Dual Rey), bred by SDP Buffalo Ranch, and rider Brett McGlothlin, who owns the mare with his wife, Jody. The team’s 219 was worth a $3,987 check, and a 439 go-round composite has them headed to the Derby Open semifinals in a few days.

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