The Limited Non-Pro finals at the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity did not disappoint, with 29 combinations vying for the title. Ultimately, two pairs shined above the rest.
As the seventh to go in the first set, Lance Cooper tried to stay focused on Zen And Tonic (High Brow CD x Dual Citizen x Dual Pep), a horse he acquired just a few weeks before the Futurity. He and the Greg Coalson-bred mare had an impressive run that resulted in a big 222.
Cooper was pleased with his run, but he knew there were some tough contenders set to go following him.
Ali Good, who was the last to go in the first set, matched Cooper’s marks on her gelding Sneakish (Hottish x Smooth Sneakin x Smooth As A Cat). The two 222s held up as the highest earned in the finals and the two young riders, who have been friends for several years, were happy to share the Championship with each other.
“To win in this building on a 3-year-old that has never shown is just amazing,” Cooper said. “I just wanted to have a clean run.”
“I was a little nervous, because I was last,” Good said of her run on Sneakish, bred by Dustin Adams. “But he has turned out to be a really good horse, and this means everything to me.”
Both duos earned $10,539 for their success in Fort Worth, Texas, and are looking forward to showing their horses in 2018.
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