McDavid and Davis Nab Breeder’s Invitational Derby Amateur Titles

Stacie McDavid & Desires Chromed Cat • Photo by Katie Marchetti

Tulsa, Oklahoma, was the place to be for amateur cutting horse riders on May 19. The Breeder’s Invitational held its derby and classic/challenge unlimited amateur and amateur finals that day, and it was a busy affair.

In the Derby Unlimited Amateur, 2018 Bonanza Cutting Derby Unlimited Amateur champions Stacie McDavid and Desires Chromed Cat marked a 218 to add another title to their already stellar year. Their payday included the Senior and Gelding championships as well, and altogether, they collected $11,930.

“There’s nothing quite like it. It’s pretty awesome,” McDavid said.

She described her gelding, nicknamed “Walt” after former Dallas Cowboys fullback Walt Garrison, who her father coached and she grew up with, as loving and kind.

“He kind of has his [Garrison’s] personality,” she said. “He babysat me and he was really my first love as a child, so we nicknamed him Walt. It fits him perfectly.”

Walt is by High Brow Cat and out of Desire Some Freckles (by Freckles Playboy), who McDavid said she’s always admired. He was consigned to the 2015 National Cutting Horse Association Select Yearling Sale and Gala, and the McDavids purchased him for $80,000.

“We had hoped he was going to be [good] – he’s beautiful to look at, and he’s been good all along,” she said. “I’m tickled to death.

“He’s extremely smooth to ride, and it’s always fun when they are like that,” she added. “He’s a typical gelding – you do have to ask him. And, I like asking them.”

A 217 gave Jacob Taurel and V Eight Smooth Ichi the Reserve Championship and a check worth $6,006. David Taurel owns the mare, who is by Smooth As A Cat and out of the Cat Ichi mare Clememtine Ichi.

Derby Amateur

Kim Davis & Rockin KW • Photo by Kristin Pitzer

Two years ago, Kim Davis loped Red Solo Catt to prepare him for her son, Bear, to ride in the Derby Amateur finals. When Bear and the gelding won the Championship, Davis was thrilled.

This year, Bear loped Rockin KW for Davis to show in the same division finals, and when she and the mare ended up on top with their score of 218.5, she was ecstatic. They banked a paycheck worth $6,767.

“I feel very lucky,” Davis said. “I have a great horse. And he [Bear] loped for me, so he paid me back today!

“I went down there and I tried to cut the cows we picked, but some of them didn’t shape up,” she said of her run. “I know that mare is a real strong mare – she can hold a cow – and so I just kind of took a chance and took the one that was out there, and it was great. The second cow we had looked at, I had two up there, and I decided to go with the brown one. She loved that one. She was always in front of it, and it was awesome. At the end I just chipped because I just wanted to finish my run strong.”

Rockin KW (Rockin W x TF Smartlittle Linda x Smart Little Lena) got her name from Davis and her husband’s law firm, KW Davis Attorneys at Law. Her barn name, “Sue,” came about “because we sue people,” Davis added with a laugh.

“I’ve never taken a lesson on her,” she said. “I have only gotten on and shown her. She’s so sensitive, so it’s so easy to ride her. For me, half the time I don’t kick, I’m terrible, and you can just kind of squeeze her and she just jumps to where she needs to be. I have a great mare.”

Bear was also scheduled to show later in the week in the Breeder’s Invitational Derby Non-Pro with My Beach My Wave. Davis loves supporting her son and watching him show, but she appreciated how encouraging he has been of her own showing career. He pushed her to show Sue, and that decision helped Davis and the mare land the Arbuckle Mountain Futurity 4-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur title earlier this year.

Davis will continue competing with Sue while her son shows their other 4-year-old. She was thankful to their trainer, Dylan Meyer, for all of his help in getting the duo set up with their horses.

“We’ve been training with Dylan Meyer for about six years, and he’s taught Bear everything and basically got me back into cutting,” Davis said. “He trained this mare and the other 4-year-old we have from day one, and they’re the first horses we ever brought to him that he got to start from day one. He’s done an amazing job.”

My Pinky Promise and Taylor Worley earned the Reserve Championship when they marked a 218. Worley and the High Brow CD mare (out of MK Vivian x Kit Dual), who is owned by Kenli Marvin, collected $5,408.

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