After topping the Derby Non-Pro at the Southwest Reined Cow Horse Association (SRCHA) Pre-Futurity with Miss Scarlets Cat, Myles Brown came back in the Futurity Non-Pro and rode Lost Creek Heaven to the highest composite – a 435.5. He kicked off the mare’s earnings record with a $1,190 paycheck.
“I didn’t want to run her very hard,” Brown said of “Creek.” “That’s a big reason why I’m very fortunate to be a non-pro. I wanted to bring her here, and I wanted to win it – you always want to win – but I didn’t want to run her wheels off. I didn’t want to get trapped into the loud music; I wanted to save that for the Futurity as best as I can, kind of like I did last year with my roan mare. We were able to do that, and hopefully, if our luck holds out, her best day in her 3-year-old year will come in the finals at the [National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA)] Snaffle Bit [Futurity].”
Up first during the week was the rein work, where the duo marked a 142.5. That was followed by the herd work, and their 148.5 topped the round. A 144.5 in the fence work sealed the deal, again scoring higher than the other riders.
Brown appreciated having the Pre-Futurity to show him how his mare’s training is progressing, as he plans to enter her in both the Open and Non-Pro at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity in October.
“I try not to get nervous or hyped up at this deal and just make sure I get a really solid schooling on my horses to where when I come to Snaffle Bit, the horses are confident and I’m confident,” he said. “The biggest reason why you come here is you want to know what you need to work on. And hopefully I picked up what I need to change, what I need to sharpen up and what I need to leave alone.”
Creek is by WR This Cats Smart and out of the Seven From Heaven mare She Cat Seven. Brown and his father partnered up to purchase her from the 2017 NRCHA Select 2-Year-Old Sale, buying her for $20,000 from Jordan Williams.
“We took her home and worked her on the cow a lot,” he said. “She’s just been pretty consistent, pretty easy, very good-minded, just a nice horse.
“She gets fresh easily, but she’s just easy,” he continued. “She comes in there and she takes a little bit of warming up, but she goes to work every day. She’s very physical, very strong, a very sound horse. Just kind of what you want in a futurity horse.”
The pair was next headed to the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo for a little more schooling, then the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity. Afterwards, they might alternate between the cutting and the cow horse pens for a bit.
“I’m lucky to get to ride good horses and cowy horses that try hard, and it makes my job really easy,” Brown said.
Hope Miller rode Seven S Prettysmart to the Futurity Non-Pro Reserve Championship, garnering $991. The duo marked a 148 in the herd work, a 145.5 in the rein work and a 138 in the cow work for a 431.5 composite. Seven S Prettysmart is by Dual Smart Rey and out of Lena Pretty Playboy (by Freckles Playboy).
Futurity Intermediate Non-Pro, Novice Non-Pro & Amateur
Kasen York, a 17-year-old from Saratoga, Wyoming, and Mr Hot Rod went home with three titles from the SRCHA Pre-Futurity: the Intermediate Non-Pro, Novice Non-Pro and Amateur. Their 421 composite score also placed third in the Non-Pro.
“I’m excited. He was good the whole time,” York said. “I messed up a little bit in the reining, but he was good in the herd work and good down the fence.”
Like Brown, York’s game plan for the Pre-Futurity was to see where his horse’s training stood before heading to the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity.
“I just wanted to see where he was at and kind of just coast him through. I didn’t push him very hard. I just wanted to see what I needed to work on and where we were at everywhere,” York explained.
After seeing how his horse performed, York wants to make his cutting, where he marked a 143.5, a little more precise. He has a few things he wants to tighten up down the fence, too, where he scored a 141.5. The rein work, where he marked a 136, is the biggest thing on his to do list.
York purchased “Hot Rod” at the end of the stallion’s 2-year-old year. He and the son of Hottish, who is out of the Smart Sugar Badger mare Fancy Sugar Badger, banked $2,248 together at the Pre-Futurity.
The incoming high school senior, who trains with Kyle Trahern, plans to work for a cutting horse trainer after finishing school. He boasts Equi-Stat earnings of $8,874, which includes showing in ranch versatility, cutting and reined cow horse.
Taking Reserve in the Intermediate and Novice Non-Pro were Meredith Graber and CCR Spooks Got Rey, who also placed fourth with their composite 421 (140 herd/146 rein/135 cow) in the Non-Pro. Altogether, they accumulated $1,236. CCR Spooks Got Rey is a daughter of Play Dual Rey (out of Gyrating Tiramisu x Spooks Gotta Gun).
Futurity Non-Pro Limited
Rider: Kaitlin Ormson
Lifetime earnings: $16,029
Horse: Hesa Bettin Cat
15G (Bet Hesa Cat x Hyadualin Darlin x Dual Pep)
Owner: Kaitlin Ormson, Denton, TX
Breeder: David Hartman, Whitesboro, TX
Score: 431.5 (141.5 herd/143.5 rein/146.5 boxing)
Total earned: $420
