Horse chasing a cow
Crey Zee & Tatum Rice. • Photo by Kristin Pitzer.

Crey Zee Continues Win Streak At Bonanza Cutting

Crey Zee and Tatum Rice are really on a roll.

The 2018 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Open champions won their third straight title Monday night by taking the 4-Year-Old Open at the Bonanza Cutting. Their winning 224-point run at the show in Weatherford, Texas, came on the heels of their win last month in the 4-Year-Old Open at The Ike.

The $22,318 first-place paycheck pushed the daughter of the late Dual Rey’s earnings to nearly $230,000. She was bred and owned by Rice’s in-laws, Kevin and Sydney Knight, of Weatherford, Texas.

“It’s just kind of a once-in-a-lifetme sort of deal, really, to be this fortunate three shows in a row — and, three really big shows,” said Rice, an Equi-Stat Elite $2 Million Rider. “We raised her and own her mother, and so it’s really special.”

The sorrel mare has gotten better and more confident as she’s gotten more shows under her belt, said Rice.

“She’s getting more mature, but she’s still a silly little thing,” he said. “But, she’s definitely getting more mature.”

The Bonanza 4-Year-Old Open Reserve Championship went to Sugrspiznevrthingniz and Matt Gaines. The Equi-Stat Elite $8 Million Rider and the 2015 mare (Kit Kat Sugar x Jewels Got Lizzy x Lizzys Gotta Player) marked a 221 to earn $17,854 for owner James N Vangilder, of Weatherford, Texas.

horse chasing a cow
Sugrspiznevrthingniz & Matt Gaines. • Photo by Kristin Pitzer.

Crey Zee is the first money-earning performer out of NCHA Reserve Open World Champion Eazee E. The 2010 broodmare by Equi-Stat Elite $80 Million Sire High Brow Cat out of Equi-Stat Elite $1 Million Dam Zee Dually (by Dual Pep) earned $212,534 in her cutting career. 

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