Alexa Stent is familiar with generations of Smooth Little Bow’s lineage, and together in the cutting pen, the pair put together a fluid run on Wednesday that appeared decades in the making at the NCHA’s Brazos Bash.
The dashing duo’s 431.5 composite bested the Non-Pro Futurity field at the Silverado Arena in Weatherford with runs of 216 and 215.5 in the first and second go-rounds Tuesday and Wednesday.
Victory was worth $5,500.
“She has just been consistent and solid from day one,” Stent said. “She just comes out and does her job every day the same. She’s real sweet, real laid-back. Simple. She’s just easy. What you see is what you get.”
Smooth Little Bow’s uncomplicated nature made her a small-futurity candidate for Stent.
“I’ve never had a small futurity horse before,” Stent said. “I don’t know if we’re going to do the Southern [Cutting Futurity] but [I’ll definitely] continue on with her as a 4-year-old next year.”
Stent’s family has close ties with Smooth Little Bow’s (Smooth As A Cat x Stylish Little Bow x Docs Stylish Oak) pedigree.
“She is a homebred, homegrown mare,” Stent explained. “Pretty special because she’s out of a mare of ours that’s by Docs Stylish Oak and we owned him, that was our stud. So she’s really homegrown!”
Smooth Little Bow’s dam, Stylish Little Bow, won more than $230,000 in the cutting pen with Ed Flynn primarily at the helm, although Stent tasted success at the 2010 National Cutting Horse Association Super Stakes where the pair made the finals in the Classic/Challenge Non-Pro division.
“I was really proud of [Smooth Little Bow] here,” Stent concluded.
Reserve in the Futurity Non-Pro was Metallic Lookin, ridden by Bill Cowan to a 212.5 and a 214 for a 426.5 composite, earning $4,500. Metallic Lookin is owned by Cowan Ranch Inc.
Derby Open
Hot Lookin Cat & John Mitchell
15G (Hottish x Fancy Lookin Cat x That Sly Cat)
Owner: Slate River Ranch, Weatherford, TX
Breeder: Slate River Ranch, Weatherford, TX
223 | $20,000
Classic/Challenge Open
Reystylin Smooth & Adan Banuelos
14G (Smooth As A Cat x Rey N Style x Dual Smart Rey)
Owner: Ten/27 Ranch, Denham Springs, LA
Breeder: Eddie and Barbra Young, San Angelo, TX
223.5 | $20,000