Many competitors dream of hitting the cutting futurites and finding success, perhaps earning their entry fees back and enjoying their cutting peers. Katie Fonsen Young did that and more with self-trained gelding Hott Shots (U), winning the Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association (PCCHA) Intermediate Open, Non-Pro and Intermediate Non-Pro futurities.
“It’s been a pretty amazing fall with a very special little horse, with my family right by my side every step of the way,” Young said of the unregistered gelding. “The whole training process has been really fun with him.”
Originally entering the Futurity Intermediate Open to shoot for the PCCHA Western States Incentive, Young and the gelding advanced to the finals, marked a 222 and won the Futurity Open Intermediate championship.
“He’s certainly not afraid of a tough cow. I feel he’s made me step up and show better because of that. I’ve definitely put him in a lot of tough situations this fall and he’s handled them with a lot of intelligence and style, Young said.”
Between the Intermediate Open payout, gelding incentive check and co-championship in the Western States Incentive, Young and Hott Shots earned $11,492. But, she and the Hott Shots (Hottish x Smooth As I Can x Smooth As A Cat) were just getting started.
The Non-Pro title was determined with a pencil finals, and Young’s scores of 219 and 216 in the class saw her edge out Reserve Champions Ty Moore and Momish by 7.5 points in the composite. The Non-Pro and the Intermediate Non-Pro titles picked up Young an additional $11,287, putting her at more than $22,000 in earnings with Hott Shots at the PCCHA Futurity.
“He’s kind of unassuming. He’s so kind and such a sweet, quiet horse to be around. But when you put him in front of a cow he lights up,” Young said. “He loves his job and has a great deal of charisma and confidence for a three-year-old.”
Young thanked her help and her family for their dedication to training. Both Young and her husband, Brent, work full-time jobs and ride in the evenings with their 5-year-old daughter, Lucy, and Young’s parents.
Reserve Champion in the Futurity Non-Pro was Ty Moore and Momish (Hottish x Cat Mom Do x High Brow Cat). The pair marked a 213.5 and a 214 for a $5,000 payday. Momish was bred by Holmes & Hill of Glen Rose, Texas and is owned by Kathleen Moore of Madill, Oklahoma.
