Marilyn Jo Franz & Hawks DesireThirty horses entered the Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, with the dream of topping the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity Amateur finals, but it was Marilyn Jo Franz and Hawks Desire from the fourth draw that reigned victorious.
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CR Tuff Lucy (Woody Be Tuff x Lucindas Catolena x High Brow Cat), a mare bred and owned by Center Ranch, of Center, Texas, and ridden by Tarin Rice, marked a 225 to win the 2015 Abilene Spectacular 4-Year-Old Open. • Photo by Dawn Baxstrom
The Abilene Spectacular is the first major cutting held each year. The 2016 show is set to begin Wednesday, Jan. 6, with the first go-rounds of the 4-Year-Old Open and 5/6-Year-Old Open divisions. The show concludes Wednesday, Jan. 13, with the 4-Year-Old and 5/6-Year-Old Non-Pro finals.
Joe Cody (1952-1989) • QHN File Photo
The legend of Joe Cody began in February 1952, when the handsome son of Bill Cody, the American Quarter Horse Association’s (AQHA) first Honor Roll halter champion, out of the King P-234 daughter Taboo, was born in Texas. Joe Cody was campaigned mainly in cutting during his show career. He changed hands several times before arriving, in 1964, at his final destination and home for life – C.T. “Tom” Fuller’s Willow Brook Farm in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania.
Cee My Gun was the fourth-highest seller at the 2013 Legacy Breeders Sale. • Photo by Stacy Pigott
Of the 30 Level 4 Open finalists at the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity, four were sold at public auction as yearlings. All four were offered through the 2013 Legacy Reining Sales – one in the Legacy Breeders Sale and three in the Legacy Consignment Sale.
NCHA Open World Champion Special Nu Baby, with Matt and Tara GainesSpecial Nu Baby put an exclamation point on her incredible National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Open World Championship as the NCHA World Finals concluded Dec. 5 in Fort Worth, Texas, with action in the show pen and an awards party to celebrate the World and Show champions. The NCHA World Finals is held in conjunction with the NCHA Futurity. Cutters compete all year for World Championships, which are based on earnings, and the top 15 in the standings are invited to compete in the NCHA World Finals.
Kelsey Karanges had the highest score at the Careity Celebrity Cutting.The 21st annual Careity Celebrity Cutting brought together cutting fans and celebrities for a good cause – raising money to support cancer patients in the Fort Worth area. Fourteen celebrity cutters competed, and they were divided into seven teams with the highest combined team score winning the event on Friday, Dec. 4 at the Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum.
The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) held its first World Championship Show in 1974, and the Junior Reining World Champion was High Proof, by Joe Cody. In Like Flinn is the 2015 AQHA Junior Reining World Champion, and he also descends from the great Joe Cody, his great-grandsire.
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High Brow CatFor week 3 of High Brow Cat trivia, since the the National Cutting Horse Association World Championship Futurity is going on right now in Fort Worth, Texas, we asked you to name 1 of HBC's 8 Futurity Champions — According to Equi-Stat, only High Brow Cat has produced 8 NCHA Futurity Champions. Name one of those great Champions.
Casey Deary & Franco Bertolani • Photo by Kelsey PecsekThe 50th National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity’s final day of competition on Saturday, Dec. 5, featured many talented reining horses and riders, but in the end, only one duo could take the 2015 NRHA Futurity Level 4 Open Championship.
