Scooter McGavin, ridden by Cullen Chartier for Hilary and Tom Watson of Westwood, Kansas, marked 227 to win the Mercuria NCHA World Series of Cutting Open finals at the San Antonio Rodeo & Stock Show Sunday.
Rue Du Ichi and Gaylon Wells placed second with a 224, while Donas Suen Boon, ridden by Kobie Wood, was third with a 221.5.
It was Scooter McGavin’s first trip to the Mercuria finals, and Chartier’s first win in the lucrative program. Wayne and Jody Robinson bred Scooter McGavin by Smart Lil Scoot out of Natalie Rey, a Dual Rey mare that Robinson took to the NCHA Futurity Open finals in 2005. Natalie Rey has also produced $56,000 earner Stormy Jack Cat.
Robinson was a John Deere Division finalist on Scooter McGavin at the 2012 NCHA Futurity, and the gelding went on to the NCHA Derby finals with Bill Pierce, and several major Non-Pro finals with Carol Dewrell.
The Watsons got him last fall, with Hilary riding him to the Southern Futurity Amateur Classic finals. Cullen Chartier guided the horse to a win in the Waco Texas Classic.
Scooter McGavin marked 223.5 to lead the go-round at San Antonio, and then laid down his winning run as the second horse in the finals. His $7,810 paycheck will take his earnings over $75,000.
Constance Jaeggi wins Non-Pro
Constance Jaeggi, the 2014 NCHA Non-Pro World Champion and Saguaro Ichi, the 2014 NCHA Non-Pro Horse of the Year, teamed up to win the Non-Pro division of the Mercuria NCHA World Series at San Antonio with a 229. It was Jaeggi’s fifth Mercuria win and Saguaro Ichi’s fourth.
Jaeggi, who was inducted into the NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame last year, was notching up her 25th finals appearance in the Mercuria NCHA World Series of Cutting.
Saguaro Ichi was bred by EE Ranches by Cat Ichi out of Playboys Heidi, by Freckles Playboy. Playboys Heidi was an NCHA Futurity finalist in 1992 with Guy Woods, and she has produced earners of more than $385,000.
Jaeggi and Saguaro Ichi won the Mercuria events at Las Vegas in 2014 and at the Pacific Coast Derby and Idaho Futurity last year.
She has lifetime earnings of more than $528,000 with her San Antonio win.
E.J. Huntley finished second with a 223 on Smart Frosty Cat, while Kade Smith was third with a 221 on Hay U.