Reata Cutting Horses’ Mercedes Smoothe and Gavin Jordan marked 222.5 to lead the first round of the $25,000 Novice Wednesday at the Mercuria NCHA World Finals in Fort Worth’s Watt Arena.

Phil Rapp was second on Lane & Sons Cattle Company’s Rattle Tap with a 219.5.

Mercedes Smoothe, who brought a $15,000 lead into the World Finals and will emerge as the World Champion, is a 7-year-old mare bred by former Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst.

She is by Smooth As A Cat out of CDs Masterpiece, a Northwest Ranch Festival Futurity champion that has produced earners of $350,000.

Mercedes Smooth was an NCHA Derby and Super Stakes Classic finalist with Matt Gaines, and has earned more than $145,000 in her career.

Shannon Lamb of Boerne, Texas, led the first round of the $35,000 Non-Pro with a 221 on Hes A Rubypepto. Linda Davies was second with a 219.5 on Cetas Ahoy Mate.

Hes A Rubypepto was bred by Ruby Tuesday Partners by Hes A Peptospoonful out of Ruby Tuesday DNA. The 8-year-old gelding has earned more than $86,000.

Linda Davies’ second-place finish in the go-round gave her an unbeatable lead in the 2016 standings. Davies was champion of the NCHA Western Nationals last year in the $15,000 Amateur, and was a Mercuria NCHA World Finalist in that class.

Erin Bimat of Peaster, Texas, and CT Desireable marked 222 to win the first round of the $5,000 Novice Non-Pro. Ed Wold of Murrieta, California, placed second with a 219 on Simply Bird.

Bimat and Wold came into the World Finals placed first and second in the standings, and Bimat’s first-round win sealed her position as the World Champion.

Bred by Cox Trinity Equine, CT Desireable is a 6-year-old gelding by Cat Ichi out of Desires Smart Lena with earnings of $32,000. Hes a half-brother to Abilene Spectacular champion and $189,000 earner Desires Blue Trinity.

In the $2,000 Limit Rider, Dalton Vicar of Scottsdale, Arizona marked the high score of the day, 223, to win the first round over Logan Warren with a 217.

Vicar, who finished fourth in this class at the NCHA Western Nationals last spring, rode Dr. Gerald Dorros’ Cat In White Nikes.

Cat In White Nikes is an 11-year-old mare bred by Robert Ballard by High Brow Cat out of Smart Little Nike, by Smart Little Lena. Smart Little Nike was a Super Stakes Open finalist and earned over $95,000.

Cat In White Nikes has earned over $46,000.

Vicar brought an unbeatable lead into the World Finals and will be the World Champion in the $2,000 Limit Rider class.