Monday, November 26
Brandon Westfall of Los Olivos, California, and Ringo marked 219 Monday, the final day of the first round of Non-Pro competition in the 2018 North Texas Chevy Dealers NCHA Futurity, presented by Great American Insurance. The score tied him for the lead with Dustin Adams on Hot Sriracha.
Bill Cowan of Ardmore, Okla., had Monday’s second highest score, a 217 on Catty Time, while Dustin Adams was third for the day with a 216.5 on Hottish For You.
Westfall, 18, was reserve champion at last year’s NCHA Futurity, riding Smooth Lil Cowtown. He has NCHA earnings of $388,094.
Ringo was bred by Brandon’s parents, Russ and Janet, by Kit Kat Sugar out of Lil Bit Reckless, by CD Royal. Lil Bit Reckless, a great granddaughter of Jazabelle Quixote, the mare that Spencer Harden rode to win the 1982 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity, and which produced July Jazz, Harden’s 1989 NCHA Futurity Open champion.
Lil Bit Reckless earned more than $231,000 with Open aged-event wins at Fort Klamath, Mebane Ranch and Idaho under Russ Westfall. Janet Westfall won the Non-Pro El Rancho Classic on the mare, and also made the finals of the NCHA Super Stakes Classic.
The mare has produced two NCHA money earners to date, including Reckelle, a Metallic Cat daughter that Brandon rode in last year’s NCHA Futurity finals.
NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Famer Bill Cowan rode Catty Time, a homebred gelding by Catty Hawk, the stallion Cowan rode to win the Limited Non-Pro championship at the 2008 NCHA Futurity. Catty Time is out of Silky Time, a Peptotime mare that Michelle Cowan rode in the 2011 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro finals.
In all, 164 riders marked 207 to advance to the second round of the Non-Pro which starts Tuesday.
In the Limited Non-Pro, 69 riders will advance to the semi-finals, scheduled for Monday, December 3, followed by finals later that day.
Three riders shared the Limited Non-Pro lead with 217 points. They are
- Glenn Barlow on Shez Shameless, by Dual Rey out of Joys Indian Pep
- Jim Vangilder on Justa Lil Brownsugar, by Kit Kat Sugar out of Travs Scooter
- Lance Cooper on Babygoterboonjeanson, by Boon Too Suen out of Cat O Connor