Amandas CD, shown for Chris and Tracy Brengard by Matt Miller, and Junie Wood, with John Mitchell for Slate River Ranch, claimed the 2016 Abilene Spectacular 4-Year-Old, and 5/6-year-old Open championships, respectively,  in Abilene, Tex.

Amandas CD, by High Brow CD, scored 223.5 points to earn the $20,000 4-Year-Old Open winner’s check. NCHA Futurity champion Stevie Rey Von, by Metallic Cat, marked 223 points with Ed Duferrena for Reserve, and Metallic Rebel, by Metallic Cat, placed third with 219.5 points under Beau Galyean.

Amandas CD and Miller placed ninth in the 2015 NCHA Futurity, after winning the first go-round and the Semi-Finals. Amanda CD’s full sister, Sweet Lil Amanda LTE $144,479, out of Amanda Stargun, by Playgun, is also shown by Miller, who qualified three other mounts for the Abilene Spectacular 4-Year-Old Open Finals – Shorta CD, owned by Ryder Carpenter; Tricks On You, for JLC Performance Horses; and Desires Star Cat, owned by Janice Eaton.

The 31-horse Abilene Spectacular 4-Year-Old Open Finals field awarded an estimated total $178,050. Smooth As A Cat was the leading sire in terms of finalists with six, followed by Metallic Cat with four; and Dual Rey with three.

Junie Wood LTE $477,936, the 2014 NCHA Open Horse of the Year owned by Slate River Ranch and shown by John Mitchell, claimed her eleventh major win (she also won the 2015 title) with her 2016 Abilene Spectacular Open 5/6 championship. The Nitas Wood daughter scored 225 points to top reserve champion Miss Callie Cat, who scored 221 points under Tarin Rice for owner Jim Crawford. Short Drive, under Michael Cooper for Rose Valley Ranch, and Smooth As Puddin with Tatum Rice for Grace Vangilder, tied with 220 points to split third and fourth.

Reserve champion Miss Callie Cat is by High Brow Cat and a full sister to 2012 NCHA Futurity Open champion He Bea Cat LTE $341,597, also shown by Rice, and bred and owned by Crawford. Short Drive and Smooth As Puddin, both geldings, are sired by Hydrive Cat and Smooth As A Cat, respectively.

Metallic Cat and Dual Rey were the leading sires in terms of numbers from the 21-horse 5/6-Year-Old Open field.