Sam Shepard marked 219.5 on Twistful Thinking to lead the first round of the $5,000 Novice at the 6666 Ranch NCHA Eastern National Championships in Jackson, Mississippi Tuesday. Thirty horses scored 215 or higher to advance to the finals scheduled for Thursday, March 10.

Twistful Thinking was bred by Charles Israel by One Time Pepto out of Some Kinda Twister, a daughter of NCHA Futurity Champion Some Kinda Memories. The five-year-old mare is owned by Sam’s son, Austin, and Stacy Shepard. Twistful Thinking has accumulated the bulk of her $144,000 bankroll with Sam’s teenage grandson, Cade Shepard. Cade won the Non-Pro NCHA Super Stakes and NCHA Derby last year on the mare.

Three horses tied with 219 for the second highest score of the go-round. They were Doctor Love, a son of High Brow CD owned by Julie Beasley and ridden by Allen Crouch; Ichi Sangria, a Cat Ichi mare shown by Guy Woods for EE Ranches; and Tommie Canduit, a Thomas E Hughes mare owned by Vick Etheridge and shown by Josh Dozier.