Ichi Sangria, the winner of last year’s $5,000 Novice at the  6666 Ranch NCHA Eastern National Championships, stepped up to take the $15,000 Novice title at this year’s show in Jackson, Mississippi, on March 9.

The six-year-old Cat Ichi mare marked 224 for a two-point win over Cat Sheree, ridden by Austin Shepard for Plantation Farms.

Ichi Sangria was bred and is owned by EE Ranches, out of Scratchin, a Laker Doc mare that earned $80,000 and was a three-time finalist in the NCHA Open Super Stakes and Classic. Scratchin also won the Eastern Nationals Open in 2004 under Woods for EE Ranches.

Besides her previous win at the Eastern Nationals, Ichi Sangria was an NCHA Futurity and Derby finalist.

Reserve Champion Cat Sheree was bred by Bill Paxton by High Brow CD out of Nurse Sheree. She won last year’s $15,000 Novice at the Eastern Nationals with Austin Shepard, and was also the John Deere Division Champion of the 2013 NCHA Futurity with Wayne Robinson.