Cullen Chartier took both the championship and the reserve in the Open finals at the 6666 Ranch NCHA Western Nationals in Denver on Sunday.
He marked 221 on Once You Go Black for the win, and 220 on Scooter McGavin for second place. Kenny Platt placed third with a 218 on top qualifier Bea Pure Cat.
One You Go Black is a 7-year-old bred by Ronald Abbott and owned by Alexis Stephas of Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is by Hydrive Cat out of RG Sugar Lena, a daughter of $900,000 producer Moria Sugar.
Stephas has won Unlimited Amateur championships on Once You Glo Black at the Western Bloodstock NCHA Summer Showdown, the NCHA Super Stakes Classic, the NCHA Eastern Nationals, the Southern Derby and the Waco Texas Classic. The horse has now earned more than $150,000.
Chartier was an Open finalist with the horse at the NCHA Eastern Nationals, and made the Novice finals at both Eastern and Western this year.
Reserve champion Scooter McGavin was bred by Wayne and Jody Robinson and is owned by Tom and Hilary Watson of Westwood, Kansas. The 7-year-old gelding is by Smart Lil Scoot out of Natalie Rey, by Dual Rey.
Chartier had previously won with Scooter McGavin at the Waco Texas Classic and the Mercuria NCHA World Series of Cutting at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.
Bosack goes 1-2 in $2,000 Limited Rider
Not to be outdone by Chartier’s dominance in the Open finals, Ashley Nicole Bosack of Scottsdale, Arizona finished first and second in the $2,000 Limited Rider finals on Sunday.
She marked 220 on Backwoods Smoker, owned by Tim Kaehr, and 218.5 on Reys Hot Wheels, owned by Jacque Accomazzo.
Bosack, the 2015 NCHA World Champion in this class, was reserve champion on Backwoods Smoker at last year’s Western Nationals. The 17-year-old gelding was bred by Dolores Pendola by Lenas Telesis out of Docs Angelfish, an own daughter of Doc Bar. Backwoods Smoker brought earnings of more than $61,000 to Denver.
Reserve champion Reys Hot Wheels is a 10-year-old gelding bred by Brinkman Ranch by Dual Rey out of Smart Little Beauty, by Smart Little Lena. He has earned nearly $150,000.