Madalyn Colgrove of Boligee, Alabama, posted the top score of 218.5 in the first round of the Rios of Mercedes Unlimited Amateur at the Jerry’s Chevrolet NCHA Futurity presented by Great American Insurance. Ninety riders marked 210 or better to advance.

Colgrove rode Tank Tallic, from the breeding program of the late, great Spencer Harden. Tank Tallic is a son of Metallic Cat out of Otes Darlin, a mare that earned $72,000 in mostly Non-Pro competition in the late ’90s and has produced earners of $289,000. Otes Darlin is a granddaughter of Wee Darlin, the mare Harden rode to win the Non-Pro NCHA Futurity in 1975.

Colgrove already has a win in Will Rogers Coliseum to her credit. She won the Amateur NCHA Classic Challenge with Hes A Heapinspoonful in 2014. She was Unlimited Amateur champ at the Breeders Invitational with One Catty Cupid last spring.

Her sister, Blakley, won the Rios of Mercedes Amateur at the 2014 NCHA Futurity.

Five riders tied for the lead in the Amateur division with 216s. They were Jason Abraham on Mendota Phil (Metallic Cat), Charra Clark on Samson Made Of Metal (Metallic Cat), Christy Erickson on Reys Karma (Dual Smart Rey), Natalie Newby on Check On It (Im Countin Checks) and Peter Ryan on Drip Drop Of Reyn (Dual Smart Rey).

Seventy-seven riders marked 206 or better to advance to the next round.