Rhein and Amanda Standish have had a good week at the NCHA 6666 Eastern Nationals in Jackson, Miss. On Tuesday, Austin Shepard showed their mare Deluxe Checks, by Im Countin Checks, to win the $25,000 Novice finals with 228 points. On Wednesday, Deluxe Checks and Shepard won the Open go-round, and on Thursday, the duo came back to tie for the Open championship.
On Friday, Rhein Standish scored 219 points as champion of the $15,000 Amateur on Countin On Stella, by Im Countin Checks. Jodi Henderson, Rockwall, Tex., marked 216.5 points riding RL Velvet Revolver, by Cat Ichi, for reserve. John Martin, riding Ray Too Smart, by Dual Smart Rey; Keith McMahan, aboard Pale Face Jose, by CD Olena; and Chet Simoneaux, on My Paulena, by Dox Badger Man, split 3rd,4th, and 5th with 216 points.
Rhein Standish, LTE $26,913, earned his first buckle at the NCHA Eastern Nationals last year, as reserve champion of the $2,000 Limited Rider division riding Divas On Time LTE $158,175, who was shown by Amanda, as amateur reserve champion of the 2013 Breeders Invitational 5/6, as well as NCHA Eastern Nationals 2014 Non-Pro and 2016 $50,000 Amateur champion. The Standishes live in Baton Rouge, La., where they have also raised and shown champion Arabian horses.
Countin On Stella, the $15,000 Amateur winner, and Deluxe Checks, the Open and $25,000 Novice champion, are three-quarter sisters by Im Countin Checks out of daughters of Stella Starlight, the mare that Lach Perks won the NCHA Non-Pro Futurity on in 2000.
Deluxe Checks is a full sister to Im Countin Starz LTE $28,761 and Luck Xury LTE $25,862. Rhein showed Im Countin Starz, bred by Amanda, as 2016 Breeders Invitational 4-Year-Old Amateur reserve champion, and as a finalist in the 2017 Augusta Futurity 5/6 Amateur Unlimited and the Ike Hamilton Futurity 5/6 Amateur. Amanda won the 2015 Cotton Stakes Futurity Amateur championship with Luck Xury.
Rhein also qualified with Countin On Stella and Divas On Time for this Sunday’s $2,000 Limited Rider Finals.
Jodi Henderson also qualified for the $2,000 Limited Rider Finals with 6-year-old RL Velvet Revolver LTE $28,550. Henderson had NCHA earnings of $383 prior to her reserve championship ride on Friday.
RL Royal Replay is out of Royal Replay LTE $45,471, the 1996 NCHA Eastern Nationals $3,000 Novice and $5,000 Novice champion under Guy Woods, for EE Ranches. She is also a half-sister to A Track Runs Thru It LTE $108,312, by DJ Tracker, 2010 NCHA Eastern Nationals Open champion with Brett Davis, as well as The Hot Seat LTE $65,710, by Little Dyno, 2004 MillionHeir Classic reserve champion with Guy Woods.
Henderson is also a money earner in NRCHA competition.