CR Gotcha Covered, shown by Tarin Rice, and Metallic Rebel, with Beau Galyean, tied with 222 points to top the second go-round of the NCHA Super Stakes Classic Open on Sunday, March 26. CR Gotcha Covered, by Dualin Boon, who scored 220.5 points in the first go-round, also claimed the highest combined total of 442.5 points. Twenty-six horses with a combined total of 435 points from the first and second go-rounds earned a berth in the Super Stakes Classic Open Finals on Saturday, April 1.

Velvets Revolver, owned and shown by James Payne, scored 221.5 points on Sunday to earn the second-highest combined total of 440.5 points. Payne also rode Cherry Peppers to mark 221 points in the second go-round and earn a combined total of 439 points, shared by Metallic Rebel and Beau Galyean, and ranked third among second go-round contenders.

CR Gotcha Covered is owned by Joel and Jayne Colgrove, Boligee, Ala., while Metallic Rebel is owned by Thomas Guinn, Philadelphia, Miss.

Sired by Metallic Cat and out of Sweet Abra LTE $117,725, producer of earners of $689,875, Metallic Rebel made his show debut as an Open Semi-Finalist with Galyean in the 2015 NCHA Futurity. In 2016, Metallic Rebel and Galyean claimed the 4-year-old championship of five major limited age events, and in 2017 they have already won championships in the Abilene Spectacular 5/6 Classic and the Arbuckle Mountain 5/6 Classic.

Five-year-old Velvets Revolver LTE $169,011, by WR This Cats Smart, was the 2016 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro champion and Super Stakes Non-Pro Gelding champion under James Payne’s wife, Nadine. Since then, the buckskin gelding has won or placed in the open and non-pro division finals of 27 other major limited age events.

In addition to Velvets Revolver, Payne also earned a cumulative average of 439 points, with go-round scores of 219 and 221 points, on Cherry Peppers LTE $127,828. Owned by Michael Hancock, Spotsylvania, Va., 6-year-old Cherry Peppers is by One Time Pepto and out of the Grays Starlight daughter Violets.