Cade Shepard, Summerdale, Ala., aced the first day of Non-Pro first go-round competition at the Lucas Oil Super Stakes Classic with 221 points aboard Christy Hughes. Cade, the 15-year-old son of NCHA Hall of Fame Rider Austin Shepard, won the 2015 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro on Twistful Thinking and the 2016 Super Stakes Non-Pro Classic on Some Kinda Highbrow, where he also claimed the reserve championship with Twistful Thinking.

An NCHA Non-Pro Hall of member with earnings of $468,478, Cade will show Twistful Thinking LTE $241,517 on Tuesday, March 28, the second day of Non-Pro competition.

Five-year-old Christy Hughes LTE $64,821 was bred by Austin and Stacy Shepard, who both showed her dam, MH San Tules Dually LTE $330,220, as well as her sire, Thomas E Hughes LTE $393,045. Christy Hughes is a three-quarter sister to Bamacat LTE $351,360, by High Brow Cat, and Wendels Grace LTE $72,401, by High Brow CD. MH San Tules Dually has produced six NCHA money earners of $601,776.

Ray Baldwin, Fort Worth, Tex., earned 219 points, the second-highest score of the day, riding Count Chokula, by Im Countin Checks. Baldwin won the 2013 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro aboard Shesa Hollywoodcat and, with career earnings of $640,349,  is slated to be inducted into the NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame this year.

Cody Hedlund, Lipan, Tex., and Traci Burgess, Cleburne, Tex., tied with 217.5 points, the third-highest score of the day. Hedlund, an NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame member and earner of $751,088, rode Shez Like Texas, by Light N Lena, and Burgess showed La Deja Vu, by Cat Ichi.

Six-year-old Shez Like Texas is a full sister to Cactis Jack LTE $61,144 and Shady Light LTE $44,633. All three horses were bred by Billy Martin, who owns their sire and showed Cactis Jack and Shady Light.

La Deja Vu, also a 6-year-old, was bred by Traci and her husband, trainer Jon Burgess, and is out of La Femme Nikita LTE $122,141, who Traci showed to win the 2007 NCHA World Finals.