Thursday, March 30 marked the first of three days of Rios of Mercedes Amateur/Unlimited Amateur first go-round competition at the Lucas Oil NCHA Super Stakes Classic. Madison Crum, Weatherford, Tex., scored 218.5 points on 6-year-old Metallictoy LTE $71,142, by Metallic Cat, to top the day, as well as all other Unlimited Amateur riders, including Kadie Weeks Hermes, Cotulla, Tex., who marked 218 points on 6-year-old Ms Cat Walk LTE $38,364, also by Metallic Cat.

Three Unlimited Amateur riders tied with 217.5 points, the day’s third-highest score: Jimmy Baros, Blanco, Tex., on 5-year-old Two Time Dual LTE $64,184, by Dual Rey; Hilary Watson, Overland Park, Kan., on 6-year-old Shady Lil CD LTE $86,063, by High Brow CD; and Travis Linville, Olympia, Wash., on 5-year-old Little Sadie ReyLTE $10,168, by Dual Rey.

Madison Crum also scored 215 points on Savannah Blue Rey LTE $57,502, by Dual Rey, who she entered to ride in the Amateur division.

Caitlin Patty and One Time At Bandcamp, by One Time Pepto, marked 216 for the top score in the Amateur division. She has been a finalist on the 6-year-old homebred mare at the Limited Non-Pro NCHA Classic Challenge, the Augusta Classic Unlimited Amateur, and the Congress Classic Non-Pro. Brett Davis has been a major event finalist on the mare in Open competition.

The second go-round of NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro competition concluded on Wednesday, March 29, with Traci Burgess, Cleburne, Tex., aboard La Déjà Vu, by Cat Ichi, as the cumulative winner with 437 points., and Elizabeth Quirk, Denham Springs, La., the go-round winner with 220 points, on One Time In June, by One Time Pepto.

Twenty-seven riders with scores of 429.5 points or higher advanced to the Non-Pro Finals, to be held on Wednesday, April 5. Glenn Barlow, Gillette, Wyo., scored 218 points on Ferrarey, by Dual Rey, to top 13 riders with scores of 214 points or higher, who advanced to the Limited Non-Pro Finals on Sunday, April 2.