Hall of Fame Rider Austin Shepard, and his son, Non-Pro Hall of Famer Cade Shepard, took their respective divisions of the Mercuria NCHA World Series of Cutting at All American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio, Sunday evening, October 8.
Austin Shepard marked 230 on Deluxe Checks to lengthen the mare’s lead in the 2017 NCHA World Standings, with more than $108,000. Deluxe Checks was bred by Kyle Manion and is owned by Amanda and Rhein Standish of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The 6-year-old mare is by Im Countin Checks out of Catrina Starlight, a daughter of NCHA Futurity Non-Pro champion Stella Starlight. Deluxe Checks won the West Texas Championship this summer, and she took both the Open and the $25,000 Novice championships at the NCHA Eastern Nationals last spring.
If she maintains her lead through the 2017 Mercuria NCHA World Finals, she’ll give Austin Shepard his second World Championship. He won in 2011 with Bet Hesa Cat.
Cullen Chartier marked 225 on Mary Jo Milner’s Little Pepto Cat for second place in the Congress Mercuria. Little Pepto Cat is an 11-year-old gelding by High Brow Cat out of Horse of the Year Little Pepto Gal. He has earned more than $468,000.
In the Non-Pro, 15-year-old Cade Shepard of Summerdale, Alabama, marked 222.5 on Christy Hughes to win by half a point over fellow Alabama teenager Madalyn Colgrove on One Catty Cupid. Teens Ali Good and Jordan Thompson placed third and fourth.
It was Cade’s second Mercuria win. He also scored at The Mane Event in Las Vegas this year, riding Gini One Time.
Christy Hughes is a 5-year-old mare bred by Austin Shepard by Thomas E Hughes out of MH San Tules Dually. Austin and Stacy Shepard were both major limited age event winners on both the sire and dam of Cade’s mount, and both horses earned more than $300,000.
Cade, who has earned more than $560,000, also won the Ike Hamilton Classic this year, riding Twistful Thinking.
Mercuria Non-Pro reserve champion Madalyn Colgrove of Boligee, Alabama, was riding One Catty Cupid, owned by her grandfather, Joel Colgrove. The 6-year-old One Time Pepto x ARC Catty Dual mare has won the NCHA Futurity Unlimited Amateur finals with the elder Colgrove in 2014. Madalyn won with her at the Breeders Invitational and the Cotton Stakes last year.
OPEN RESULTS
| 230.0 | DELUXE CHECKS | Austin Shepard | Amanda & Rhein Standish | $10,344 |
| 225.0 | LITTLE PEPTO CAT | Cullen Chartier | Mary Jo Milner | $8,158 |
| 223.5 | PEDEL TO THE METALL | Adan Banuelos | Faith Mountain Ranch | $5,972 |
| 223.0 | CATTALOU | Cullen Chartier | Billy Morris | $3,786 |
| 222.5 | EAZEE E | Tatum Rice | Kevin & Sydney Knight | $1,600 |
| 222.0 | CAT MAN BLUE | Sean Flynn | Lazy M Cattle Co | $1,600 |
| 220.0 | DONT STOP BELIEVIN | Phil Rapp | Phil & Mary Ann Rapp | $1,600 |
| 217.0 | HEVVY METAL | Todd Gann | Thomas Guinn | $1,600 |
NON-PRO RESULTS
| 222.5 | Christy Hughes | CADE SHEPARD | Austin Shepard | $10,846 |
| 222.0 | One Catty Cupid | MADALYN COLGROVE | Joel Colgrove | $8,535 |
| 218.0 | Cat Atat Cat | ALI GOOD | Jim Good | $6,223 |
| 215.5 | SDP Lil Ichi Maddie | JORDAN THOMPSON | Maben Thompson | $3,912 |
| 215.0 | Lil Metallic Cat | JOE HOWARD WILLIAMSON | Joe Howard Williamson | $1,600 |
| 212.0 | Terris Queso Cat | BRET PARSONS | Panther Creek Equine | $1,600 |
| 198.0 | Woodys Baby | APRIL WIDMAN | April Widman | $1,600 |