2018 Lucas Oil NCHA Super Stakes – April 22, 2018 – Fort Worth, Tex.

Chad Bushaw and Bittersweet, the Metallic Cat daughter he rode to win the 2017 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro championship, posted a 222-point challenge in the first set of the 21-horse NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro Finals. The challenge was met by Megan Miller and Carolena Reyn, by Dual Smart Rey, early in the second set, and never topped.

This is the second time Bushaw has shared the NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro title. In 2008, riding Cats Ruby, he scored 222 points to tie for the championship with Paula Wood on Cash My Boon. He also won the 2012 NCHA Derby on Bet On A Cat LTE, $381,154, a full brother to 2018 NCHA Super Stakes Open finalist Judgement Day, shown for Rose Valley Ranch by Michael Cooper.

Sunday’s title secured the second leg of the NCHA Non-Pro Triple Crown for Bittersweet and Bushaw, who ranks third among all-time top NCHA Non-Pro money earners with $3.35 million. Bittersweet is out of the Dual Rey daughter Miss Sea Rey, dam of seven NCHA earners of $191,033.

Megan Miller and Carolena Reyn won the first go-round with 220 points, claimed the high cumulative of 435.5 points, and won the NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro Semi-Finals with 218.5 points. In addition, Miller also placed fourth, with 216 points, in the Super Stakes Non-Pro Finals aboard Hey Boo Boo, by Dual Smart Rey.

Miller, an NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame inductee and the NCHA earner of $1,021,452, won the 2009 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro with Itawtathenapuddycat and the 2009 NCHA Super Stakes Classic Non-Pro on Travs Scooter.

Whitney Hall, Commanche, Okla., scored 219.5 points riding Lucky Nedd Pepper to place third. Bred and owned by Whitney’s parents Shannon and Ronda Hall and sired by Smart Little Lena, Lucky Nedd Pepper is out of the Peptoboonsmal daughter Royal Red Pepto LTE $177,472, and half-sister to the Halreycious son Royal Red Hal LTE $83,808, who Whitney showed as 2014 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro Limited Champion.