Tyler Delange, Fort Gratiot, Mich., showed Louis The Cat to a definitive 224-point win in the NCHA Western Nationals $35,000 Non-Pro finals in Denver, on June 28. Israel Valles, Mesilla Park, NM, scored 219 points for the reserve championship, and Dannica Percevich, Belle Fourche, SD, placed third with 218.5 points.

Tyler Delange, the NCHA earner of $82,336, and Louis The Cat placed first in last year’s NCHA Eastern Nationals $35,000 Non-Pro division and second in the same division of this year’s Eastern Nationals. Owned by Amy and Mike Delange and Rick Dubay, Fort Gratiot, Mich., Louis The Cat also scored 222 points on Sunday, June 24, to win the NCHA Western Nationals $25,000 Novice division under Casey Crouch.

Nine-year-old Louis The Cat LTE $217,558, by High Brow Cat, is a full brother to Louellas Cat LTE $302,483 and Cattalou LTE $295,057, as well as half-brother to Movin Downtown LTE $334,523. The siblings’ dam, Louella Again, by Dual Pep, is a leading producer, with 13 NCHA earners of $1,478,776.

Israel Valles and Smokem Jo Lena won last year’s NCHA Scottsdale Nationals $35,000 Non-Pro. Valles was a $2,000 Limited Rider finalist in the 2015 NCHA World Finals on Justa Cat Sprat and a $15,000 Amateur finalist in 2017 on Smokem Jo Lena. A 10-year-old gelding sired by Joes Midnight Son, Smokem Jo Lena is the NCHA earner of $64,651. Israel Valles is the earner of $34,793.

Dannica Percevich, the NCHA earner of $31,204, won last year’s NCHA Denver Nationals $50,000 Amateur championship and was reserve champion in the $15,000 Amateur aboard Imasmoothlittlecat, by Smooth As A Cat. Earlier this week, Todd Adolf showed Percevich ‘s mount, 9-year-old Wild Haired Lilly, by Wild Haired Cat, as a finalist in the $25,000 Novice division. Wild Haired Lilly is the NCHA earner of $49,564.