Tuesday, December 4, Fort Worth, Tex.
2018 North Texas Chevy Dealers NCHA Futurity, presented by Great American Insurance
Blake Heid, Fort Worth, Tex., scored 219 points, midway through the second of two sets, to win the 2018 NCHA Futurity Amateur championship. Tom Williams, Haleyville, Ala., scored 217 for the reserve championship, while Christina Huntley, Houston, Tex., and David Taurel, Whitesboro, Tex., tied with 215.5 points, the third-highest score.
Heid, the NCHA earner of $81,850, most recently collected a check as a finalist (7th) in Monday’s NCHA Futurity Non-Pro Limited Finals, riding Nothing Comes Easy, his Amateur championship ride. Nothing Comes Easy, a Kit Kat Sugar gelding, will also carry Heid on Wednesday, in the NCHA Futurity Unlimited Amateur Semi-Finals.
Last year, Heid  placed seventh in the NCHA Futurity Amateur Finals with PRF Cats Value, by Hydrive Cat, who he also showed as an NCHA Super Stakes Amateur finalist. This year, Heid claimed reserve in the West Texas Futurity Classic Unlimited Amateur riding CC Capreycious, by Halreycious, and placed seventh in the NCHA Super Classic Unlimited Amateur on Catty Lil Cd.
Tom Williams, the NCHA earner of $115,527, rides Sofies Choice Cat, by High Brow Cat, a full sister to Sofies Cat, who Williams showed to place ninth in last year’s NCHA Futurity Amateur Finals.
Christina Huntley, the NCHA earner of $67,570, showed Double Cat Flash, by High Brow CD, in the Amateur Finals. Last year, Huntley placed in the NCHA Futurity Amateur Finals riding the Woody Be Tuff daughter Dibz, who also carried her as reserve champion of the 2018 Abilene Spectacular Amateur Finals. Huntley has also been competitive in this year’s 5/6-year-old limited age events aboard HR Cats Starlight, by High Brow Cat.
David Taurel, the NCHA earner of $57,247, rode Uno Calinte Cat, by Metallic Cat, in the Amateur Finals. Last year, Taurel won the NCHA Futurity Amateur championship riding Playboy Is Smooth, by Smooth As A Cat. He has also been competitive in this year’s Amateur limited age events showing Playboy Is Smooth and Little Jewels Olena, by Athena Puddy Cat.
The 2018 NCHA Futurity continues daily through Sunday, December 9; the NCHA Futurity Sales, held at Will Rogers Equestrian Center in conjunction with the NCHA Futurity, begin Monday, December 3 and continue daily through December 8.