The tenth annual Arbuckle Mountain Futurity concluded its 2019 schedule of events on Sunday, February 24, with four Amateur champions. Rocky Davis, Alberta, Can., claimed the 4-Year-Old Amateur with 216.5 points on Her Royal Queen, by One Time Royalty, while Gary Barker, Madill, Okla., scored 222 points on Exs N Ohhs, by Kit Kat Sugar, to win the 4-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur title. In the 5/6 Classic divisions, Richard Minnix, Midland, Tex., won the 5/6 Amateur Classic with 221 points aboard Metallic Tax, by Metallic Cat, while Bonnie Martin topped the 5/6 Amateur Classic Unlimited with 225 points on Reysin Kittens, by Dual Rey.
This is the third Arbuckle Mountain 4-Year-Old championship title for Rocky Davis, the NCHA earner of $244,075. He won the 2014 Amateur on Nitarey Cine, by Nitas Wood, and the 2017 Amateur with Mouse Ichi, by Cat Ichi. Last year, Davis won the NCHA Super Stakes Amateur Unlimited on Her Royal Queen’s half-brother, Redneck Creyzy $121,770, who also carried him as champion of the 2017 NCHA Futurity Amateur Unlimited championship. Her Royal Queen and Dual Rey gelding Redneck Creyzy, bred by Carroll’s Cutting, are the only NCHA earners out of Xquizit Cat, by High Brow Cat.
Lynn Goforth, Max Meadows, Va., and Viki Williamson, Argyle, Tex., tied for second with 216 points riding Cat A Rally, by Cat A Rey $13,445, and the Metallic Cat gelding Metallic Prince $20,236, respectively, in the 4-Year-Old Amateur finals.
This is the fifth Arbuckle Mountain finals title for Gary Barker, the NCHA earner of $616,263. He won the 4-Year-Old Non-Pro and the 4-Year-Old Non-Pro Limited in 2010 riding Dually Dually $65,358, by TR Dual Rey; the 4-Year-Old Non-Pro Novice in 2011, on Pepto Blues $42,666, by Peptoboonsmal; and the 2016 Amateur Classic 4-Year-Old Unlimited on Kitkat $36,303, by Peptoboonsmal.
Barker’s mount, Exs N Ohhs $40,232, also placed ninth in the Arbuckle Mountain Open, her fourth open finals in 2019, with Lloyd Cox. Out of Reycy Moon $209,363, Exs N Ohhs is a half-sister to 2016 NCHA Futurity champion Second Spot $348,193, by Spots Hot.
Ken Schultz, Sacramento, Calif., scored 218.5 points on Calvin Baloo $19,602, by Lil Catbaloo, as reserve champion of the 4-Year-Old Unlimited Amateur; Lynn Goforth placed third with 216.5 points on Cat A Rally $13,445, by Cat A Rey.
Richard Minnix, the NCHA earner of $49,072, showed his 2019 Arbuckle Mountain champion mount, Metallic Tax $73,095, last year to win the PCCHA Derby Amateur Classic; the Idaho Futurity Amateur Classic; and the PCCHA Futurity $35,000 Amateur Classic. The 6-year-old Metallic Cat gelding had also been a 4-year-old open finalist under Morgan Cromer.
John Lavelle, Athens, Ohio, scored 217 points on 6-year-old Missie Cat $18,744, by High Brow Cat, to become reserve champion in the 5/6 Amateur Classic; Kelsey Sayko Kennedy, Sheffield, Tex., placed third with 215.5 points on 5-year-old One Instant Boon $31,425, by Boon San.
Bonnie Martin, the NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame earner of $1,005,618, showed her 2019 Arbuckle Mountain champion, Reysin Kittens $173,656, by Dual Rey, last year to place third in the 2018 Arbuckle Mountain Non-Pro Classic and claim first in the Non-Pro Classic Senior division. Martin and the 6-year-old gelding won the 2018 PCCHA Futurity Non-Pro Classic and Non-Pro Classic Limited. In addition, Reysin Kittens placed fifth in the 2019 Arbuckle Mountain Open Classic under Grant Setnicka.
Martin bred Reysin Kittens out of the High Brow Cat daughter Kittens $270,700, dam of nine NCHA earners of $557,169. Between 2006 and 2008, Kittens carried Martin for nine major limited age event championship wins, and was also shown in 17 Open finals by Russ Miller, with six championship wins and three reserves.
Michelle Barnes, Lewiston, Idaho, scored 221 points on 6-year-old Catty Bluz $63,206, by Catty Hawk, to claim the 5/6 Classic Amateur Unlimited reserve championship; Jim Vangilder placed third with 219 points on 5-year-old Take It Eazee $66,732, by Smooth As A Cat.