It was an NCHA Futurity Semi-Finals to rival any finals, with 11 scores of 220 or more and a 218.5-point cut-off for the 20-horse finals field. Pipe Bomb Dream, a Metallic Cat son shown by Geoffrey Sheehan for Beechfork Ranch, Weatherford, Tex., earned the high score of 225 points, just half-a-point more than Hottish-sired KR Isadorable, who scored 224.5 points under Lloyd Cox for Kathleen Moore, Madill, Okla.
Countess Catrina, by Im Countin Checks, and Metallic Lil Jazz, by Metallic Cat, tied with 223, the third-highest score, shown, respectively, by Austin Shepard, for Amanda and Rhein Standish, Baton Rouge, La., and Justin White, for his family’s Rocking W Ranch, Chappell Hill, Tex.
Bred by Alvin Fults, Pipe Bomb Dream is a full sister to 2017 NCHA Open Horse of the Year Metallic Rebel LTE $411,837, one of seven $100,000-plus earners sired by Metallic Cat out of $1.4 million producer Sweet Abra.
Geoffrey Sheehan, the NCHA Open Hall of Fame earner of $1,368,160, won the 2009 NCHA Futurity Open Limited riding JoJo Boon LTE $159,941, by Peptoboonsmal, for John and Hope Mitchell. In 2015, Sheehan was an NCHA Futurity finalist riding both Hellcatt LTE $83,504, by High Brow Cat, and Cromed Out Cat LTE $242,020, by High Brow Cat, for Beechfork Ranch.
Sheehan also qualified for this year’s Futurity finals on Nine Lives Left, a High Brow Cat x Hicapep gelding bred and owned by Beechfork Ranch.
KR Isadorable, bred by James Karhan, is a full sister to 5-year-old Just Getting Started LTE $142,960, and half-sister to 5-year-old KR Isadora Royal LTE $66,227, by CD Royal. Just Getting Started, KR Isadora Royal and KR Isadorable are the first money earners out of 2012 NCHA Super Stakes Open champion KR Isadora Dual LTE $146,164, by Smooth As A Cat.
Lloyd Cox, the All-Time Leading Open earner of over $9.2 million, won the 2010 NCHA Futurity on the One Time Pepto son One Time Royalty LTE $442,674, bred by Gail Holmes’ Double Dove Ranch and owned at the time by Matthews Cutting Horses. He also claimed the NCHA Futurity reserve championship three times – in 2014 on Smooth Talkin Style LTE $293,232, owned by Holmes and Hill; in 2003 on Twice As Reycy LTE $194,141, owned and bred by Gail Holmes; and in 1996 on Royal Serena Belle LTE $124,196, bred by Spencer Harden and owned by Gail Holmes.
Since 1999, Lloyd Cox has been an NCHA Open Finalist 16 times, more than any other rider. He is also tied with Matt Gaines for the 20-year-record as an NCHA Futurity Semi-Finalist. Both Cox and Gaines have shown 29 Open Semi-Finalists. Gaines is a finalist this year on Smooth As Mercedes, a Dual Rey x Mercedes Smoothe mare owned by Jim Vangilder.