The second go-round field of 43 in the Idaho CHA Futurity Open Classic was narrowed down to 14 with cumulative go-round scores of 442.5 points or higher, on Sunday, August 23, at the Ford Idaho Horse Park in Nampa. The Open Classic Finals will be held on Tuesday, August 25, following the 4-Year-Old Open Finals.
Steel Betty, with go-round scores of 225 and 224 points under Monty Buntin, topped the talented field of five- and six-year-olds. Sugrspiznevrthingniz, shown by Matt Gaines, claimed the second-highest cumulative with 224.5 and 222.5 points and a total of 447, while Brehr Rabbit, with Eric Wisehart, and Metallic Legacy, ridden by Brent Erickson, tied with 445 points.
Sired by Metallic Cat and owned by Ravi Tumber, Yuba City, Calif., 6-year-old Steel Betty LTE $57,636 came to Idaho off of a third place finish in the 2020 Cascades Futurity Open Classic. Her pilot, Monty Buntin, champion of the 2019 Idaho Futurity Classic on Bet N On Billi Jo LTE $125,851, by Bet Hesa Cat, came to the 2020 Idaho Futurity following a championship win in the 2020 Cascades 3-Year-Old Open Futurity aboard Kit Kat Kangaroo LTE $10,000, by Kit Kat Sugar.
Buntin, the NCHA Hall of Fame earner of over $1.3 million, also qualified for the 2020 Idaho CHA Classic with a cumulative of 442.5 (218.5 and 224 points) riding 5-year-old Dual Cat Pepto LTE $138,883, sired by Dual Rey and owned by Mike and Debra Flashman, Rancho Murieta, Calif. Buntin and the Flashman’s gelding won 2019 four-year-old Open championships in the El Rancho Futurity, the PCCHA Winter Roundup, and the Cascades Futurity, as well as the PCCHA Derby reserve championship. Mike and Debra Flashman have both also successfully shown Dual Cat Pepto in Non-Pro and Amateur limited event competition.
Five-Year-old Sugrspiznevrthingniz LTE $186,125, sired by Kit Kat Sugar and owned by Jim Vangilder, Weatherford, Tex., came to Idaho off of a championship win with Matt Gaines in the Cascades Futurity Classic, following significant performances in 2019, including the reserve championship of the NCHA Super Stakes.
Gaines, the NCHA Hall of Fame earner of over $8.7 million, also qualified for the 2020 Idaho CHA Classic with a cumulative of 442.5 (221 and 221.5 points) riding 5-year-old Soul Sista LTE $45,632, owned by Jim Vangilder and sired by Metallic Cat.
Five-year-old Brehr Rabbit LTE $24,164, owned by Sharon Waggoner, Jackson, Wyo., and sired by Metallic Cat, earned go-round scores of 223 and 222 points. Eric Wisehart, the NCHA earner of over $600,000, had also shown Brehr Rabbit earlier this month to place third in the Cascade Futurity Classic, and was Intermediate reserve champion with him in the 2019 PCCHA Derby.
Metallic Legacy LTE $61,523, by Metallic Cat, is owned by Jeff Barnes, Wilton, Calif., who showed the 5-year-old mare to place third in the 2020 Cascades Futurity Non-Pro Classic. Brent Erickson, the NCHA earner of over $850,000, showed Metallic Legacy to win the 2020 PCCHA Spring Roundup Classic and to place fourth in the Cascades Futurity Classic, as well.
Click here for complete results from the Idaho CHA Futurity and Classic.