Former roper T.J. Good had a trick up his sleeve yesterday and it didn’t involve a lasso.
Riding the Peptoboonsmal daughter Trick Pepto, Good scored 219.5 points early in the last set to top the first day of Super Stakes Open go-round competition.
“We had good cows and cut them clean and smooth without stirring anything up,” said Good, who trains and shows for Jackson Land & Cattle Company, Jackson Hole, WY and Weatherford, TX.
“And she can do less and you like her more than some horses that have to work harder for it,” Good added.
Trick Pepto and Good came to the Super Stakes off of a win in the Cattlemens Derby, earlier this month. They also won the Abilene Spectacular Open Limited, in January.
“It seems like every time I go she gets a little more confident and relaxed,” noted 28-year-old Good, who had his first major cutting success as an NCHA Futurity Open Limited finalist in 2008, aboard NQH Tom Cat, who he will show later this week in the Super Stakes Classic go-round.
Good also scored 216.5 points as the last performer in the fifth set yesterday riding Docs Hickory Kitty, also owned by Jackson Land & Cattle.
New York native Richard Fields, chairman of Coastal Development, which specializes in resort, entertainment and gaming properties, purchased Jackson Land & Cattle Company in 2007, at the same time that he acquired 1995 NCHA Futurity champion Peptoboonsmal from Elaine Hall.
Peptoboonsmal is one of cutting’s top 10 all-time leading sires, as well as the sire of five of the leading NCHA sires of 2009.
Matt and Tara Gaines with Special Nu Baby.
Special Nu Baby
Matt Gaines and Special Nu Baby set yesterday’s bar with 219 points marked late in the first set of cattle.
“I think she’s in a league with some of the better horses I’ve had,” said Gaines, who rode the Dual Rey daughter’s dam, Nu I Wood, to earn over $405,000.
“She’s very physical and quick. She’s a lot like her mother.”
Gaines and Special Nu Baby placed 13th in the NCHA Futurity and third in the Abilene Spectacular, before claiming reserve championship titles at the Tunica Futurity and the Arbuckle Mountain Derby.
Special Nu Baby, owned by Gary and Shannon Barker, Madill, OK, is the earner of over $112,000, and half-sister to Special Nu Kitty ($157,922) and Special Nu Cat ($127,750).
Gaines was also one of yesterday’s leaders with 216.5 points aboard A Smooth Criminal, owned by Roxanne Koepsell, Aubrey, TX.
Koepsell, who owns 2008 NRHA Open Futurity champion Shining N Sassy, purchased A Smooth Criminal, by Smooth As A Cat, for Todd Bergen to show as a reined cow horse.
Bergen called Gaines when the colt was a late yearling and said, “I think he needs to be a cutting horse.”
Gaines has had A Smooth Criminal, Koepsell’s first cutter, since the colt was two.
“He’s been a really nice horse,” said Gaines, who showed the red roan as a finalist at Abilene, Augusta, Tunica and Arbuckle Mountain.
“He’s been very consistent and he’s getting smarter all of the time.”
A Smooth Criminal is out of open and non-pro major event finalist Carolena Moon, by Peptoboonsmal.
Allen and Lauryn Crouch with Somekindapurrfect.
Somekindapurrfect
Somekindapurrfect defied a streak of bad luck that has plagued her this year to score 219 points as the last performer in the last set of the day.
“I’ve always thought the world of her and nothing’s ever seemed to go her way,” said Crouch, who rides the High Brow Cat daughter for Southern Cattle Company, Marianna, FL.
Somekindapurrfect was up to the challenge of a fast second cow focused on an escape.
“She’s extremely smart and she thinks really good about a cow,” said Crouch. “A lot of people have tried to buy her, but Mr. Downs has decided to keep her.”
John Downs is the owner of 49,000-acre Southern Cattle Company, the second largest breeder of Angus cattle in the U.S., according to Crouch.
Downs, owner of Qualico Steel Company, headquartered in Webb, AL, began developing a cutting program about five years ago.
CDs Starlight Ms, 2007 NCHA Futurity finalist and reserve champion of the Augusta Futurity, was also trained and shown for Southern Cattle Company by Crouch.
Somekindapurrfect is out of Some Kinda Memories, earner of $365,000 and 1997 NCHA Futurity champion under Mike Mowery. She is also half-sister to eight money earners, including 2004 foals Some Kinda Sweety ($134,193); Fernturity ($59,402); and Some Kinda Twister $53,570).
