“I went with the example of my daughter in my mind,” said Julie Hansma, who earned the second go-round high score of 220 points aboard Al Poocino, as the next-to-last rider in yesterday’s third set of the Classic Challenge Non-Pro.
Hansma’s daughter, Cade, scored 222 points on Thursday night to place third in the NCHA Junior Youth Scholarship Cutting riding Patrick La Dual, owned by Tara Gaines.
“Cade was early (in her set) and I was late, but she gave me a really nice mental picture of what I wanted to do.”
Hansma, who also advanced to the finals on Too Bossy, by CD Lights, and husband Paul, each placed high among finalists in the NCHA Super Stakes Classic Non-Pro and Open riding 6-year-old Al Poocino, who has earned over $215,000.
Sired by Dual Pep, Al Poocino is fourth generation Hansma breeding and was originally trained by Julie’s brother, Tom Dvorak, who showed him as a finalist in the 2007 NCHA Futurity.
Paul Hansma, one of the sport’s all-time leading riders, with $4.5 million in earnings, also qualified to ride Al Poocino in today’s Classic Challenge Wild Card.
Sam Good takes cumulative lead
Sam Good of Mansfield, Texas, added a second-round 219 to his opening round 217 to lead the combined scores going into next Tuesday’s finals. Good rode Lean On Rey, a Dual Rey 5-year-old that he rode to win at the Bonanza Cutting earlier this year.
Rose Colored return for Brad Wilson
Brad Wilson and Rose Colored Cat had some ground to make up in the second round of the Non-Pro Classic Challenge, after a 211.5-point show in the first. But the duo made it look easy with a 219.5-point performance, earning the second-highest score from the second go-round.
“It was something to overcome and I knew that she could do it,” said Wilson, who was relieved to qualify for the finals, his first in Fort Worth with Rose Colored Cat, since he placed third on her in the 2008 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity.
“She had been off for a year and a half and it’s great to see her coming back that strong,” said Wilson. “It is really incredible.”
Rose Colored Cat, by High Brow Cat, was trained by Jody Galyean, who showed her for Wilson at four as a finalist in the Abilene Spectacular and August Futurity (Wilson also placed as a Non-Pro finalist at both shows).
Following the Open finals of the 2009 Tunica Futurity, however, it was discovered that Rose Colored Cat had fractured a hind leg.
Wilson showed her for the first time at the 2010 NCHA Super Stakes, then at the Breeders Invitational, where he missed qualifying for the finals by half a point.