Geoffrey Sheehan claimed his second Open Limited title yesterday aboard Dualin Cats Merada, with 220 points in the NCHA Derby John Deere Open division.

Jaime Beamer was second by a nose with 219.5 points riding GP Scooter Cat for Gil Porter.

“The two cows we watched were supposed to be good and they were,” said Sheehan. “That’s the best she’s been. I’ve just had bad luck on her lots of times.”

Sheehan, who also showed finalist (8th place) Sweet Little Kitten for Jayme DeResende, won the NCHA Futurity Open Limited on Jojo Boon, now owned by Steve Anderson, who qualified for Saturday’s Non-Pro Derby finals riding the Peptoboonsmal daughter.

“Before the Futurity, she was probably my favorite of the two,” said Sheehan of Dualin Cats Merada, by Cats Merada. “I trained her all the way through.”

Cal and Debbie Sanders purchased Dualin Cats Merada from Hope and John Mitchell (Hope Mitchell also owned and bred Jojo Boon). Sheehan is head trainer for Justice Farms in Camden, AR, owned by Hope Mitchell’s father, Arlis Justice.