Texas A&M student Laura Fenimore claimed the Non-Pro second go-round lead yesterday with 219.5 points in the Borden Milk NCHA Futurity in Fort Worth. Her cumulative score of 436 puts her half a point ahead of Kyle Manion on Calm Cool Smooth.

“There weren’t many cows left,” said Fenimore, who had scored 216.5 points in the first go-round. “I knew I needed to be clean and it worked out a little better than that.

Fenimore is riding Misplaced Cat, the first foal out of Tangy Starlight, the horse that she showed to win the 2005 NCHA $10,000 Novice Non-Pro World Finals.

“She’s pretty much the spitting image of her mother,” said Fenimore. “Her attitude and the way she works a cow, they’re pretty much the same as her mother.”

Misplaced Cat, by WR This Cats Smart, was trained for Fenimore by Ronnie Rice.

“He does such a great job with her,” said Fenimore of Rice. “I don’t think you can put this mare in a bad spot.

“She’s so solid and reads a cow really well. I think if I kicked her out there a little too far, she’d probably come right back to me.”

Although Fenimore has competed in weekend events since she was small, this is her first time to show at the NCHA Futurity.

Tim May, Saltillo, MS, and Dan Hansen, Weatherford, TX, tied with 218 points, yesterday’s second-highest score.

Hansen is showing Cornrey Twitty,  who he bred out of Bobcorn, the horse that he rode to win the 2007 NCHA $10,000 Novice Non-Pro World Championship and more than $150,000.

“The way he moves, he reminds me of his sire,” said Hansen, who trained the Dual Smart Rey-sired gelding himself.

Tim May purchased his mount, Exclusive Thyme, in September from Jo Goertz. The One Time Pepto-sired colt is trained by Sean Flynn.

“I really like his stop and his intelligence,” said May. “He’s probably the most athletic colt I’ve had, but his brain is his biggest asset.”