“It’s quite an honor to get a standing ovation when you lose a cow,” said Pete Branch, who lost a cow yesterday, in the fourth round of the NCHA World Finals.

While the loss was disappointing, it didn’t tarnish the sterling record of Branch and Ms Peppy Cat, who earned their second NCHA World Championship with a grand total of $103,790 – $24,358 of it earned in the Finals.

“You always have low spots,” said Branch. “But the low spots on that mare have been very few.

“When I set the (all-time earnings) record ($131,517) on her in 2008, I went to 187 cuttings that year and got a check in 175 of them.

“As many runs as she’s had, she still has it. My goal here was to just go show her like I have for three years – wide open. That’s the only way she knows how to do it.”

Ms Peppy Cat, by High Brow Cat, is owned by Lonnie and Barbara Allsup, Clovis, NM, who own 1993 NCHA Horse of the Year, also shown by Branch.

Ms Peppy Cat is also the 2010 World Champion Mare. Tachitas Cat, ridden by Gavin Jordan for Margot Hazell, is the World Champion Gelding. Boon Too Suen, ridden by Kobie Wood for Gary Rosenbach, is the World Champion Stallion.

Non-Pro Champion Tara Gaines

Within the last five weeks, Tara Gaines claimed her first limited age event championship – the PCCHA Non-Pro Futurity on Peptacular; recorded the two highest scores of her two-year show career; won the 2010 NCHA Non-Pro World Finals; and earned the title of NCHA Non-Pro World Champion.

“When we bought Patrick, we knew he was a horse that could teach me how to show,” said Gaines, whose husband, Matt, is NCHA’s leading Open rider.

Nine-year-old Patrick La Dual, by CD Olena, was originally trained by Paul Hansma, and shown in limited age events by Hansma and owner Christy Leeth. Tara acquired the gelding in 2008, when she first began to show.

“My goal when I started the year was to be 15th,” said Gaines. “It wasn’t until September that I thought I had accomplished that.

“I was going to give Patrick a rest, but Wade Rust, a fellow competitor, said that if I kept going I could have a shot at this.

“I told him he was crazy, but I kept going.”

Gaines was second behind 7-time World Champion Mary Jo Milner, coming into the World Finals and moved into the lead with a 227-point win in the first round.

Norman Clark, riding CD Olena Peppy, was the top Non-Pro rider on a single horse in 2010.