Here’s a look at the riders in tonight’s Borden Milk NCHA Futurity finals. A 3-hour telecast of the finals presented by the David McDavid Family, will air on RFD-TV on Sunday, December 12 at 6:30 p.m. Central Time.
| Draw | Horse | Rider | Notes |
| 1 | SMART PRINCE MORIA | BOYD RICE | NCHA Hall of Fame Rider with earnings of $2.9 million. One of just two riders tonight to have won an NCHA World Championship. He has won 4 championships at NCHA Triple Crown shows. This is his 7th Futurity finalist. |
| 2 | WOODYS WILDEST CAT | DARREN SIMPKINS | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $1.5 million. One of four Australian-born riders here tonight. He rode NCHA Horse of the Year Reys Dual Badger. This is his 6th Futurity finalist. His best previous finish was 3rd in 2007 on June Bug Dually. |
| 3 | SMOOTHE BYE DESIGN | PHIL RAPP | NCHA Hall of Fame rider. First to break the $7 million mark. One of three riders to qualify 2 horses tonight. Has made the Futurity finals 6 times beginning in 1996. Best previous finish was 4th in 2005 on Autumn Acre. |
| 4 | DESIRES BLUE TRINITY | CHRISTIAN JOHNSRUD | Only rider tonight also eligible for the John Deere Division Limited Open. 33-year-old rider has earned $235,000. First time to qualify for the Open finals. |
| 5 | CAT PROOF | SEAN FLYNN | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $1.3 million. One of four Australian-born riders here tonight. Winner of multiple major limited age events. This is his second trip to NCHA Futurity finals. Last year he palced fourth on Catmas. |
| 6 | BUNNIES BOON | JOHN MITCHELL | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $2.4 million. One of four Australian-born riders here tonight.Won the Limited Open on Playdox in 1998, the first year he showed here. This is his 8th trip to Futurity finals. Best previous finish was 3rd in 1998 on Bobs Smart Chance. |
| 7 | QUIXOTES DIRTY DUEL | WAYNE CZISNY | NCHA earnings of $809,000. Has won championships at the NCHA Eastern National Championships, the Southern Futurity, State of Missouri Futurity, Texas Futurity and other aged events. This is his 2nd trip to NCHA Futurity finals. He finished 10th in 1989 on The Smart Smoke. |
| 8 | SOME LIKE IT HOTT | WESLEY GALYEAN | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $1.6 million. 27-year-old won the 2004 Futurity on Spots Hot while still a Non-Pro. He’s won major events at Memphis, Tunica, Augusta, Abiilene, Music City and Las Vegas. His father, Jody and brother Beau have both won the NCHA Futurity. This is his 3rd trip to the finals. |
| 9 | PIPES STYLISH AFFAIR | JOHN WOLD | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $1.2 million. Two-time winner of the NCHA Derby. This is his 5th NCHA Futurity finalist, dating back to 1988. His best previous finish was 7th on George C Merada last year. |
| 10 | BOONS A DREAMIN | ROGER WAGNER | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $3 million. One of four Australian-born riders here tonight. One of 3 riders with 2 finalists tonight Won the NCHA Classic Challenge on Quintan Blue. This is 6th time to NCHA Futurity finals. Best previous finish was 2nd in 2004 on Quintan Blue. |
| 11 | BLUE ONE TIME | CLINT ALLEN | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $2.4 million. New Zealand-born rider has won the NCHA Derby and Super Stakes with Wood I Never. This is his fourth NCHA Futurity finalist. His best previous finish was 2nd in 2006 with Hydrive Cat. |
| 12 | BET THIS CATS SMART | CASEY GREEN | NCHA earnings of $276,000. 31-yearold trainer is making his 2nd trip to NCHA Futurity Finals. He placed 17th in 2005 on Buckaroo Boon, and also won the Limited Open Futurity that year with that horse. |
| 13 | ARC BELLEZZA | KATHY DAUGHN | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $3.8 million. She won the 1985 Futurity on The Gemnist and the 2000 Futurity on Royal Fletch. She has been a finalist on 15 horses dating back to 1981. One of just two women to have won the NCHA Futurity. |
| 14 | SPOOKYSTIMETOSHINE | STEVE OEHLHOF | NCHA earnings of $627,000. 34-year-old trainer has been a finalist in the NCHA Classic Challenge and NCHA Derby. He has been a 4-time finalist in the NCHA Futurity Limited Open. This is his first time to qualify for the Open finals. |
| 15 | REYVORCE | TARIN RICE | NCHA earnings of $263,000. 21-year-old’s biggest win to date was as a Non-Pro in the 2007 MillionHeir Classic with MH Willing To Cut. This is his first time to make the NCHA Futurity finals. His grandfather, Sonny Rice, and father, Boyd Rice, have both been Futurity finalists. |
| 16 | BOONS CATALENA | SAM SHEPARD | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $1.8 million. A past president of NCHA. At 64, he’s the oldest rider in tonight’s field. His son, Austin, won the Futurity with High Brow CD. Sam won the 2001 NCHA Classic Challenge with Desire Some Freckles. This is his 7th NCHA Futurity finals. His best previous finishes were 9th place in 1987 on Docs Lone Oak and 2002 on Felina Flo. |
| 17 | STYLISH MARTINI | ROGER WAGNER | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $3 million. One of four Australian-born riders here tonight. One of 3 riders with 2 finalists tonight Won the NCHA Classic Challenge on Quintan Blue. This is 6th time to NCHA Futurity finals. Best previous finish was 2nd in 2004 on Quintan Blue. |
| 18 | ONE TIME ROYALTY | LLOYD COX | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $4.6 million. He’s won the Super Stakes Classic on Halreycious, the NCHA Classic Challenge on Stylish Play Lena and the NCHA Derby on Smart Lookin Hi Brow. He’s ridden 12 previous Futurity finalists, and his best finish was 2nd in 1996 on Royal Serena Belle and 2003 on Twice As Reycy. |
| 19 | PEPTOS SAND DANCER | BRAD MITCHELL | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $2 million. He’s won 5 championships at the Music City Futurity. He’s qualified for the NCHA Futurity 3 times before, with a best finish of 16th in 2009 on Cat A Rey. |
| 20 | WILEY CAT | DIRK BLAKESLEY | Passed the $1 million earnings mark this year. Has won multiple aged event titles, including the 1994 NCHA Limited Open Futurity on My Gals In Trouble. This is his third trip to NCHA Futurity finals. Best previous finish was 10 in 1997 on Thunder Hickory. |
| 21 | LAHAINA LENA | PHIL RAPP | NCHA Hall of Fame rider. First to break the $7 million mark. One of three riders to qualify 2 horses tonight. Has made the Futurity finals 6 times beginning in 1996. Best previous finish was 4th in 2005 on Autumn Acre. |
| 22 | A PEPPY LENA CLASSIC | JAMES PAYNE | NCHA earnings of $469,000. 32-year-old trainer has been an NCHA Derby finalist on HR Playin Legend, but this is the first time he’s made it to the NCHA Futurity finals. |
| 23 | CAT N AT NOON | MARK LAVENDER | Qualified for the NCHA Hall of Fame this year with earnings of $1 million. Won the NCHA Challenge in 1991 on So Neat Alena. This is his second trip to the NCHA Futurity finals. He placed 7th in 2005 on MK Cats Playgirl. |
| 24 | TAZS DREAMGIRL | LLOYD COX | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $4.6 million. He’s won the Super Stakes Classic on Halreycious, the NCHA Classic Challenge on Stylish Play Lena and the NCHA Derby on Smart Lookin Hi Brow. He’s ridden 12 previous Futurity finalists, and his best finish was 2nd in 1996 on Royal Serena Belle and 2003 on Twice As Reycy. |
| 25 | SCOOTIN SOLANO | MATT MILLER | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with $1.2 million in earnings. 26-year-old won the 2006 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity on Travs Scooter. He’s made the Open finals twice before, finishing 3rd last year on Smooth Going Cat. |
| 26 | NOD N SMILE BABY | PAUL HANSMA | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $4.8 million. He won the 1996 NCHA Futurity on Playboy McCrae. His twin daughters Cade and McCall finished second and third in the NCHA Junior Youth World standings this year. Paul has made the Futurity finals 12 times before. |
| 27 | SMOOTH PEANUTBUTTER | TIM SMITH | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $4.7 million. He’s made the Futurity finals five times before, finishing 8th in 2003 with Opus Cat and again last year with Whiskeynadirtyglass. |
| 28 | LOUELLAS CAT | LINDY BURCH | NCHA Hall of Fame rider with earnings of $3 million. First woman to win the NCHA Futurity in 1980 on Mis Royal Mahogany. First woman to win an NCHA World Championship in 2000 on Bet Yer Blue Boons. First woman to be president of NCHA. She’s made the finals of the NCHA Futurity 14 times before. |