Austin Shepard posted the top two scores in the $10,000 Novice go-round, while his father, Sam, led the $3,000 Novice go-round at the NCHA Eastern National Championships presented by 6666 Ranch in Jackson, Mississippi.

The show, with nearly 1,000 entries, got underway Monday and continues through March 19.

Todd Quirk’s NQH Tom Cat topped the first round of the $10,000 Novice with a 221.5 under Austin Shepard. Quirk bought the son of High Brow Cat at last year’s NCHA Super Stakes and won the Super Stakes Classic Limited Non-Pro at that show. Both Shepard and Quirk made the finals at the Augusta Futurity with the gelding this year.

Shepard marked 221 on Bet Hesa Cat, a High Brow Cat x Bet Yer Blue Boons stallion owned by a syndicate. Shepard was reserve champion on the horse this year at Tunica, and also in the Mercuria NCHA World Series show at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Bet Hesa Cat also qualified for the $3,000 Novice finals.

The $10,000 Novice finals will be held Wednesday afternoon.

In the $3,000 Novice go-round, Sam Shepard marked 222 on Arthur Noble’s Playin Witha Cat, by High Brow Cat out of Playgiarism, a Freckles Playboy mare whose babies have earned over half a million dollars.

Second high score in the go-round was 219 for PA Libertys Girl, a Peponitas Acre mare owned by Lee Garner and ridden by Bill Miller.

The $3,000 Novice finals will be held Thurdsay.