Austin Shepard marked 225 on NQH Tom Cat to win the $10,000 Novice finals at the NCHA Eastern National Championships presented by 6666 Ranch Wednesday. It was Shepard’s first championship on the gelding and the $8,265 paycheck will take the horse over the $100,000 mark. This year’s event carried an all-time record purse of more than $51,000.
NQH Tom Cat was one of seven High Brow Cats in the 29-horse finals. He drew midway through the second set after posting the top score of 221.5 in the go-round. His 225 in the finals catapulted him five points ahead of previous leader Gun N Sandy Candy, ridden by Rusty Jeffrey for Larry and Carol Grimes.
Todd Quirk bought NQH Tom Cat at last year’s NCHA Super Stakes after T.J. Good won the John Deere Division of the Open Classic. By the end of the show, Quirk had added the Limited Non-Pro title to the gelding’s resume.
Shepard went on to make the finals at the NCHA Summer Spectacular, the All American Quarter Horse Congress and the Southern Futurity in 2010, and the Augusta Classic this year.
NQH Tom Cat’s dam Spooky Lucy, is a Grays Starlight mare that was an NCHA Super Stakes finalist back in 1993. She has produced six other NCHA money earners.
Sam Shepard led Wednesday’s Open go-round on Arthur Noble’s Playin Witha Cat, by High Brow Cat, with a 219. He also tied for the second high score, 218, on Edley Hixson’s Dees Mr Charles, by Its Just About Me. Sharing the 218 was Austin Shepard on Buster Quirk’s Playin At The Mall, by Playdox.