Kyle Manion, riding Smooth Going Cat, by Smooth As A Cat, held ground as winner of the first go-round in Super Stakes Classic Non-Pro competition.
Yesterday, Laura Landers marked 218 points to tie April Widman with the second highest score of the go-round.
“I relied on my help to guide me through it,” said Landers, who drew late in the last set of the day and was showing 5-year-old Zanolenas Cat for the first time.
“I really like her a lot. She’s very quick.”
Landers purchased Zanolenas Cat through Jeremy Barwick, who showed her as an open finalist at this year’s Cattlemen’s Derby. The Cats Merada daughter had been trained by Casey Green and shown by him as a finalist in the 2009 West Texas Futurity and Brazos Bash.
Landers won five major events as an amateur in 2010.
Rapp’s Toy Engine
Mary Ann Rapp, 2010 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro co-champion on ARC Catmando, scored 217.5 points, yesterday, on Toy Engine, by Playgun.
Rapp and her husband, Phil, bred the 5-year-old gray mare out of an unshown daughter of Cats Full Measure, 1999 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro champion and Open finalist under Phil Rapp. Cats Full Measure earned more than $235,000.
Mary Ann showed Toy Engine to place third in the 2009 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro and as reserve non-pro champion of the 2010 Bonanza. This is the mare’s second show back following surgery for a chip in her ankle.
“I showed her at Graham (2011 Cattlemen’s Classic) and she was good,” said Rapp. “But the first cow never would give us a chance to get off of her.”
Rapp was also champion of the 2003 Super Stakes Non-Pro Classic on Amanda Stargun, and champion of the 2009 Super Stakes Non-Pro Gelding division on Quiverin Cat.
Rapp, the winner of over $3.5 million, is the sport’s all-time leading non-pro. Phil Rapp, who began riding as a youth in non-pro competition and turned pro a decade ago, has earned over $7 million — more than any other rider.
Quirk’s NQH Tom Cat
Todd Quirk and NQH Tom Cat, who scored 217.5 points on Friday, know their way around the pen in the Super Stakes. Last year they won the Super Stakes Classic Non-Pro Ltd and NQH Tom Cat also won the Open Ltd of the same event with T.J. Good.
One week before the start of this event, Quirk’s 6-year-old gelded son of High Brow Cat won the $10,000 Novice division of the NCHA Eastern National Championships with Austin Shepard.
“He’s had a lot of runs on him, but he’s been good and has stayed sound,” said Quirk, as he handed NQH Tom Cat off immediately after his non-pro performance so that Shepard could prepare him for the Super Stakes Open Wildcard.
Dual R Smokin for Jaeggi
Constance Jaeggi, a student at Texas Christian Univeristy in Fort Worth and a Swiss native, qualified with two top scores for the second go-round on Dual R Smokin and Kool Arista Cat.
“I hadn’t been on him in a while,” said Jaeggi of 6-year-old Dual R Smokin, by Dual Rey, who marked 217 points in yesterday’s fifth set.
“I rode him a couple of times at the Breeders Invitational (2010) and the NCHA Derby and it didn’t go very well. I’m just getting back together with him and he felt amazing.”
Last fall, Jaeggi’s mentor, former NCHA Preseident Chubby Turner, won the Mercuria NCHA World Series at El Rancho Futurity on Dual R Smokin.
Jaeggi also scored 216 points aboard 5-year-old Kool Arista Cat, by Cats Merada, who carried her to the finals and a ninth-place finish in the non-pro division of the 2010 NCHA Super Stakes.
Super Stakes Classic Open Finals field complete
Three horses with the highest scores from Friday’s Super Stakes Classic Open Wildcard filled three remaining slots in the XTO Energy NCHA Super Stakes Classic Open Finals on Sunday, April 3.
They are George C Merada, a Cats Merada x Lenas Stylish Bunny gelding with 222 points ridden by John Wold for Debra and Jack Furst of Bartonville, Texas; Smart Kitty RG, a High Brow Cat x Smart Moria mare with 220 points ridden by R.L. Chartier for Ralph Gray of Argyle, Texas; and Herding Cats, a High Brow Cat x Fancy Blue Moon stallion with 219 points ridden by Sean Flynn for Eddie and Barbara Young of San Angelo, Texas.