Kyle Manion, winner of the Super Stakes Classic Non-Pro first go-round with 220 points on Smooth Going Cat, marked 215 points on the Smooth As A Cat daughter in the second go-round to claim the high cumulative score from both rounds.
Manion also qualified for the finals with 431.5 points on A Smooth Criminal, by Smooth As A Cat.
Alexa Stent won the second go-round with 219 points aboard Little Bow Peepto, by Peptoboonsmal, while Constance Jaeggi on Kool Aristo Cat; Shane Plummer on Boot Scootin TR; and Gary Barker on ARC Purr D Boons Mal tied for second with 218.5 points.
Jaeggi also earned the second-highest cumulative score — 434.5 points — on Kool Aristo Cat, and qualified for the finals on a second mount, Dual R Smokin.
“She gets real low and is so smooth, she’s like no other horse I’ve ridden,” said Alexa Stent of 6-year-old Little Bow Peepto, trained and shown in open competition by Eddie Flynn.
Bred by Stent, who is showing her for the first time, Little Bow Peepto, is half-sister to Stylish Little Bow, with $231,164; as well as $100,000-plus earners Bowmans Cat and Zacks Little Bowman.
Shane Plummer purchased 6-year-old Boot Scootin TR last year through Cara Barry-Brewer, who trained the horse and placed as a finalist with him in the 2008 NCHA Futurity and the 2009 Breeders Invitational.
“He reminds me a lot of his sire. It’s all about the cow for him,” said Plummer, owner of SDP Buffalo Ranch and the gelding’s sire TR Dual Rey.
Plummer was a non-pro limited finalist in three major events in 2010 riding Boot Scootin TR.
Gary Barker has been a non-pro, non-pro limited, or amateur finalist 12 times on ARC Purr D Boons Mal, by Peptoboonsmal. Barker’s wife, Shannon, has shown the 6-year-old mare as a finalist in nine major events.
ARC Purr D Boons Mal was trained by Clint Allen and purchased by the Barkers as a late 3-year-old.
“This mare has a lot of eye appeal and she’s really easy to get along with,” said Barker, who also owns Special Nu Baby, shown in today’s Open Classic Finals by Matt Gaines.