Last night, in the NCHAÂ Rio of Mercedes Amateur Derby, Deb Herold and Wiley Cat parlayed a 221-point performance into their third championship win of the year.
“Every cow that we wanted, we got,” said Herold, who drew first to work in the second set. “They were in good spots and were easy to bring out.
“I don’t do much on Wiley. Mainly, I just kind of stay out of his way. He likes the crowd. When people yell his name, he lights up and I just go with him.”
In addition to the NCHA Derby, Herold and Wiley Cat won the amateur divisions of the 2011 Tunica Futurity and the Arbuckle Mountain 4-Year-Old Cutting.
Dirk Blakesley trained Wiley Cat and showed him as a finalist in the NCHA Futurity, as well as reserve champion of the 2011 Abilene Spectacular.
Deb and her husband, Tom, were part of a partnership that purchased the High Brow Cat son, out of the outstanding producer Miss Echo Wood, at the 2008 NCHA Futurity Sales, then bought him outright two days before the finals of the 2010 NCHA Futurity.
Deb and Tom, owners of an Iowa-based industrial contracting business, were first attracted to cutting when they saw a local telecast of an NCHA event.
Kylie Knight’s 219-point reserve championship marked the 21-year-old cowhorse competitor’s first limited age show on Sunlight N San, a Light N Lena daughter that was a Christmas gift from Kylie’s fiance, Tatum Rice.
“I was really excited to do so good on her,” said Knight. “Last year in the Bonanza was my first aged event in cutting. I love the cowhorses, but I’m excited about getting more into the cutting.”
Knight, who grew up in Arizona and began showing at 12, won the AQHA Youth World reined cowhorse championship in both 2005 and 2007.
Jim Paradis, Alberta, CAN, scored 218.5 points on Speatacularly Smooth, by Smooth As A Cat, to claim third place, as well as the title of Derby Amateur Senior champion.
Bill Helm, Nowata, OK, scored 218 points to claim fourth place aboard Cat Ichi-sired EE Ichi Bar, who was shown by Bill’s wife, Dianna, as reserve champion of the 2011 NCHA Derby Non-Pro Limited Super Stakes.
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