Deal or no deal? It’s a perennial question owners of freshman sires ask themselves in the months leading up to the NCHA Futurity. Sometimes, earlier fall futurities hold the key.
CD Lights (pictured with Winston Hansma), for instance, is off to a promising start with his first foals. From seven performers, to date, he has sired six cutting and snaffle bit futurity finalists that have earned six championship titles. The latest is Quixote Lights, winner of the UCHA Open Futurity and Open Gelding Stakes, under Russ Miller for Brian Postall, and PCCHA Non-Pro Ltd champion. While That CD Rocks was champion of both the NRCHA and NSHA Open Intermediate Snaffle Bit Futurities.
CD Lights is owned by his breeders, Danny Motes and Winston Hansma, Weatherford, TX. Hansma trained and rode the stallion’s sire, CD Olena, to win the 1994 NCHA Futurity for Bar H Ranche. Delight Of My Life, the dam of CD Lights, was also trained by Hansma, who won the 1997 NCHA Derby and placed third in the NCHA Super Stakes with the Grays Starlight daughter.
Motes took up the reins of Delight Of My Life in 1999 and won the Bonanza Non-Pro Classic and placed third in the NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro Classic. During her career, Delight Of My Life earned more than $170,000. Her first foal, born in 1999, was CD Lights, who Hansma and Motes call “Boss,” in honor of his dam’s breeder, Floyd Boss, Fresno, CA.
“We were pretty excited from the time he was born,” said Motes of CD Lights, who earned over $242,000 with Hansma and was 2006 NCHA World Champion Stallion. “He seems to have the best qualities of both (his sire and dam). He has the charisma of Delight, but he’s not as sensitive as she could be. He is very confident and has lots of personality like CD (Olena), who was very vocal and self-assured.
Other freshman cutting sires with offspring to watch for during the upcoming NCHA Futurity in Fort Worth include: Cat Ichi, Cats Merada, Cats Moonshine, Dual Smart Rey, Highlightcat, Its Just About Me, Laredo Blue, Mr Jay Bar Cat, One Time Pepto, Reys Dual Badger, Spots Hot, Stylish Rey, That Sly Cat, TR Dual Rey and WR This Cats Smart. Offspring of most of these stallions will be featured in the “New Sire Spotlight” session of the Preferred Breeders Sale on Tuesday, December 10, during the NCHA Futurity Sales.