Six horses from a finals field of 20 scored 220 points, but NCHA Futurity co-champion He Bea Cat, with 224 points under Tarin Rice, claimed the champion’s title in The Cattlemen’s Open Derby, in Graham, Tex. The win was worth $14,000 for the High Brow Cat son, who has earnings of more than $230,000.

Brinkmanns Cool Cat, ridden by Phil Rapp, and Cha Ching And Change, with Sean Flynn, tied for second with 222 points; Mercedes Smoothe, shown by Matt Gaines, and ESR Tabitha, with Tony Piggott, tied for third with 221 points.

He Bea Cat and his full brother, I Bea Cat, winner of the 2012 NCHA Derby Open Ltd and reserve in the NCHA Derby Open Gelding, are both owned by their breeder, Jim Crawford, Lexington, Neb., and were trained by Rice, who also showed I Bea Cat.

He Bea Cat and Rice also won the Cattlemen’s Futurity Gelding championship.

Brinkmanns Cool Cat, who came to The Cattlemen with earnings of $8,749, was bred and is owned by Baxter Brinkmann, Dallas, Tex. She is by High Brow Cat and the first money earner out of Aristopep ($53,252), by Smart Aristocrat.

Cha Ching And Change, a finalist in the Arbuckle Mountain Futurity, belongs to Circle Y Ranch, Millsay, Tex., who also owns her sire, Im Countin Checks.

Once In A Blu Boon and Payne claim 5th championship

Once In A Blu Boon, trained and shown by James Payne for Charlotte Farms, scored 225 points to win The Cattlemen’s Open Classic. Sir Stylish Lizzy and Michael Cooper, for owner Kaitlyn Larsen, marked 222.5 for reserve; Cooper also placed third with 221 points on Tapt Out, owned by Rose Valley Ranch.

This was the fifth championship for 5-year-old Once In A Blue Boon, who also recently won the Arbuckle Mountain Classic and has career earnings of more than $150,000.

Click here for complete results and pedigrees.