Eighteen-year-old McCall Hansma, of Weatherford, Texas, rode third to the herd and marked 223 to top a field of 16 Limited Non-Pro finalists in the NCHA Classic Challenge at the Summer Cutting Spectacular, presented by Great American Insurance, in Fort Worth Thursday afternoon. Hansma rode Chex My Cat, by Smooth As A Cat, to win by two and a half points over Sheridan Clark on Meradas Puddy Cat.
Hansma was sharing 6-year-old Chex My Cat with her dad, trainer Paul Hansma, who qualified the horse for Friday’s Open Classic Challenge finals.
McCall was scoring her first win in Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum. Last year, her twin sister, Cade, won this event on Chucks Little Pepto. Paul Hansma has won 11 finals in historic WRMC, including the 1996 NCHA Futurity (Playboy McCrae) when McCall and Cade were in the winner’s photo at the age of two months. The girls’ mother, Julie Hansma, won the non-working finals of the 2006 Super Stakes Novice Non-Pro on Bob Dualin.
Chex My Cat was bred by Sunrise Ranch by Smooth As A Cat out of Bueno Chex Dually, by Dual Pep. Paul Hansma showed Bueno Chex Dually for Dick Brown and was reserve champion of the 2000 NCHA Derby on the mare. Bueno Chex Dually has produced earners of more than $700,000, including Cherry Chex Dually an Abilene Spectacular Open champ with Eddie Flynn which Jon Winkleried also rode to win the 2010 Amateur NCHA Classic Challenge.
McCall has been a finalist on Chex My Cat at the 2014 NCHA Classic Challenge, 2015 Super STakes, Brazos Bash, Waco Texas Classic, and the Non-Pro Classic.
Sheridan Clark, who has won three Limited Non-Pro titles in Will Rogers Coliseum on Meradas Puddy Cat, added $7,200 to the 5-year-old mare’s career total with her reserve championship. Meradas Puddy Cat is by Athena Puddy Cat out of Meradas Beauty Bars, by Freckles Merada.
