July 16, Fort Worth, Tex.
PG Heavily Armed, under James Payne, scored 224 points on Monday to tie Sunday’s high-scoring horse, Copperish, ridden by Lloyd Cox, for the top score in the first go-round of the NCHA/Metallic Cat Summer Spectacular Classic Challenge. PG Heavily Armed, sired by Playgun, is owned by Michael and Brenda Armstrong, Marietta, Okla.
James Payne also scored 219 points aboard The Golden Shot, sired by WR This Cats Smart and owned by Kathleen Moore, Madill, Okla., to qualify for Tuesday’s Classic Challenge second go-round, where 85 horses with first-round scores of 215 or higher will vie for entry into the Classic Challenge Open Finals on Saturday, July 21.
Reyning Cats, shown by Russ Westfall for Jerry and Suzanne Rava, Paso Robles, Calif., scored 223 points on Monday to claim second place in the first go-round, while Mistresssis, Rey To Sly, and Second Spot each earned 222 points, the first round’s fourth highest score.
Six-year-old PG Heavily Armed LTE $168,097 was a 2108 finalist with Payne in the NCHA Super Stakes 5/6 Classic, as well as the Arbuckle Mountain 5/6 Classic and The Non-Pro 5/6 Classic. His dam, Not Quite An Acre LTE $153,256, by Bob Acre Doc, was the 1997 NCHA Open Horse of the Year and has produced four NCHA earners of $264,553.
Bred by Jimmy Kemp, five-year-old Reyning Cats LTE $61,305, by Dual Rey, made her debut as a 2016 NCHA Futurity Semi-Finalist and qualified for the finals of four 2017 Open limited age events, including the NCHA Derby (7th), the Pacific Coast Derby (6th), and the El Rancho Derby (3rd).
Five-year-old Mistresssis LTE $178,125, sired by Metallic Cat and owned by Texas Holy Cow Performance Horses, Weatherford, Tex., placed fourth in the 2016 NCHA Futurity Open under Grant Setnicka, who also showed her as a finalist in 2017 events. Matt Miller, Mistresssis’ Summer Spectacular rider, took up her reins to place in the 2017 Cotton Stakes Open (6th) and to win the 2018 Pacific Coast Derby 5/6 Classic.
Bred by Singleton Ranches out of the 2006 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open champion Smart Crackin Chic, by Smart Chic Olena, Mistresssis is a full sister to Metallic Mistress LTE $162,527, also owned by Texas Holy Cow Performance Horses shown by Matt Miller to qualify with 220.5 points for the second go-round of the Classic Challenge.
Six-year-old Rey To Sly LTE $90,126, sired by That Sly Cat and owned by the Holmes/Hill Partnership, Glen Rose, Tex., placed fifth in the 2015 NCHA Futurity Open under Jaime Snyder, who also showed her as a finalist in four 2016 limited age events. Adan Banuelos, her rider in the Summer Spectacular, also placed with her in the 2018 NCHA Super Stakes Classic Open finals. Out of A Little Reylena LTE $126,058, by Dual Rey, Rey To Sly is a half-sister to 2017 NCHA Futurity champion Dual Reyish LTE $310,003, by Hottish, as well as Hay U LTE $199,264, by Third Cutting.
Adan Banuelos was also a top qualifier for the second go-round with 221 points on Kattalyst, by Metallic Cat, owned by Ten/27 Ranch, Denham Springs, La., and qualified with 218 points on B Nimble, sired by Dual Smart Rey and owned by SMF Cutting Horses, as well as with 216.5 points on Under The Reydar, sired by Halreycious and owned by Plantation Farms, Denham Springs, La.
Second Spot LTE $274,803, a 5-year-old mare sired by Spots Hot, won the 2016 NCHA Futurity Open with Matt Gaines and has been shown since the fall of 2017 by Lloyd Cox, who placed as reserve champion with her in the 2017 Cotton Stakes 4-Year-Old Open. Bred and owned by Gary and Shannon Barker, Madill, Okla., Second Spot is out of Reycey Moon LTE $209,363, a three-quarter sister to Pedel To The Metall LTE $188,402, by Metallic Cat.
Lloyd Cox also scored 224 points showing Copperish, by Metallic Cat, on Monday to top first go-round competition and tie with PG Heavily Armed. Cox also qualified for the second round with 215.5 points aboard Smart Alice Louise, owned by John McClaren, McGregor, Tex.
The 2018 NCHA/Metallic Cat Summer Cutting Spectacular continues daily through Aug. 5. For live webcast and live scoring go to NCHAcutting.com.