This Isa Third, ridden by Mike Wood for Christine King of Scottsdale, Arizona, marked 227 to win the first round of the $5,000 Novice division at the 7 Ranch NCHA World Finals in Fort Worth on December 6, 2019.
Red Solo Catt, ridden by Dylan Meyer for Whit and Kim Davis; and Peptos Smart Mars, ridden by Tance Bryant for Stan Ayers, both marked 223.5 for the go-round’s second highest score.
First-round competition was held for the $5,000 Novice, $25,000 Novice Non-Pro and both Amateur classes Friday. The second round and non-working finals, which will determine World Finals winners and year-end championships will be held Saturday.
Wood, who notched up a record seventh Novice World Finals win the day before with TRs Best Player in the $25,000 Novice finals, also showed Smart Uni Brow to place seventh with a 219 in the $5,000 go-round.
This Isa Third is a 7-year-old gelding bred by Carl and Shawnea Smith by Third Cutting out of Cat Fancy This. He has earned more than $218,000, and he carried Christine King to second place in the $5,000 Novice Non-Pro World Finals this week, while finishing fourth in the World Standings for that event.
This Isa Third has a lock on the $5,000 Novice World Championship, coming out of the first round of the World Finals with a lead of almost $18,000 over PRF Smooth Cat Ruby, ridden by Monty Buntin for Shelli Moreda.
$50,000 Amateur
Lisa Haldane of Phoenix, Arizona and Reydirkulous scored 224.5 in the first round of the $50,000 Amateur, for a half-point victory over Mia Webster on What About Blue.
This is the first World Finals for Haldane, who was a $35,000 Non-Pro finalist at the NCHA Western National Championships in 2011.
Reydirkulous is an 8-year-old son of Dual Rey and Powdered Sugar Cat, bred by Chad Bushaw’s Crown Ranch. His second dam, Cappuccino And Pasta was Non-Pro reserve champion of the NCHA Super Stakes Classic, and later carried Julie Wrigley to the $50,000 Amateur World Championship in 2003, the same year Wrigley also won the NCHA Futurity Amateur championship.
The $50,000 Amateur go-round win moved Haldane up a notch in the standings to ninth place.
Corrie Rousey of Carlsbad, New Mexico has an unbeatable lead of more than $13,000 in the World Standings. She placed fifth in the first go-round with a 217.5 on Swing Thru The Drive.
Carol Ward and Kausac Kats are safe for the Reserve World Championship.
$25,000 Novice Non-Pro
CR Tuff Boo Bear and Too Hot To Copy tied for first with 221 points in the first round of the $25,000 Novice Non-Pro World Finals. Milly Vanilly, ridden by Brad Wilson, was next at 220.5.
CR Tuff Boo Bear is shown by Cheyenne Johnson of Pine Level, Alabama. The 9-year-old mare was bred by Center Ranch by Woddy Be Tuff out of CR April Boon. She was shown by Tarin Rice as a limited age finalist at Breeders Invitational, Tunica and Cattlemen’s Derby.
Johnson showed CR Tuff Boo Bear to win the $50,000 Amateur at the NCHA Eastern Nationals last spring. She also won that event the year before with Tom E Toy.
Too Hot To Copy is shown by German Lugo of Gainesville, Texas. The 7-year-old son of Metallic Cat and Playgiarism was bred by Mariposa Farms. If he wins the second round and non-working finals, he will push Playgiarism’s babies over the $1 million mark. Matt Miller and Chris Hanson showed Too Hot To Copy in limited age finals at the NCHA Super Stakes, Bonanza, Cotton Stakes, and other major events.
Lugo rode in last year’s $50,000 Amateur and $25,000 Novice Non-Pro World Finals with This Chics Hot and Wild Starz, respectively. He’s won Amateur aged event championships at Breeders Invitational, West Texas, Cotton Stakes and Abilene.
Riding Dmac Wise Guy, Mary Bradford of Weatherford, Texas, will be untouchable in the lead for the World Championship.
Susan Dunne of Clinton, North Carolina, is safe in second place in the standings, riding Hal Raiser.
$15,000 Amateur
Angela Creach of Jackson, California and Curious Cowgirl scored 220 to lead the first round of the $15,000 Amateur World Finals. Makenzie Meehan on I Like It This Rey scored 216, while Benjamin James on Lightsaber Dual scored 215.5.
Curious Cowgirl is an 11-year-old mare by WR This Cats Smart out of Stylish Lil Cowgirl, bred by Tracey Olsen.
Creach came into the World Finals ranked in 14th place, and her first-round win moved her into the Top 10.
There’s a battle for the World Championship, with Raven Micah Benjamin of Hartsell, Colorado leading Erin Sullivan of Rancho Murieta, California by $564. Benjamin is riding Metallic SweetgirlRG, which she also showed in the $2,000 Limited Rider World Finals. Sullivan is on Crafty With Cows, an earner of more than $430,000.
Tomorrow’s second round and non-working finals of the $15,000 Amateur each pay $940 to the winner.