Missy Jean Etheridge, Corinth, Miss., scored 224 points riding Cutting Commander on Saturday, March 14, to win the 2019 NCHA Eastern National Non-Pro Finals. Colt Moore, Williston, Fla., showing Highbrow Nadine, claimed the reserve championship with 222 points, while Denise Seiz, Cedartown, Ga., placed third with 217.5 aboard Willie J Rey.
This was Missy Jean Etheridge’s thirty-fourth ride in an NCHA Eastern Nationals division finals and her second win. Her first win came in the 2004 NCHA Eastern Nationals $10,000 Amateur aboard Pepto Jack LTE $33,466, by Peptoboonsmal, following her 2003 reserve championship in the $2,000 Limited Rider Finals on Chloes My Aunt LTE $57,299, by SR Hallmarked. The NCHA earner of $396,242, Etheridge has also competed successfully in NCHA limited age events, including last year, when she showed Rey Too Purdy LTE $59,291, by Dual Smart Rey, to win The Non-Pro 5/6 Classic, and earlier this year when she won the Ike Hamilton Futurity Classic Non-Pro Intermediate with Metallic Royal Mate LTE $98,831, by Metallic Cat.
Eight-year-old Cutting Commander LTE $98,855, a Third Cutting daughter, had also been a successful limited age event competitor under Tag Rice, who showed her as an NCHA Futurity Open finalist and to place third in the NCHA Derby. Missy Jean and Vick Etheridge, also showed her as finalists, respectively, in Non-Pro and Amateur limited age events.
This marks Colt Moore’s second 2019 NCHA Eastern championship title aboard Highbrow Nadine LTE $83,462. Last Sunday, March 8, he won the Senior Youth Finals showing the 7-year-old High Brow CD daughter, who won the $25,000 Non-Pro/Novice this week for Kolby Don Moore, Colt’s brother. Owned by Kolby Don, Highbrow Nadine, is the only NCHA money earner out of 24-year-old Ladys Pagan, by Haidas Little Pep.
Denise Seiz, the NCHA earner of $303,462, won the 2011 NCHA Eastern Nationals $35,000 Non-Pro on Stylish Playlin LTE $181,525, the Docs Stylish Oak gelding who had been reserve champions of the 1997 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity and 1998 NCHA Non-Pro Super Stakes under Tag Rice.
Seiz’s 2019 NCHA Eastern Nationals ride, 6-year-old Willie J Rey LTE $105,545, most recently carried her to place eighth in the 2020 Augusta Futurity 5/6 Amateur Finals. The Dual Rey gelding also carried Walt Erwin to win the 2019 Augusta Futurity Open 5/6 Classic, and to place third in the 2020 Augusta Classic. Willie J Rey’s dam, Cat Black I LTE $208,229, carried Seiz to win the 2013 NCHA Super Stakes Classic Amateur championship, as well as the reserve amateur championship of the 2013 Tunica Classic, and was also was shown by Randy Chartier, as an NCHA Open World Top 10 finalist in 2016 and 2017.
Check here for complete results from the 2019 NCHA Eastern National Championships.