Reigning World Champion One Time Choice and three-time Non-Pro World Champion Joe Howard Williamson dominated their respective finals at the Mercuria NCHA World Series of Cutting at the All American Quarter Horse Congress on October 10.
One Time Choice marked 229 after qualifying on the bubble with a 217 in the first round. It was her third World Series win, and her second this year. She won the Mercuria finals at the Calgary Stampede in July, and at the Idaho Futurity in 2013.
Bred by Wal and Lou Anne Burdette and owned by J Five Horse Ranch Mgmt., One Time Choice is a 7-year-old mare by One Time Pepto out of the SR Instant Choice mare Hickory Choice. Tuner rode her to the World Championship last year; her first and his second title.
They have a big lead in the 2014 standings, about $50,000 over the second horse when you include her $10,978 paycheck from Congress.
One Time Choice’s career earnings now go over $250,000, with the late-blooming mare making $130,000 of that total in World Series events.
Adan Banuelos marked 225 on Tim & Missy Drummond’s Lizzys Gotta Babe, by Lizzys Gotta Player to take second in the Open finals at Congress.
In the Non-Pro division, Joe Howard Williamson Acatbequick marked 224 to win by 3 1/2 points over the go-round leader, Lauren Chartier on Cees Little Poo.
Williamson, who won NCHA Non-Pro World Championships in 1999, 2004 and 2006, has been a Mercuria NCHA World Series finalist 17 times, but this was his first win in the program. Congress was the fourth time he took Acatbequick to the finals.
Acatbequick was bred by Elizabeth Quirk by High Brow Cat out of her $227,000 earner KD Shorty. KD Shorty’s offspring have now earned over $420,000, with Acatbequick accounting for $228,000 of that total.
The Quarter Horse Congress also featured a bridleless cutting, where Kevin Walden marked 232 on Terrye Ward’s Show Biz Ben to win the Open finals, and Bret Parsons marked 228 on Terris Cat Daddy to win the Non-Pro.
Show Biz Ben is an earner of $303,000 by Show Biz Billy. Terris Cat Daddy is an earner of $16,000 by High Brow Cat.