Carol Ward, Rancho Murieta, Calif., topped a field of 31 finalists, with 220 points on Crafty With Cows, to claim the championship of the NCHA Unlimited Amateur Derby, on Thursday, July 27. Kadie Hermes, Cotulla, Tex., scored 219.5 points on Reytalic for the reserve championship, and Ken Hanson, Weatherford, Tex., was third with 217 points on Crispy Kreme.

R.L. Chartier showed Crafty With Cows to place third in the 2016 NCHA Futurity Open. The High Brow CD gelding has since added a win in the 2017 PCCHA Derby Open, under Darren Simpkins, to his resume. The 2017 NCHA Classic Challenge Derby Unlimited Amateur Finals, however, marked Carol Ward’s first finals with Crafty With Cows, and the gelding’s second working finals win in 2017.

Carol Ward is the NCHA earner of $786,136. In 2015, she was reserve champion of the NCHA Futurity Unlimited Amateur riding Lil Lou Rey, and in 2016 was the NCHA Mercuria Calgary World Series of Cutting Non-Pro champion on Spooked By A Cat.

Kadie Hermes and Reytalic LTE $24,445, by Metallic Cat, won the 2017 Breeders Invitational Unlimited Amateur championship. Clay Johnson also showed the gelding as an Open finalist in the 2017 Arbuckle Mountain Cutting.

Hermes, the NCHA earner of $158,922, also won the 2017 Abilene Spectacular 5/6 Non-Pro Limited on Bet Mia Cat LTE $15,851, by Be Hesa Cat.

Ken Hanson was a 2016 NCHA Futurity Unlimited Amateur finalist and placed second in the Senior division of that event on High O Silver LTE $31,279. Crispy Kreme LTE $22,052, by Metallic Cat, has proven his mettle to Hanson as champion of the Non-Pro Limited Finals in The Non-Pro Cutting, and an Unlimited Amateur finalist in the 2017 Arbuckle Mountain and Bonanza 4-Year-old events.

Ken Hanson is the NCHA earner of $161,021.