Paula Wood, Stephenville, Tex., scored 219.5 points, on Sunday, August 6, to win the 2017 NCHA Derby Non-Pro Finals on Suen Too Be Black, by Boon Too Suen. Madalyn Colgrove, Boligee, Ala., scored 218 points for the reserve championship on Sweet Baby Marie, by High Brow CD. Megan Miller, Poolville, Tex., placed third with 217.5 points on Olive Martini, by Metallic Cat.
This was the second NCHA Derby Non-Pro championship for Paula Wood, who first won the event in 1997, riding the Cash Quixote Rio daughter Chita Cash LTE $207,169, second dam of Suen Too Be Black. Wood also showed Chitas Blue Boon LTE $55,805, by Duals Blue Boon, as a 2004 NCHA Derby Non-Pro finalist.
Paula Wood is an NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame member, NCHA Non-Pro World Champion, and earner of $2,263,226. Her many career highlights include the 2012 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro championship on Donas Suen Boon LTE $388,939, bred by Paula, trained by her husband, NCHA Hall of Fame Rider Kobie Wood. Donas Suen Boon, out of Paula’s 2006 NCHA World Finals Non-Pro champion Donas Cool Cat LTE $315,104, was also sired by Boon Too Suen.
On Saturday, August 5, Marley Wood, daughter of Kobie and Paula, placed fourth riding Suen Too Be Black in the NCHA Derby Limited Non-Pro Finals.
Madalyn Colgrove and Sweet Baby Marie LTE $97,542 made their mark earlier this year as reserve champions of the Breeders Invitational Non-Pro, while Madalyn’s grandfather, Joel Colgrove, rode the mare as an Unlimited Amateur finalist in the Ike Hamilton Futurity. Matt Miller showed then 3-year-old Sweet Baby Marie to win the Open championships in the 2016 West Texas Futurity, the 2016 Southern Futurity and the 2016 Idaho Futurity and has continued to show her as a finalist in four 4-year-old events.
Madalyn, the NCHA earner of $424,760, won the 2014 NCHA Classic Challenge 5/6 Amateur, when she was 14, riding Hes A Heapinspoonful, the horse she also showed as champion of the 2014 Breeders Invitational 5/6 Amateur, and the 2014 Cotton Stakes 5/6 Amateur and Unlimited Amateur divisions. Madalyn also won the 2016 Breeders Invitational 5/6 Unlimited Amateur on One Catty Cupid.
In addition to her Derby Non-Pro championship on Sweet Baby Marie, Madalyn also placed fourth in the Derby Non-Pro Finals with 217 points on Peptos Turn To Dual LTE $27,488, by Dual Rey; and twelfth place on Tank Tallic $21,771, by Metallic Cat.
Megan Miller, an NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame member and earner of $943,806, placed ninth in the 2016 NCHA Derby Non-Pro Finals riding Justa Lil Catfight LTE $70,978, a mare Miller’s sister, McKenzie Merrill, showed as a 2015 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro finalist. Miller also won the 2009 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro championship on Itawtathenapuddycat and the 2009 NCHA Super Stakes Classic Non-Pro on Travs Scooter, who her husband, Matt Miller, now an NCHA Hall of Fame Open Rider, showed to win the 2006 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity.
Prior to the 2017 NCHA Derby, Megan and Olive Martini LTE $22,637 placed third in the PCCHA Derby Non-Pro and ninth in the Bonanza Non-Pro Finals. Olive Martini, out of Martinis Miss Peppy, is a half-sister to the Freckles Playboy daughter Miss Martini Play LTE $89,418, dam of 2007 NCHA Open Horse of the Year Copaspepto $414,619, and nine other money earners, including Stylish Martini LTE $361,920 and Shesa Dirty Martini LTE $361,920.
Following the 2017 NCHA Derby Non-Pro Finals on Sunday, Matt Miller placed as reserve champion of the NCHA Derby Open Finals on Metallic Smart Cat, and also claimed sixth place on Lou Lou Louise.