CR Tuff Lucy, ridden by NCHA Hall of Fame rider John Mitchell, marked 222.5 Wednesday to top eight qualifiers for Thursday evening’s Mercuria NCHA World Series of Cutting finals at the Augusta Futurity. Four horses, Dont Stopp Believin, Time To Hangem and Little Pepto Cat all tied with 222 for the second highest qualifying score. The finals will pay out $36,408.
CR Tuff Lucy is a 7-year-old mare bred by Center Ranch by Woody Be Tuff out of Lucindas Catolena. She placed fourth in the 2014 NCHA Futurity with Tarin Rice, and proceeded to win the Abilene Spectacular, take the reserve championship at the NCHA Derby and place in several other major finals.
Glade Knight of Slate River Ranch bought her for $600,00o at the 2015 Center Ranch Sale, produced by Western Bloodstock, Ltd. Since then, Mitchell rode the mare to reserve championships at the NCHA Super Stakes Classic (twice) and NCHA Classic Challenge. CR Tuff Lucy has earned more than $350,000.
Mercuria World Series Augusta Open Qualifiers:
| R 1 | Horse | Rider | Owner | Home |
| 222.5 | CR Tuff Lucy | John Mitchell | Slate River Ranch | Weatherford, TX |
| 222.0 | Dont Stopp Believin | Phil Rapp | Phil & Mary Ann Rapp | Weatherford, TX |
| 222.0 | Time To Hangem | Gaylon Wells | Victoria Johnson | Houston, TX |
| 222.0 | Little Pepto Cat | Cullen Chartier | Mary Jo Milner | Southlake, TX |
| 222.0 | Deluxe Checks | Austin Shepard | Rhein & Amanda Standish | Baton Rouge, LA |
| 220.0 | Stylish Bet | Lindy Burch | Oxbow Ranch | Weatherford, TX |
| 220.0 | Spoonfulla Cat | Brett Davis | Jonathan & Judy Rogers | Rockdale, TX |
| 219.0 | SVR Shesgothatlook | Chubby Turner | J Five Horse Ranch | Weatherford, TX |
Cade Shepard of Summerdale, Alabama, marked 223 on Ginni One Time to lead the Non-Pro qualifiers. Priscilla Wilson of Unadilla, Georgia was next with a 221 on Total Reycall.
Seven Non-Pros qualified for Thursday night’s finals.
Gini One Time is an 8-year-old mare bred by Gary Dellinger by One Time Pepto out of Paving The Rey. She has earned more than $119,000.
Shepard, who is in the NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame, won the Mercuria World Series at the Mane Event with the mare last year. Cade’s dad, Austin Shepard, was reserve champion of the Augusta Classic with her two years ago.
Mercuria World Series Augusta Non-Pro Qualifiers:
| R 1 | Horse | Rider | Owner | Home |
| 223.0 | Gini One Time | Cade Shepard | Austin & Stacy Shepard | Summerdale, AL |
| 221.0 | Total Reycall | Priscilla Wilson | Priscilla Wilson | Unadilla, GA |
| 220.5 | Miss Stylish Cat | Hope Mitchell | John & Hope Mitchell | Weatherford, TX |
| 219.0 | One Catty Cupid | Madalyn Colgrove | Joel Colgrove Sr | Boligee, AL |
| 218.5 | Little Miss One Time | Lindy Ashlock | Lindy Ashlock | Abilene, TX |
| 218.5 | Magic Metallic | Ray Baldwin | Waco Bend Ranch | Fort Worth, TX |
| 218.5 | Little Pepto Cat | Mary Jo Milner | Mary Jo Milner | Southlake, TX |