Thursday, November 15
Tatum Rice and Crey Zee marked a 221 in the seventh of eight sets to post the high score of the first day of Open competition at the 2018 North Texas Chevy Dealers NCHA Futurity, presented by Great American Insurance.
Three horses put up 219s to tie for the day’s second high score at historic Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas. It was the first of five days for Open first-round hopefuls.
Crey Zee is bred and owned by Kevin and Sydney Knight of Weatherford, Texas. The mare is by Dual Rey out of Eazee E, last year’s Reserve World Champion.
The Knights bought Eazee E for $49,000 as a yearling at the Western Bloodstock NCHA Futurity Sales in 2011. She earned more than $211,000 as a multiple aged-event finalist, including a reserve championship at the Brazos Bash, and she won the Mercuria NCHA World Series at El Rancho Futurity last year.
Eazee E’s dam, Zee Dualy, earned $201,000 and has produced earners of $1.14 million including NCHA Hall of Fame Horse Smooth Asa Zee ($616,978).
Metallic Cattack, ridden by Wes Ashlock for John and Jana Thacker; Summer Time Fun, ridden by James Payne for Ty Moore; and Metal Art, ridden by 1996 NCHA Futurity champion Paul Hansma for Wes and Cindy Smooth; all marked 219 on Thursday.
Metallic Cattack was bred by Wichita Ranch by Metallic Cat out of Quiolena, and was sold for $31,000 as a yearling at the NCHA Western Bloodstock NCHA Futurity Sales. Quiolena won the 1999 Gold Coast Non-Pro Futurity with Sandy Bonelli, but her bigger distinction is as the dam of NCHA Hall of Fame Horse Quintan Blue and earners of $772,202.
Summer Time Fun was bred by owner Ty Moore, by Metallic Cat out of Hey Georgy Girl, by Wild Thing DNA. Hey Georgy Girl was an Open NCHA Futurity finalist under Bruce Morine, and also took Moore to three major Amateur championships, earning $130,000. The mare has produced earners of $352,152, including Let Georgie Do It, who went on to be 2016 NCHA Amateur Horse of the Year with John Rockey.
Metal Art was bred by owner Cindy Smith by Metallic Cat out of Dual Nurse, by Dual Pep. Smith won the 1999 El Cid Classic Non-Pro on the mare, which earned $106,000. Smith won the Non-Pro World Finals on the mare and placed sixth in the year-end standings in 2003. Dual Nurse has produced earners of $382,934, including three individuals, Hevvy Metal, Good Time, and Macho Little Lena, who have six-figure bankrolls.
Two horses marked 218.5 for the next highest score. They were Jazzascooty, by Little Jazzarey, shown by Eddie Flynn for Twin Arrows Ranch; and Caution Piping Hot, by Hottish, shown by R. L. Chartier for Rocking V Horses.