Dear Gussey and veteran Bill Riddle threw out a 225-point challenge today midway through the first set of the Tunica Futurity. Despite a strong field that included the NCHA Futurity reserve champion, Yadacat, Dear Gussey prevailed. Her closest rival and the reserve champion was Special Nu Baby, who scored 221 points as the last to perform in the 20-horse finals.

The $17,477 winner’s award is Dear Gussey’s first career paycheck.

“She’s representative of our entire time in the cutting horse business,” said NCHA Hall of Fame trainer Riddle, who along with his wife, Anne, bred Dear Gussey, by TR Dual Rey, out of BR Hold Everything.

Dear Gussey’s second dam is Clarks Little Fanny, by Clark’s Doc Bar, Anne Riddle’s second show horse and a major non-pro limited age finalist. The mare, foaled in 1984,  is the same age as the Riddle’s youngest daughter Havey.

“This filly looks just like her grandmother, real pretty,  just not quite as big,” Riddle noted. “None of them are totally easy to train, but she’s been pretty easy and just a good filly.

Dear Gussey is a half-sister to 8-year-old BR Juney Boon, earner of $101,498 and 6-year-old Peptastic, winner of $56,142.

Special Nu Baby, out of the great performer Nu I Wood ($405,302 NCHA), increased her career earnings to nearly $90,000 with her Tunica title. Owned by Gary and Shannon Barker, Marietta, OK, the Dual Rey daughter was an NCHA Futurity finalist (13) and placed third at the Abilene Spectacular.

Click here for complete results along with pedigrees.