No pussy-footing for Dualin Cats Merada yesterday. After the first two horses zeroed out of the first set of the day, The Cats Merada daughter and trainer Geoffrey Sheehan rode in on the fourth draw and marked 220 points, the high score from two days of competition.
“The cows that we picked were supposed to be good and they were,” said Sheehan, who sealed the score with a two-cow run.
“I’ve liked her all along, but I’ve just had some bad luck on her. I showed her at the Futurity and went out in the first round.”
Sheehan won the 2009 NCHA Futurity Open Limited with 222 points on JoJo Boon, the horse that Kory Pounds showed yesterday to earn 218 points.
Both Dualin Cats Merada, owned by Cal and Debbie Sanders, Camden, AR, and JoJo Boon, owned by Steve Anderson, Victoria, TX, belonged previously to Hope Mitchell (Cats Dualin Merada through Justice Farms, owned by Mitchell’s father, Arlis Justice, and JoJo Boon, who was bred by Mitchell).
Sheehan, 24, learned to cut from fellow Aussie native Graham Amos, before going to work for Justice Farms six years ago. The Futurity Limited title was his first major win.
Sheehan shows Miss N Wood and Bobs Freckle Pepto in today’s fourth and seventh sets, respectively.
Spoonful Of Seahorse
Spoonful Of Seahorse, owned by Bobby and Lori Gale, Conway, SC, marked yesterday’s second-highest score of 219 points. The Hes A Peptospoonful daughter was ridden by Skip Queen, midway through the sixth set.
“I only cut two cows, but they were ones that we had watched,” said Queen. “I had a chance to get off my second cow, but I only had fifteen seconds left and I knew I couldn’t get another one cut, so I stayed with it.”
Spoonful Of Seahorse and Queen placed tenth in the recent Arbuckle Mountain Derby and took reserve in the novice division of the same event.
“I’ve had a tough time getting her shown,” said Queen, who trained the mare for the Sanders. “She’s a real showy mare and has been very trainable, so I am excited that I was able to get her shown today.”
Bred by Tony and Lisa Langdon, Spoonful Of Seahorse is the first performer out of Playing My Style, an unshown daughter of Docs Stylish Oak.
JoJo Boon
JoJo Boon and Kory Pounds drew third to work in the fifth set of cattle.
“I had a good draw and the mare did her job,” said Pounds, who was co-champion of the 2008 NCHA Super Stakes riding Playin N Fancy Smart, owned by Slate River Ranch. Slate River is managed by John Mitchell, husband to Hope, JoJo Boon’s breeder.
“She’s a big stopper,” said Pounds. “But she’s by Peptoboonsmal and he just keeps bringing them.”
Steve Anderson purchased JoJo Boon, after he watched Geoffrey Sheehan win the Futurity Open Limited with her.
“He loved her,” said Pounds. “He made the (non-pro) finals at Augusta on her the only time that he’s shown her.”
Pounds has shown the mare once in major competition — at the Bonanza where he finished fourth.
JoJo Boon is out of Bambi Freckles, a Freckles Playboy daughter that Hope Mitchell showed to earn over $100,000, along with non-pro championship wins in the 2001 NCHA Classic Challenge and the 2001 West Texas Futurity Classic.
Millions Of Freckles, by Bodee Boonsmal, a three-quarter sister to JoJo Boon, has earned over $85,000, while half-sister Lil Ellie Mae has $42,000, and full sister Bobbie Boonsmal is the earner of $21,200.
Little Pepto Cat
Matt Gaines had already staked a claim as one of the high-scoring riders from the first day of competition with 219 points on Special Nu Baby, owned by Gary and Shannon Barker.
But yesterday, Gaines made another stake midway through the last set of cattle, with 218 points on Little Pepto Cat, owned by Bob Kingsley’s Bluestem Ranch, Weatherford, TX.
Little Pepto Cat, by High Brow Cat, is out of 2002 NCHA Horse of the Year Little Pepto Gal, the earner of $524,000, also trained and shown by Gaines.
Little Pepto Cat and Gaines placed fourth recently in the Arbuckle Mountain Derby and also won the novice division of the same event.
Kingsley, long renowned as radio broadcasting’s “Voice of Country Music,” rode Little Pepto Cat as an NCHA Futurity Limited finalist.
Gaines also scored 216.5 points on Friday with A Smooth Criminal for Roxanne Koepsell.
Reys Hot Wheels
Disappointed with his performance on Friday aboard Flo Like A Cat, the mare that he showed to win last month’s South Point Winter Derby, Tim Smith “came a cluckin’,” as the first to work in yesterday’s second set of cattle and scored 217.5 points on Reys Hot Wheels, owned by Brinkman Ranch, Lockeford, CA.
“I cut some bad cows on my good mare, so I’m glad I redeemed myself today and cut some good cows,” said Smith, who won the recent PCCHA Derby and South Point Winter Classic on Cats Full Moon for Brinkman Ranch.
Smith also scored 216 points on Friday as catch rider for Phil Rapp aboard Jerry Bailey’s Smoother Than A Cat.
Reys Hot Wheels, by Dual Rey, was trained and shown in several early futurities by Steve Schlesinger. Smith took up the reins three months ago.
“Steve is easy to follow and he did a great job training him,” said Smith. “This gelding’s been immature mentally, but he’s getting better all the time, and he’s a show horse. You work him and think, geez. But then he cuts.”