NCHA Horse of the Year Shakin Flo, one of cutting’s most memorable performers, died Monday night, moments after foaling at Heart Ranch, Petaluma, CA, the home of her owner, Sandy Bonelli. The foal, a filly sired by Smooth As A Cat and named Flo Get Me Not, is being fed goats milk, until a surrogate can be located.

Sired by Mr Peponita Flo out of Shakin Cee, by Colonel Freckles, Shakin Flo was bred by Ken Hill of Placerville, Calif.; started on cattle by Jason Clark; and trained for the NCHA Futurity by Bonelli, who purchased her from Hill as a 2-year-old.

Bonelli won the 1997 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity aboard Shakin Flo, the first of 18 limited age event championship wins, seven in the open division, including the 1998 NCHA Derby. Altogether, the diminutive (14.1 hands) bay mare won seven major events in 1998, which earned her the title of NCHA Horse of the Year.

Shakin Flo closed her limited age event career at six with official NCHA earnings of $417,909, despite having been laid up to recover from colic surgery, as well as with a bout with rhinopneumonitis.

“She is so gritty and quick and smart about a cow,” said Bonelli, following Shakin Flo’s last championship win in Fort Worth – the 2000 Non-Pro Classic Challenge. “And she’s just like a little dog. She’s extremely spoiled, but I love her like that and that’s okay with me. I enjoy spoiling her.”

Shakin Flo has produced seven NCHA money earners with a total of $542,724, including Shakin Rondee LTE $283,359 and Midnight Rondeevous LTE $118,698, both sired by Smart Little Rondee, who was bred by Bonelli out of Bella Coquette, Bonelli’s 1989 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity champion.