Earlier in the week, Janet Westfall, Los Olivos, Calif., won the first go-round of Non-Pro competition with 221 points on homegrown Reckless Child, by CD Royal. Yesterday, Paula Wood, Stephenville, Tex., launched the second go-round with 222 points on Donas Suen Boon.
“I don’t get to ride her very much,” said Paula, after her lockdown performance. “That’s (Kobie’s) horse.”
Kobie, Paula’s husband, trained Donas Suen Boon and showed her last week to qualify for the Open Semi-finals on Friday, December 14.
“To raise them and show them is pretty special,” said Paula, who showed Donas Suen Boon’s dam, Donas Cool Cat, to win the 2006 NCHA Non-Pro World Finals. Trained and also shown by Kobie, Donas Cool Cat, by High Brow Cat, earned over $315,100.
Boon Too Suen, Donas Suen Boon’s sire, was another Kobie Wood-trained horse, who earned nearly $250,000.
Paula also earned a cumulative score of 428 points yesterday on One Time Dona, a One Time Pepto daughter out of Donas Cool Cat.
On Thursday, Lane Wood, 16, Kobie and Paula’s daughter, won the NCHA
Paula Wood and Sandra McBride are currently tied with the high cumulative of 434 points from the Non-Pro go-rounds.
McBride, Azle, Tex., usually raises and trains her own Futurity mounts. But just as she was beginning to have doubts about the prospects for her 2012 three-year-old, Billy Martin, Millsap, Tex., brought Cactis Jack to her attention.
“Billy said he had a gelding he raised that he thought would really fit me,” said McBride. “I like a horse that has big sweepy moves and I bought him from Billy in March.
“He has really come together and feels solid, and he has a cool way of moving. He wasn’t difficult to train, but he did take a lot of work.
“Matt Budge has helped me a lot with this horse. He advises me on my training techniques and has helped me to become a better trainer of my own horses.”
Jill Peacock, Wichita Falls, Tex., scored 217 points on Friday to secure a 433.5-point cumulative going to the Non-Pro Semi-Finals on Wednesday, December 12.
“I haven’t owned him two months,” said Peacock of her mount, One Gone Cat, by WR This Cats Smart, bred by Kathleen Moore, Madill, Okla.
“I’ve been real nervous because I know he is such a nice horse. It’s good to have one like that, but it also adds pressure. But he’s so easy to ride and tries to help me every time.
“Rowdy Larson trained him and he’s done such a good job.”
Larson qualified One Gone Cat for the Open Semi-Finals, as well.
Peacock showed the stallion Woody Be Tuff, now owned by Center Ranch, as a Non-Pro semi-finalist in the 2004 NCHA Futurity.
“I’ve brought a lot of good horses here,” said Peacock. “But I was a little green, myself. When I had Woody Be Tuff I was scared to death. He was the first young horse that I had ever shown here. I would give anything to have him now.
“But we’ve had a blast with One Gone Cat and if we don’t advance any further, we’ve had a good show.”
Larson also showed One Gone Cat to tie for tenth place in the John Deere Open Limited Division last weekend, where he earned $7,461.