On October 25th Mandy McCutcheon gave birth to her second child, a daughter, Carlee Marie. On December 2nd, Mandy brought three three-year-old reining horses to the Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity Finals in Oklahoma City. She tied to win the clean slate finals, and then won the event in a runoff. You might say Mandy McCutcheon knows how to “cowgirl up.”
It was Rawhides Banjo (Dunit Rawhide x Barb A Cita) owned by her father Tim McQuay that carried Mandy to this year’s Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity championship after the runoff with Kristi Locatelli on Robert Locatelli’s Imacockadoodledude. Mandy, NRHA’s All Time Leading Non Pro Money Earner, acknowledged the expertise of Locatelli, noting that she was anxious about a runoff after watching Kristi’s first run. Locatelli does know her way around a show pen, despite the fact she had NRHA Lifetime Earnings of only $561.38 prior to the NRHA Futurity.
In third place was Ginger Schmersal riding Blazing In Black (Rowdy Yankee x Topsail Blaze), owned by Ginger and her husband Craig. Ginger was just half a point off of the winners with a 216.5. Tish Fappani earned fourth place aboard her Lean Olena (Lean With Me x BR Little Badger). Rounding out the top five were two past Non Pro Futurity Champions - Dr. James Morgan, DVM, riding his Shesa Smart Sister (Hesa Smart Chic x Wild Sister) and Nelle Murphy aboard her KR Scoot N Slide (Tejons Peppy Doc x Scootin Little Lady).
Kristi Locatelli’s score of 217, four and a half points higher than the rest of the field, also earned her the Futurity’s Intermediate Non Pro Division win aboard Imacockadoodledude (Gallo Del Cielo x Taris Velvet). She went home with $42,207.13 added to her NRHA Lifetime earnings. Kristi also tied for fifth place in the Limited Non Pro Division, which is based on the composite score of the first to qualifying go rounds.
Tied for the Intermediate Non Pro’s reserve spot were Justin Zimmerman riding Vaughn Zimmerman’s Skeets Lil Hollywood (Skeets Peppy x Marly Kilo Jac) and Nelle Murphy on KR Scoot N Slide. Charlie Wiederholt earned fourth place honors on Smokin Rooster (Gallo Del Cielo x Mahoganys Smoke) owned by Charles and Cheryl Wiederholt and also placed seventh in the Non Pro Finals. Rounding out the top five was Sarah Johnson on Burdette Johnson’s Smart As A Bug (Sailing Smart x Dottie Do Alot) who also tied for eighth place in the Non Pro Futurity.
The Limited Non Pro Champion was Kyle Johnson riding his Reeboks Rerun (Reeboks Kid x Workmans Fisty). Kyle’s 426.5 composite score earned him the $5,000 first place paycheck. The pair also placed ninth in the Intermediate Non Pro Division. Matthew Armenta earned second and third place paychecks in the Limited Non Pro Division aboard his Sweet Magnum Dream (Magnum Chic Dream x JS Sweet N Low) and Smarty Montana (Hesa Smart Chic x Montanas Playgirl), respectively. Riding Smarty Montana, Armenta tied for seventh place in the Intermediate and 11th in the Non Pro Finals. He was 15th aboard Sweet Magnum Dream in the Intermediate Non Pro and 24th in the Non Pro Division. Sandy Day rode her ICR Topp Sailor (ICR Sailor x Pavos Peppy Topps) to tie for fourth place with Kristi Locatelli and Imacockadoodledude. Sandy and her mount also earned money in the Intermediate Non Pro Finals.
Non Pro Prime Time
Bernie Paetzel bested the rest of the field to earn the Prime Time Non Pro championship riding his Toriana Dun It (Mr Tori Kid x Dunits Reining Heir) with a composite score of 431. In reserve was Charlie Wiederholt on Smokin Rooster, followed by Dr. Jim Morgan on his Shesa Smart Sister. Thomas Moffit was fourth riding his SLJ Authentic Juice (Smart Like Juice x Suga Lou) and David Silva earned fifth place on his Great Hollywood Pine (Hollywood Dun It x Stoppin Pine).
Non Pro Gelding Incentive
Taking first place in the Non Pro Gelding Incentive award was Quincy Cahill Allen on The Dualster (Mister Dual Pep x Nicacheka), which she owns with her husband Dustin. Kyle Johnson on Reeboks Rerun and Charlie Wiederholt riding Smokin Rooster were second and third, respectively. Tied for fourth place was Jose Vazquez at the reins of SLJ Afterdinnerjuice, owned by Smart Like Juice, Inc., and Tish Fappani and her Lean Olena.
It was fitting that as we celebrated the Futurity’s 40th Anniversary, past Non Pro Futurity Champions and newcomers alike made their presence known. There was a great celebration and great competition in all divisions of the Cinch NRHA Non Pro Futurity.
