Total Earnings: $8,720,908
Austin Shepard grew up around cutting horses and learned the tricks of the trade from his late father, trainer Sam Shepard. He knew very early that cutting was what he wanted to pursue. His parents split up when Shepard was young so he and his mother moved into the city. He was very involved in sports and in the summer he would go ride horses with his dad. He wasn’t around the horses all the time so, he said, that only increased his interest in riding.
The 2017 NCHA Futurity Final was remarkable in more ways than one. Austin Shepard won his second Futurity buckle just one week after being crowned World Champion and Dual Reyish’s owner, Billy Wolf only met both horse and trainer the night before the final.
But on top of that – Hottish, the sire of Dual Reyish, now has proven progeny from his first crop, with a Futurity winner and fifth placed finalist Just Gettin Started, ridden by Jody Galyean.
Billy’s agent, Jim Ware was there – and as always with his finger on the pulse, emphasized what a remarkable result for Hottish. Dustin Adams, the owner of Hottish told CHTO’s Simone Cobb, he excited about Hottish’s future.
What a great story! The owner of Dual Reyish, the new 2017 NCHA Futurity Champion, only laid eyes on the horse the night before he won! It was also the first time Billy Wolf met Dual Reyish’s trainer, Austin Shepard.
Billy, from Whitesboro, TX told CHTO’s Simone Cobb, he purchased the horse in May of this year on the faithful advice of his good friend and agent Don Ham.
Dual Reyish is from the first crop of Hottish foals. He’s out of Little Reylena. Austin Shepard and Dual Reyish won more than $192,000 for the win.
In the cutting world, 2017 will go down as the year of Austin Shepard.
The newly crowned Open World Champion made history when just a week later, he took out the sport’s Holy Grail, the NCHA Futurity Championship.
Austin rode Dual Reyish, from the first crop of Hottish foals, to score an unmatchable 228.
He told CHTO’s Simone Cobb he had a good feeling about his chances of winning on one of the best horses he’s ever ridden.
Dual Reyish is owned by Billy Wolf, who had only seen the horse and met Austin for the first time the night before his historic win!
Austin took home more than $192,000 in earnings for first place.
Reserve Champion went to Lee Francois who rode The Animal and marked 225.5. He won $169,000.
