Hauling all the way from Ontario, Canada, Katherine Vanboekel conquered the Unlimited Amateur Classic Final at the 2017 Summer Spectacular.
Katherine clinched first place aboard Wendels Little Missy scoring a 221, then came seventh on Sweet EE motion with a 215.5. She took home almost $21,000 for her efforts.
She told CHTO’s Simone Cobb that her first win in a Triple Crown event was a dream come true.
Jimmy Baros from Blanco, TX won the Reserve Championship on Two Time Dual with 218.
In his first year hauling for the Worlds, Ryan Rapp from Weatherford, TX was crowned 2017 NYCHA Senior World Champion at the Summer Spectacular in Fort Worth.
Ryan came into the finals with an unbeatable 40 point lead. He rode Im Reydioactive and marked 220, & 221 in the go rounds and 219 in the final.
He told CHTO’s Ruby Cobb that he felt proud of his achievement.
Reserve Champion was Christina Huntley who rode Smart Frosty Cat.
Carol Anderson Ward was chuffed to claim her first Triple Crown event when she topped the scoreboard in the Unlimited Amateur Derby Final at the 2017 Summer Spectacular.
Riding Crafty With Cows, Carol from Rancho Murieta, CA, marked a 220, the highest score of the day across three finals.
She told CHTO’s Simone Cobb she’s enjoyed a lot of success with her horse that’s well and truly lived up to its name, with more than $200,000 in LTE.
Kadie Weeks Hermes won Reserve Champion on Reytalic just a half point behind Carol.
It was a tussle for first place in the Amateur Classic Challenge Championship at the 2017 Summer Spectacular in Fort Worth with the title being shared between Jennifer Rector from Rogersville, MO and Bella Anderson, from Victoria, TX.
Jennifer rode Smooth Reyn first out in the first set of a large final of 34 competitors to lay down a solid run of 218.
Her mare is by Smooth As A Cat out of Ruby Reyn.
Jennifer told CHTO’s Simone Cobb she felt like a rock star showing and winning her first major title in the Will Rogers.
Both competitors take home more than $7,300 in earnings for the win.
Thirteen year old Bella Anderson made cutting look easy when she showed The Reyl McCoy and matched Jennifer’s score.
The Reyl McCoy is by Dual Rey out of Cool The Engines.
Bella told CHTO’s Simone Cobb it was the first time she had ever shown the horse.
Third place went to Kim Davis on Red Solo Catt with a 217.
Despite a whirlwind schedule, Sue Christensen from Walton, NE, still managed to dominate the Amateur Derby Final at the 2017 NCHA Summer Spectacular.
Sue rode Auspicious Ruby Cat to mark 219, some four points ahead of the field. Sue and her horse, by Auspicious Cat out of Ruby Mate, took home more than $5,000 for the win.
She told CHTO’s Simone Cobb a simple yoga technique helped her relax and win her first major aged championship.
Ryan Smith won Reserve Champion on Suen Or Lator with a 215.
It was a sweet victory for four time World Champ Joe Howard Williamson when he won the Non Pro Classic Challenge at the 2017 NCHA Summer Spectacular in Fort Worth.
That’s because it’s the first time he’s won in the Will Rogers! Joe rode Miz Savanah Ichi and crept past Kristen Galyean by half a point to win with 221.5.
Miz Savanah Ichi is by Cat Ichi out of Snicker Roo. The pair won more than $16,500 for first.
Joe Told CHTO’s Simone Cobb a valuable tip he learned was to keep your horse in the middle of the pen.
Kristen won Resreve on Button Down Supercat and third was taken by Nadine Payne on Velvets Revolver who scored 220.
Jessica Feiner from Colorado made it two for two when she took out the 2017 NCHA Limited Non Pro final in the Classic Challenge at Fort Worth.
Jessica and her horse B Nimble stayed glued to their second cow to mark a 220.5 to win by more than 3 points.
The pair won the same title at the Super Stakes earlier this year! They claimed more than $9,000 for first place, taking Jessica’s total earnings to more than $175,000. B Nimble, by Dual Smart Rey, has now won more than $40,000.
Jessica told Simone Cobb she’s excited about the future of her horse which has another year in the aged events.
Reserve Champion went to Michael Kemna on Ruby Shadow Cat with a 217, and third place was taken by Ryann Packard on
Peptos Scootin Man scoring 215.5.
It was an ecstatic Kenny Platt who brought the house down when he took out the Open Derby Championship at the 2016 NCHA Summer Spectacular.
Kenny stole the show on Moms Stylish Player by marking a 228, some 5 points ahead of the field.
However, he had a nerve wracking wait before results became official after scoring a 226 with a review.
Moms Stylish Player is by Lizzys Gotta Player out of Moms Stylish Babe and owned by Robert Tregemba of Castle Rock, Co.
Kenny, who also won the Open Super Stakes Derby on the same horse, told Simone Cobb it was the greatest ride of his life!
Kenny won a massive $61,000 check for the win, taking his earnings to $1.12 million. Meanwhile Moms Stylish Player has won upwards of $200,000.
John Mitchell won his second Reserve Championship of the event scoring a 223 on MK Catts Kitty and Tag Rice took out third aboard Cutting Commander.
There was a coronation of historic proportions when Armando Costa Neto won the Non Pro Derby Final at the 2016 NCHA Summer Spectacular and became the first ever Non Pro to claim the Triple Crown title!
Armando stirred up a frenzy in the Will Rogers aboard Watch Me Whip when he marked a 223.5 to secure the win in a close final.
Armando had a gut-wrenching 20 minute wait before the win was made official after he was given a review with his initial score of 221.
Armando told CHTO’s Simone Cobb the significance of his achievement was sill sinking in.
Armando and Watch Me Whip won the Super Stakes Non Pro Derby in April and the Non Pro Futurity Championship in December last year, making him the first person to win all three major titles consecutively in that division.
The horse has now amassed some $117,000 in winnings while Armando is just $35,000 short of the million dollar mark.
The Reserve Championship went to Kyle Manion who rode A Smooth Satin Doll to mark a 220 and Ty Moore clinched third aboard Set Fire To the Reyn just a point behind.
Ryan Rapp put on an impressive display of cutting action to take out the Limited Non Pro Final at the 2016 NCHA Summer Spectacular.
Fifteen-year-old Ryan rode Tuff Julie and scored a 222, a strong six points ahead of second place.
Tuff Julie was sired by Woody Be Tuff out of the dam Missys Powder and has now won more than $35,000. Meanwhile, Ryan himself has increased his winnings to more than $54,000.
Ryan told CHTO’s Simone Cobb he’s proud to be following in his parent’s (Phil and Mary Ann) footsteps.
Teresa Padgett won the Reserve buckle on Cutting N Black with a 216, while Douglas Pritchett came third aboard Dual Glen Rey 012 scoring 214.5.
From two time NFR Tie Down Champion to Will Rogers Champion, Clay Cerny was ecstatic with his John Deere Derby win he shared with Jon Burgess at the 2016 NCHA Summer Spectacular.
Clay rode Mare E Hughes and notched up a 222. Mare E Hughes was sired by Thomas E Hughes and out of Short On Sass and is owned by Don and Kathy Boone.
It was Clay’s first major title and his first final in the famed Fort Worth arena, after just four years in cutting.
Clay told Simone Cobb about the challenges moving from roping to cutting and his excitement to keep showing his mare.
Meanwhile, Jon came out 3rd last to equal Clay’s 222 aboard Littlemak.
It really was a tale of two riders with Jon and Clay were well ahead of the rest of the field by some 5 points.
Littlemak is owned by Steve Anderson and is a Starlights Gypsy out of Justa Swingin Gal. Both Clay and Jon each took home more than $4,4000 for the win.
Jon spoke to CHTO’s Simone Cobb about his second Open Limited title in the Will Rogers.
Reserve Champion, Fons De Barbanson rode Spots Super to mark a 217, followed by Cory Deel on Shift her In Third who scored 213.5.
Kenli Marvin continued her domination of the 2016 NYCHA Senior World Championship where she held onto first place throughout the finals in Fort Worth.
Kenli rode MK Vivian to finish the year on 231 points, four points ahead of Reserve Champion Chaser Crouch.
Kenli scored a 217 and 215 in the go rounds, then a 216.5 in the final to cement her win.
She spoke to CHTO’s roving youth reporter Lance Cooper about her win and her year on the road.
Meanwhile, Lexi Slaughter has won the NYCHA Jr World Championship following the finals series in Fort Worth at the Summer Spectacular.
Despite not having a great finals, Lexi was well ahead for much of the year to finish on 147, some 25 points ahead of Reserve Champion Claire Shelton.
Lexi who rode Frecky Lena Pep plus four other horses, spoke to CHTO’s youth reporter Lance Cooper about her win.
Lane Cooper made history when he recorded the highest cutting score ever received in the Will Rogers Arena!
Lane put on a superb display of cutting when he took out the 2016 NYCHA Senior Scholarship event of the Summer Spectacular, notching up a 233!!!
He rode Holly Is Smooth.
Making this story even more interesting is that Lane is a serious roper, not so much a cutter, this being only his second show all year! Lane spoke to his brother Lance Cooper about his plans for the future.
Second place was won by Regan Plendl who marked a 225.5 on C Spot Cut, while third was shared between Blakley Colgrove riding SS Blacks Little Kitty and Marley Wood aboard Donas Suen Boon with a 224.
Meanwhile, it was a right royal showing at the NYCHA Junior Scholarship cutting when Katherine Queen took out the event on Princess And The Pea.
The pair marked a 220, and was Katherine’s first title in the Will Rogers. Lance Cooper interviewed Katherine about her winning run.
Reserve Champion was won by Jaycee Lowery riding Catarose with a score of 218.5 while Cassie Cerny on Belles N Bullets placed third just a half point behind.
Doug Pritchett was the epitome of patience persevering after winning the Unlimited Amateur Derby Championship in the 2016 NCHA Summer Spectacular.
Doug, who has been cutting since 1978, took out his first major title in the Will Rogers on Dual Glen Rey 012 by marking a 219.5.
Dual Glen Rey is a Dual Rey out of Stylish Amanda. The pair won more than $8,000 for their win over a field of 28 finalists.
From Quinlan, Texas, Doug also got a second horse, Baer, into the final. He told CHTO’s Simone Cobb it was a proud night.
The Reserve Championship was shared between Bear Davis who rode Red Solo Catt and Susan Koser on DMAC Moveslikejagger after both scored 218.5.
