Riding Metallic Smart Cat, Megan Miller of Poolville, Tex. scored 229 for an eight-point win in the second round of the NCHA Non-Pro World Finals on Sunday, November 29, in Fort Worth’s Watt Arena.

Katherine Whitby placed second with a 221 on Dual Rider, while Ali Good was third with a 220.5 on Cat Atat Cat. Elizabeth Quirk, riding Reystylin Smooth earned sixth-place money with a 218.5, which was enough to give her an unbeatable lead in the race for the year-end World Championship.

Megan Miller, who was inducted into the NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame in 2010, has lifetime earnings of $1,252,260. She’s a two-time winner of the NCHA Super Stakes (Itawtathenapuddycat in 2009 and Carolena Reyn in 2018) and Super Stakes Classic (Travs Scooter, 2009 and Carolena Reyn, 2019).

Metallic Smart Cat LTE $203,447, her only World Championship mount for 2020, was bred by Cynthia Villa, by Metallic Cat out of Smart Jerri Lee LTE $52,721. Smart Jerry Lee has produced earners of $399,538, including Smartlee As A Cat LTE $64,284.

Katherine Whitby of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. rode Dual Rider to the NCHA $5,000 Novice Non-Pro World Championship last year. She has career earnings of $68,053 and she and Dual Rider were finalists in two legs of the popular Way Out West Series this year.

Dual Rider is a 9-year-old gelding bred by the late Skip Jacques, by Flo Rider out of Bella Dual. Bella Dual’s dam, Santa Belle, was a Top 5 Open horse in 1993 and has produced earners of $776,000.

Elizabeth Quirk, who tied with Megan Miller to lead the first round, secured her 2020 World Championship with Sunday’s $1,931 paycheck. With her 2018 World Championship, she will join Mary Jo Milner, Carol Rose and Debbie Patterson as women who have won more than one NCHA Non-Pro World Championship.

To read more from Sally Harrison, visit her blog at sallyharrison.com.