The first go-round of 2020 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro competition concluded on Monday, November 30, with Elizabeth Quirk, Denham Springs, La., leading the way to the second go-round with 225 points. A score of 209 or higher was required for Non-Pros to advance, and 210 for Non-Pro Limited riders.

Monday’s high-scoring rider was Steven Feiner, Aspen, Colo., with 221 points on Aftermath, sired by Metallic Cat and owned and bred by SMF Cutting Horses LLC. Megan Johnsrud, Weatherford, Tex., earned 220 points, the day’s second-highest score, aboard Little Woody Gal, sired by Woody Be Tuff and bred by Bluestem Ranch.

Steven Feiner, the NCHA earner of $363,689, was a 2014 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro Limited finalist riding Button Down Supercat LTE $285,048, by Dual Rey, and Cowcat 511 LTE $131,940, by Metallic Cat. But his greatest success in Fort Worth came riding Aftermath’s dam, Lil Rattler LTE $338,873, to win back-to-back Non-Pro championships in the 2014 and 2015 NCHA Super Stakes Non-Pro 5/6 Classics, and to claim the Non-Pro reserve championship of the 2015 NCHA Summer Showdown.

In addition to Aftermath, Lil Rattler has close ties to two other high-scoring horses from the 2020 Non-Pro first go-round, including Elizabeth Quirk’s go-round winner Cinca Cat. Sired by High Brow Cat, Cinca Cat is out of Cinca Im Hot LTE $259,169, whose dam, Cinca De Maya LTE $106,341, is a full sister to Lil Rattler, as is Coureygous LTE $118,406, the 2019 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro champion with Kristen Galyean.

Super Fein, by Dual Rey out of Highbrow Supercat, with 222 points in the Non-Pro first round under Kylie Rice, is a full sister to Lil Rattler, Button Down Supercat, Coureygous, and Cinca De Maya, as well as nine other money earners.

Megan Johnsrud, the NCHA earner of $266,852, an NCHA Futurity Non-Pro semi-finalist last year on Lil Bagheera, by Lil Catbaloo, was also a 2019 Non-Pro finalist, and placed fifth in the Non-Pro Limited, riding Smooth Billie LTE $69,885, by Smooth As A Cat.

Little Woody Gal, out of 2002 NCHA Open Horse of the Year Lil Pepto Gal LTE 490,951, is half-sister to 21 NCHA earners of $1,249,229, including Little Pepto Cat LTE $649,116. 

The NCHA Futurity Non-Pro second go-round begins on Tuesday, December 1 and concludes on Wednesday, December 2, and the Limited Non-Pro Finals will begin at 12:00 pm, Wednesday, December 9, followed by the Rio of Mercedes Amateur Finals.

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