Ashley Galyean wins Non-Pro Classic

Ashley Galyean, Fort Worth, Tex., scored 222 points riding Buonvino, by Metallic Cat, to win the 2021 Ike Hamilton Non-Pro Classic, in West Monroe, La., on Thursday, February 4.  Elizabeth Quirk, Denham Springs, La., who scored 224 points aboard Ireydescent in the 24-horse qualifying go-round, claimed the Non-Pro Classic reserve championship with 216 points in the finals. Galyean and Quirk earned $7,041 and $5,511, respectively, in the finals, and Galyean and Buovino also won the $1,568 Gelding division.                             

Both Buonvino LTE $124,181 and Ireydescent LTE $101,644 have claimed previous success in Ike Hamilton Derby & Classic Open competition, as well. Five-year-old Buonvino, by Metallic Cat, was reserve champion of the 2020 Ike Open Derby under Beau Galyean, and 5-year-old Ireydescent, sired by Dual Rey and shown by Adan Banuelos, placed fourth in the 2020 Ike Open Derby and won the 2021 Open Classic championship.

Ashley Galyean, the NCHA earner of $479,395, also won the 2019 Cotton Stakes Futurity Non-Pro riding Lourdes LTE $54,688, by Metallic Cat, and the 2019 PCCHA Cutting Stakes Non-Pro Intermediate on The Dewd LTE $124,121, by Metallic Cat. The Dewd is a full brother to Warlock LTE $127,615, who Beau Galyean showed as a finalist in the 2021 Ike Hamilton Open Classic and as Open champion of the 2019 PCCHA Cutting Stakes.

Elizabeth Quirk, the NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame earner of $1,176,671, showed Ireydescent as reserve champion of the 2020 Brazos Bash Non-Pro Derby, where she also won the Non-Pro Classic riding Candi Cat LTE $126,448, by High Brow Cat. Quirk showed Ireydescent to place third in the 2020 NCHA Non-Pro Derby, as well. She was reserve champion of the 2018 Ike Derby riding Catillac Reys LTE $233,452, by Metallic Cat.

Quirk is a two-time NCHA Non-Pro World Champion (2018 and 2020) and was reserve champion of the 2020 NCHA Non-Pro World Finals riding Reystylin Smooth LTE $280,382. Her husband Todd Quirk also showed the Smooth As A Cat gelding to win the 2020 Ike Hamilton Non-Pro Classic, where Elizabeth was reserve champion on Dressedin Smartstyle LTE $170,416, by Dual Smart Rey.

The 2021 Ike Hamilton Derby and Classic continues through Sunday, February 7.

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