NCHA News

Deluxe Checks, ridden by Austin Shepard. Hart Photography.

Deluxe Checks and Austin Shepard won the Mercuria NCHA Open World Finals and set a new record for earnings to take the World Championship as well Saturday evening in Fort Worth’s Watt Arena.

At the World Finals, Deluxe Checks strung together scores of 233 / 233 / 228 / 219.5 / 913.5, the third highest cumulative score in World Finals history. She earned $23,777 at the show, which gave her a season’s total of $146,977. That eclipsed the record of $142,346 established by 2015 World Champion Special Nu Baby.

Deluxe Checks, by Im Countin Checks out of Catrina Starlight, is a 6-year-old mare bred by Kyle Manion and owned by Amanda and Rhien Standish of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who purchased her for $34,500 at the 2012 Western Bloodstock Futurity Sales.

The World Champion’s family have enjoyed success in Fort Worth. Catrina Starlight was fourth in the 2008 Non-Pro NCHA Derby with Lach Perks, and an Open Derby finalist with Bruce Morine. Second dam, Stella Starlight, won the 2000 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity with Perks, and placed fifth in the Open with Morine.

This year, Deluxe Checks won the West Texas Championship and the Mercuria NCHA World Series at Congress, in addition to the Open and $25,000 Novice titles at the NCHA Eastern Nationals last spring. She was also a Mercuria World Series finalist at Augusta, Houston and the Mane Event in Las Vegas, and a limited age finalist at Augusta, the Breeders Invitational and West Texas Classic.

Her career earnings top $279,000 now.

Austin Shepard, who won the 2011 NCHA World Championship on Bet Hesa Cat, is an NCHA Hall of Fame Rider with $7.1 million in career earnings. He has also qualified two horses, Dual Reyish and CR Dualin Tuff, for next Saturday’s NCHA Futurity Open semi-finals.

Eazee E, owned by Kevin and Sydney Knight and ridden by Tatum Rice, is the Reserve World Champion with earnings for the year of $112,702. This is the first time both the World Champion and Reserve World Champion in the Open division have topped $100,000.

Metallic Rebel, owned by Thomas Guinn and shown by Beau Galyean, is the World Champion Stallion of 2017.

Little Pepto Cat, owned by Jim Milner and shown by Cullen Chartier, is the World Champion Gelding of 2017.

Lauren Middleton on Sweet Reyvenge.

Lauren Middleton of Weatherford, Texas, won the Non-Pro Mercuria NCHA World Finals with a half-point win in the non-working finals, 882 to April Widman’s 881.5. With running scores of 215 / 225.5 / 228 / 213.5 / 882, Middleton earned $18,105 at the show.

Sweet Reyvenge was bred by Bobby and Francie Butler and is owned by Middleton’s parents, Dr. Robert and Debbie Middleton. The 9-year-old gelding is by Reys Dual Badger out of Sweet Camille, by Chicks Achy Braky. He has now earned more than $164,097 in his career.

Middleton and Sweet Reyvenge will also be recognized as the top Non-Pro riding only one horse for the season.

Non-Pro World Champion April Widman of Weatherford, Texas, finished the year with earnings of $122,375. She earned money at 104 shows during the regular season, riding her World Finals mount, Woodys Baby, and That Sly Bob.

Kylie Rice of Weatherford, Texas, is the Reserve World Champion with $103,896 earned on Snap Crackle Cat, Lookin Likya Like, and her World Finals mount, Dual Lights.