Kandace Stone, Dublin, Tex., scored 219 points on Friday, March 12, to win the NCHA Eastern Nationals $5K Novice Non-Pro aboard Laneys Gotta Player LTE $63,904. Missy Jean Etheridge, Corinth, Miss., claimed reserve with 217 points on Deputy Droopy LTE $51,633, while Lauren Minshall, Vine Grove, Ky., scored 216.5 points to place third with Reyz Your Chelada LTE $26,097.
Kandace Stone, the NCHA earner of $62,629, and 8-year-old Laneys Gotta Player, by Lizzys Gotta Player, have enjoyed a rewarding partnership in NCHA Eastern Nationals competition. Last year they won the $50,000 Amateur and placed third, placed third in the $25,000 Novice Non-Pro, and seventh in the $5,000 Novice Non-Pro. In 2019, they also made the finals of the $35,000 Non-Pro and the $50,000 Amateur at the NCHA Western Nationals, and additionally earned money in the finals of three 5/6 limited age events, including the NCHA Classic Challenge Amateur.
Ben Roberson also showed Laneys Gotta Player to win this year’s Eastern Nationals $25,000 Novice and place third in the Open Finals. Bred by EE Ranches, Whitesboro, Tex., Laneys Gotta Player is out of the High Brow Cat daughter Catalaney LTE $11,126, a full sister to Cat Ichi LTE $238,691, among 17 NCHA earners of over $1.4 million out of Laney Doc LTE $221,332, by Doc Quixote.
Missy Etheridge, the NCHA earner of $514,772, won last year’s NCHA Eastern Nationals Non-Pro championship on Cutting Commander LTE $105,367, by Third Cutting. This year, addition to showing Deputy Droopy as a finalist in the NCHA Eastern $5,000 Novice Non-Pro, she also showed A Star Is Borne LTE $89,272, by Boon Too Suen, and was a finalist in the $25,000 Novice Non-Pro on Boondexterous LTE $89,834, by Once In A Blu Boon; A Cat Named Johnny LTE $62,448, by Metallic Cat; and A Star Is Borne.
Four-year-old Deputy Droopy, by Once In A Blu Boon, was bred by James and Nadine Payne and is the first money earner out of unshown She Shot The Sheriff, a sibling to the earners of $561,277, including Velvets Revolver LTE $279,377.
Lauren Minshall, scored 221 points riding Lafite R Hot LTE $59,615 on Thursday, March 11, for the NCHA Eastern Nationals $25,000 Novice Non-Pro championship, and also placed third with Reyz Your Chelada, by Reydioactive. Minshall is the NCHA earner of $403,860.
To read more from Sally Harrison visit her blog at sallyharrison.com.
