NCHA Futurity 2006, TX, December 17
By NHB Reporter - Jill Holloway

Craig Thompson, riding Oh Cay Felix, was the last to enter the crowd filled arena where they put on an amazing performance! Oh Cay Felix is but one of the twelve High Brow Cat offspring to make it into the NCHA finals. Never before, in cutting horse history, have we seen so many offspring from one stallion make it to the finals, especially a prestigious event such as the NCHA 2006 Futurity.

Oh Cay Felix is a son of the phenomenal corner stone sire High Brow Cat, the cutting horse leading sire in 2005... Oh Cay Felix's dam is the wonderful producing mare Oh Cay Shorty who has LTE of $61k +. This should come as no surprise being a daughter of Shorty Lena, the 13th all time leading sire in cutting horses, with his offspring earning over $5 million.

As the crowd poured into the Will Rogers Coliseum - Ft. Worth, Texas, at 1:00 pm there were only 100 tickets left, with only sporadic seating being offered to the late incoming attendees. The finals got off to a slow start with the score of 217 being set and holding until the cattle change when Bitty Little Lena, The Silver Spoon, Spoonful Of Cheerios, Hydrive Cat, Oh Cay Felix went into overdrive!

Terry Riddle had an amazing ride on Spoonful Of Cheerios, Clint Allen topping the semi finals with Hydrive Cat with a score of 222, Clint Allen and Hydrive Cat went on to have an even better ride in the finals, with a score of 225. The crowd went wild with Hydrive Cat going head to head with the cattle with a truly amazing performance leaving it all up to the last to enter the arena, Craig Thompson, and Oh Cay Felix. After their memorable cattle selection the crowd went wild watching cutting at it's finest; horse and cattle stand off with Oh Cay Felix alert and advancing with every step. What an amazing performance for horse and rider, winning them the NCHA 2006 Futurity $250,000 and so well deserved after such a great run all week.

What was noted by many in the finals, and truly worth the mention here, is that nearly all the High Brow Cat offspring stalked their cattle and literally crept around the arena like cats stalking prey. An amazing display of cutting at its finest.

Terry Riddle making the presentation for the 2006 NCHA Horse of the Year ( Terry Strange & Darren Simpkins ) Reys Dual Badger Dual Rey x Lipshy

South Coast Futurity Classic Champion
NWCHA Ranch Festival CC Champion
Cotton Stakes Open Classic Champion
Super Stakes Open Classic Co-Reserve Champion
Bonanza Open Classic Co-Champion
Breeders Invitational Open Classic Finalist
Memphis Futurity Open Classic Champion
Abilene Spectacular Open Classic Finalist

National Horse Breeder reporter - Jill Holloway