August 15, 2010 • Quarter Horse News 93

LEADING SIRE

High Brow CatPhoto by John brasseaux

LEADING OwNER

Crown Ranch - Chad Bushaw

Photo by Mark thoMPson

LEADING bREEDER

Oxbow Ranch – Lindy Burch

Photo by sonny williaMs

LEADING RIDER

Matt BudgePhoto by Mark thoMPson

COntentsLEADING HORSES .......................................... 94

LEADING RIDERS ........................................... 96

LEADING NON-PROS ..................................... 98

LEADING 4-YEAR-OLDS ................................ 99

LEADING SIRES ............................................. 100

LEADING PATERNAL GRANDSIRES ..... 104

LEADING MATERNAL GRANDSIRES .... 105

LEADING DAMS ............................................ 106

LEADING SHOWS ......................................... 106

LEADING OWNER ......................................... 108

LEADING BREEDER ..................................... 109

2010 Midyear

StatiSticScUttiNG

LEADING HORSE

Im CatmanPhoto by suzanne Forrest

Unlike last year, when 2005 stallion Metallic Cat and 2005 mare Dont Look Twice clearly established themselves

as 2009’s top horses by midseason, the race to finish as 2010’s top-earning cut-ting horse remains totally up in the air heading into late summer.

Somewhat surprisingly, this year’s top two midyear money-earners, 4-year-old gelding Im Catman and 4-year-old mare LHR Smooth Jamie May, combined to earn just $5,000 during their debuts at the 2009 NCHA Futurity. Both pushed their performance pedal to the metal, starting earlier this year.

Im Catman (High Brow Cat x Cowstruck x Smart Little Lena), owned by 2008 NCHA Non-Pro World Champion rider Stephanie Haymes Roven and her husband, movie producer Chuck Roven, Los Olivos, Calif., earned $184,336 from January through June.

Im Catman got his name because Chuck Roven was working on the movie Batman Begins when the horse was born in March 2006. The horse and trainer Matt Budge, Weatherford, Texas, were certainly a dynamic duo at the NCHA Super Stakes in early spring this year. From late March through mid-April in Fort Worth, Im Catman and Budge earned $162,568 while fin-ishing as Super Stakes Open Reserve Champions with a 221.5, as Gelding Open Champions with a 223.5 and as $10,000 Novice Open Champions with a 221.5. They also earned a combined $21,707 by reaching 4-Year-Old Open finals at January’s Abilene Spectacular and at May’s Breeder’s Invitational.

Im Catman had earned just over $9,000 before his bank-breaking Super Stakes performances. Stephanie Roven guided him to the 2009 NCHA Futurity Non-Pro semifinals to earn $5,000. The horse and Budge also made January’s Abilene Spectacular Open finals.

Stephanie Roven rode Im Catman’s full brother, 1999 gelding Cow Cat 299, to the 2002 NCHA Futurity Open semifinals, plus Lindy Burch also rode him to the Open finals at the same show. Cow Cat 299 went on to earn $100,361 during his successful career as an open and non-pro competitor. Cow Cat 299 and Roven, an NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame rider, also won a 2003 Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association Derby Non-Pro title.

Largely due to her success aboard Cow Cat 299, Roven and her husband bought newborn Im Catman and his mother, Cowstruck, from Burch’s Oxbow Ranch in early spring 2006. Budge, the resident trainer at Jackpot Ranch in Weatherford, Texas, trained Im Catman from the start. The horse has always shown potential, Budge said.

LHR Smooth Jamie May and her trainer, Phil Hanson, Weatherford, Texas, didn’t earn any money at the 2009 NCHA Futurity, but started off fast in 2010. Scott Johnston, a former professional rodeo bronc rider who trains cutting horses at Slate River Ranch in

Weatherford, Texas, purchased the mare (Smooth As A Cat x Just Scarlet x Smart Lil Ricochet), bred by Tommy Manion Inc., Aubrey, Texas, and started her training.

Hanson told his longtime friend and horse training client, Lazy H Ranch owner Sherry Chamberlin, that he thought she should buy the mare just prior to the start of the 2009 NCHA Futurity. LHR Smooth Jamie May is named after Weatherford banker James May. May helped Chamberlin secure the money necessary to purchase the mare quickly, before someone else pulled the trigger on a deal.

The mare and Hanson didn’t have much luck and they did not earn any money at the 2009 NCHA Futurity, but they teamed up to make four limited-age finals and win two titles while earning a combined $158,103 during the first five

months of this year.Despite competing from an often-

unlucky No. 1 finals draw at the Breeder’s Invitational in Tulsa on May 29, LHR

94 Quarter Horse News • August 15, 2010

2010 MiDYEaR cUttiNG StatiSticS

Midyear Leading Horsesabout this section

This report is based on results of 2010 events through the end of June, researched and compiled by Equi-Stat, a division of Cowboy Publishing Group.

Results include aged events sub-mitted to Quarter Horse News, as well as results from the National Cutting Horse Association World Championship Finals, the NCHA Eastern Nationals in Jackson, Miss., and the NCHA Western Nationals in Ogden, Utah.

However, these statistics do not include results of open weekend shows approved by the NCHA or the American Cutting Horse Association, or limited-age events held in conjunction with NCHA weekend shows. These results will be incorporated into our year-end statistics and will be included in our annual cutting statistical review, which will be printed in early 2010.

The charts include horses and riders in all ages, all divisions of competition, non-pro riders and non-pro horses, 4-year-old horses and their riders, leading sires, paternal grandsires, maternal grandsires, dams, owners, breed-ers and shows. Unlike years past, there were no closed stallion pro-grams held in the first six months of 2009.

Editorial copy was written by Mark Thompson and edited by Sonny Williams. All contents and statistics in this issue are copyrighted © 2010 by Cowboy Publishing Group.

Quarter Horse News appreciates cooperation of numerous show sec-retaries and other officials of cut-ting horse events across the United States and Canada. Our goal is to report complete news of cutting horse activity as soon as possible in our semimonthly publication. Aged event results that were not received for inclusion in this report will be included in future statisti-cal reports if submitted to Quarter Horse News.

Midseason leader Im Catman and Matt Budge earned three big checks in April.

LHR Smooth Jamie May and Phil Hanson earned $158,103 and two early titles

Reys Desire and Lee Francois earned $147,086 during the first half of the year.

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Smooth Jamie May and Hanson won its Derby Open Champion’s check totaling $88,680 with a show-stopping 225 run. During mid-February, the mare and Hanson won a Derby Open title at the Bonanza Cutting in Alvarado, Texas, with a 219.5 to earn $30,756. They also placed third in the Derby Open finals at the Arbuckle Mountain Futurity in Ardmore, Okla., to earn $15,150 during late February. From late March through mid-April, they teamed up to reach the NCHA Super Stakes 4-Year-Old Open finals with four solid runs, finishing No. 13 to earn $23,517.

The No. 3 horse on the midyear earn-ings chart, 2006 stallion Reys Desire (Dual Rey x Playguns Desire x Playgun), picked up most of his $147,086 with one outstanding run. The horse, owned and bred by Pike Road, Ala., veterinar-ian H. B. “Woody” Bartlett, and trainer Lee Francois, Murchison, Texas, earned $128,436 by marking a 224 on April 16 to win the NCHA Super Stakes 4-Year-

Old Open. Reys Desire and Francois earned

$77,921 by placing sixth in the 2009 NCHA Futurity Open finals, so they picked up $206,357 at their first two Fort Worth shows. Heading into July’s NCHA Summer Spectacular in Fort

Worth, they had earned one other check, for $18,650, by tying for third at the Bonanza Cutting Derby Open in early February.

Woody Bartlett’s enthusiasm for cut-ting waned following the death of his wife, Kelley, in 2004. From 1999 through 2001, horses owned by Woody and Kelley Bartlett had earned $626,349. From 2007 through 2008, though, Bartlett earned less than $9,000 as a cutting owner. He did not earn any money as a cutting owner in 2009 until December. That’s when Reys Desire and Francois placed sixth in the Open at the NCHA Futurity to secure $77,921.

Reys Desire then pushed Bartlett’s career earnings as an owner over the $1 million mark with another finals appearance in early 2010. Bartlett earned $1,013,941 since 1994 as a cutting owner, prior to the young mare’s early April Super Stakes victory.

Francois had never worked for Bartlett until taking on Reys Desire as a 3-year-

old, largely because his mentor and friend, widely respected Weatherford, Texas, 2-year-old cutting trainer Gerald Alexander, recommended that Bartlett hire him. Before the mare’s recent suc-cess, it appeared Bartlett was easing his way out of the cutting horse business.

“I think things were kind of winding down for him,” Francois said. “I think this [Reys Desire’s success] has kind of revived him a little bit.”

Special Nu Baby (Dual Rey x Nu I Wood x Zack T Wood), a 2006 mare owned by non-pro cutters Gary and Shannon Barker, Madill, Okla., and trained and ridden by Matt Gaines, Weatherford, Texas, ranked No. 4 at mid-year with $109,229 earned. Dont Look Twice (High Brow Cat x Tapt Twice x Dual Pep) owned by Waco Bend Ranch, Graham, Texas, and trained and ridden by Phil Rapp, Weatherford, Texas, had earned $103,651 halfway through her 5-year-old season. She earned $293,227 as a 4-year-old cutter. —MT

August 15, 2010 • Quarter Horse News 95

MiDYEaR LEaDiNG HORSES ALL AGES ALL DIVISIONShorse, total, age, breeding, riders, owners, breeders1. IM CATMAN $184,336 (06g) (high brow Cat x Cowstruck) Matthew taylor budge, $184,336; reata Cutting horses llC, los olivos, Ca; oxbow ranch, weatherford, tx2. LHR SMOOTH JAMIE MAY $158,103 (06M) (smooth as a Cat x Just scarlet) Philip l hanson, $158,103; lazy h ranch of thorp inc, weatherford, tx; tommy Manion inc, aubrey, tx3. REYS DESIRE $147,086 (06M) (dual rey x Playguns desire) lee Francois, $147,086; h b dVM & deborah bartlett, Pike road, al; h b dVM & deborah bartlett, Pike road, al4. SPECIAL NU BABY $109,229 (06M) (dual rey x nu i wood) Matt gaines, $109,229; gary a & shannon g barker, Madill, ok; Crystal Creek ranch, aledo, tx5. DONT LOOK TWICE $103,651 (05M) (high brow Cat x tapt twice) Philip e rapp, $103,651; waco bend ranch ltd, graham, tx; Philip e & Mary ann rapp, weatherford, tx6. HYDUALIN CAT $94,951 (06s) (smooth as a Cat x hyadualin dolly) russ de Cordova, $65,613; ronnie rice, $29,339; russ & debbie de Cordova, groesbeck, tx; Jerry d nickell sr, aubrey, tx7. AROSESUCHACLATTER $94,137 (06M) (smooth as a Cat x Mates irish rose) armando Costa Filho, $50,358; bart i nichols, $43,779; armando Costa Filho, saopaula brazil, bz; rock Creek ranch, weatherford, tx8. MAMAS CATS A STAR $88,660 (06M) (high brow Cat x star Fillaree) Craig thompson, $88,660; Cdr Farms & rhodes Carrie, arlington, wa; live oak Partners, Park hills, ky9. WINDERADEEN WHISKEY CAT (AS) $81,261 (06M) (intricatolena x winderadeen scotch Mist (as)) Jason leitch, $81,261; Jason leitch, springsure, Qld, as; winderadeen Corporation, Collector, nsw, as10. SPOONFUL OF SEAHORSE $80,411 (06M) (hes a Peptospoonful x Playing My style) ronnie a (skip) Queen Jr, $80,411; bobby & lori b gale, Conway, sC; tony langdon, aubrey, tx11. BET HESA CAT $78,010 (06s) (high brow Cat x bet yer blue boons) austin shepard, $78,010; bet hesa Cat syndicate, Millsap, tx; oxbow ranch, weatherford, tx12. THIRD CUTTING $70,367 (05s) (boonlight dancer x Crab grass) boyd J rice, $70,367; Carl & shawnea smith, Jacksboro, tx; Polo ranch, Marietta, ok13. HARLEY $65,884 (06g) (spots hot x Cattilion) kristen n glover galyean,

$34,859; wesley galyean, $31,025; wesley galyean, Claremore, ok; tim a & sue barry, byron, il14. TWISTING PLAYDOUGH $62,790 (06M) (Freckles Fancy twist x badgers Playdough) Chad g bushaw, $62,790; Crown ranch lp, weatherford, tx; Crown ranch lp, weatherford, tx15. RASCAL CATS $59,709 (06s) (high brow Cat x keena Pep) wesley galyean, $59,709; steven Feiner, los angeles, Ca; william (billy) Martin, gettysburg, Pa16. SHES TWICE AS SMOOTH $59,005 (06M) (smooth as a Cat x dually lil Pep) Jennifer C Foland, $39,094; tatum rice, $19,911; Jennifer & Jeffrey Foland, weatherford, tx; banawien ranch & hefley, little rock, ar17. SNOW REY $58,607 (04g) (dual rey x lenas snow) Chad g bushaw, $58,607; Crown ranch lp, weatherford, tx; walton’s rocking w ranch, Mineral wells, tx18. CATLIKE KIT $57,056 (06M) (high brow Cat x billie the kit) Philip e rapp, $57,056; louis & Corliss baldwin, Fort worth, tx; Mike & Michelle Mowery, Millsap, tx19. CP JESSE CAT $55,361 (06s) (high brow Cat x Jessies starlight Ms) tommy Marvin, $55,361; lloyd & Connie baxley, georgetown, sC; bob & Patty thornton, whitesburg, ga20. AL POOCINO $53,850 (04g) (dual Pep x Capoo) Paul hansma, $42,885; Julie dvorak hansma, $10,965; Paul & Julie dvorak hansma, weatherford, tx; the Capoo interests, southlake, tx21. PARTY LIKE A LENA $52,641 (06s) (smart little lena x Peppys Playful lena) Michael Cooper, $49,141; Joe wes davis Jr, $3,500; Joe wes davis Jr, new Franklin, Mo; st nicks Pines llC, gillett, wi22. PEPTOS STYLISH MISS $49,915 (04M) (Peptoboonsmal x stylish and Foxie) John Mitchell, $49,915; slate river ranch, weatherford, tx; drake glenn & debbie & big d, napa, Ca23. THE DOCTRESS ORDERS $48,918 (06M) (dual rey x boonsmal doctress) dustin d adams, $48,918; dustin d adams, dublin, tx; dustin d adams, dublin, tx24. DUAL N AT NOON $48,520 (04M) (dual Pep x sugar dox Com) roger wagner, $37,170; Jon winkelried, $11,350; Marvine ranch llC, Meeker, Co; rock Creek ranch, weatherford, tx25. BOON TOO SUEN $47,156 (05s) (Peptoboonsmal x Meradas little sue) kobie wood, $47,156; gary rosenbach, greenwich, Ct; Frank & belinda Vandersloot, idaho Falls, id26. FINANCIAL SUGAR $46,757 (04s) (smart sugar badger x Quite the Cat) ashley

Flynn, $46,757; ashley Flynn, weatherford, tx; Mike g rutherford Jr, buda, tx27. ITAWTATHENAPUDDYCAT $46,493 (05g) (athena Puddy Cat x sr Miss Peppory) Megan g Merrill Miller, $26,250; Matt r Miller, $20,243; Matt r & Megan g Miller, Poolville, tx; Jim b bilbrey, Conyers, ga28. PLAYIN T ETTA $46,282 (06M) (tr dual rey x Playin gayetta) Christina galyean, $32,572; lloyd dennis Cox, $13,710; Christina galyean, Fort Morgan, Co; Marsha norfolk Pownall, gillette, wy29. PRIME TIME KAT $46,154 (06M) (high brow Cat x Mates irish rose) Clint allen, $46,154; ken (kenneth r) Jackson, owensville, Mo; Patrick k Fitzgerald, Paoli, ok30. CAT A REY $45,524 (06s) (dual rey x sheza smart Cat) James bradley Mitchell, $45,524; Painted springs Farm llC, nashville, tn; Painted springs Farm llC, brentwood, tn31. SMOOTH O TOOLE $44,780 (06g) (smooth as a Cat x aglows little Peppy) Jason Clark, $44,780; darren blanton, dallas, tx; Jw duncan rv trst & t Manio, , 32. WILLYS THE BOSS $43,890 (06s) (Cd lights x willy n tivio babe) dean raymond holden, $43,890; dean raymond holden, Marietta, ok; william & karlene bachelor, Murrieta, Ca33. PHILS PULL TOY $43,327 (06M) (dual Pep x times oak) leah M hanson, $39,427; Jake hanson, $2,075; Philip l hanson, $1,825; Philip l & leah M hanson, weatherford, tx; lazy h ranch of thorp inc, weatherford, tx34. PRETTY KATZ $43,039 (05s) (Pretty boy Cat x aristo katz) Julie ann wrigley, $33,061; randall lee Chartier ii, $9,979; wrigley ranches llC, weatherford, tx; Jack e & susan waggoner, bridgeport, tx35. CATS CHERRY SMOOTHIE $41,827 (06g) (smooth as a Cat x oaks sweet Cherry) Mackie hursh, $41,827; rick & deby reeves, hallsville, tx; wind river Pastoral Co Pl, Queensland, as36. ARC CATMANDO $40,261 (06g) (high brow Cat x hickorys holly Cee) Mary ann rapp, $40,261; Philip e & Mary ann rapp, weatherford, tx; arcese Quarter horses, weatherford, tx37. BOONIE TUNES $40,092 (06s) (Peptoboonsmal x shiney tari) boyd J rice, $40,092; danny Poole, texline, tx; richard M bell, Van alstyne, tx38. DUAL N TUFF $39,718 (06g) (dual rey x Cats little gal) Codie l Craighead green, $39,718; Casey & Codie l green, weatherford, tx; stephan l ralston Md, ogden, ut39. GP SCOOTER CAT $39,705 (06s) (high brow Cat x Playguns satin Cat) Jaime C

beamer, $39,705; gilbert l Porter, sandy spring, Md; gilbert l Porter, sandy spring, Md40. REYMINATE $39,082 (06s) (dual rey x amanda stargun) Paul hansma, $30,597; Christy leeth, $8,485; dub & Christy leeth, Cleburne, tx; linda M holmes, longmont, Co41. PLAYIN AT THE MALL $37,901 (04s) (Playdox x Poosmal) austin shepard, $28,033; gene Quirk Jr, $9,869; gene Quirk Jr, denham springs, la; rock Creek ranch, weatherford, tx42. SDP AL CAPOONE $37,879 (06s) (tr dual rey x Capoo) lloyd dennis Cox, $37,879; shane & Jane Plummer, Fort worth, tx; the Capoo interests, southlake, tx43. SWEET LIL SOMBRERO $37,818 (06s) (sweet lil Pepto x dandy Miss hickory) sam good, $22,861; tag rice, $14,958; sam good, Mansfield, tx; Clint Johnson, Canyon, tx44. MISS N WOOD $37,732 (06M) (nitas wood x autumn dreams) armando Costa Filho, $37,732; armando Costa Filho, saopaula brazil, bz; Vickie l reeves benedict, weatherford, tx45. JOJO BOON $37,312 (06M) (Peptoboonsmal x bambi Freckles) kory Pounds, $32,955; steve anderson, $4,357; anderson Cattle Company, Victoria, tx; John & hope Mitchell, weatherford, tx46. SPECIAL NU KITTY $36,961 (04M) (high brow Cat x nu i wood) randall lee Chartier ii, $33,700; Julie ann wrigley, $3,261; wrigley ranches llC, weatherford, tx; Crystal Creek ranch, aledo, tx47. CATS FULL MOON $36,598 (04s) (high brow Cat x darlin little dually) tim smith, $36,598; brinkman ranch, lockeford, Ca; brinkman ranch, lockeford, Ca48. SMOOTH ASA ZEE $36,390 (05g) (smooth as a Cat x zee dualy) John Mitchell, $36,390; slate river ranch, weatherford, tx; John & hope Mitchell, weatherford, tx49. LINKAFEX (AS) $35,289 (06g) (racketeer Cat x spins rebound (as)) wayne baumann, $35,289; wayne & Christi baumann, werris Creek, nsw, as; w r & C d baumann, werris Creek, nsw, as50. SMOOTH GOING CAT $35,243 (06M) (smooth as a Cat x dually lil Pep) Matt r Miller, $35,243; tommy Manion inc, aubrey, tx; banawien ranch & hefley, little rock, ar

1-50 $3,025,67051-1,516 $7,284,502GRAND TOTAL $10,310,171

Special Nu Baby earned $109,229 with Matt Gaines to rank No. 4 at midyear.

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96 Quarter Horse News • August 15, 2010

Matt Budge turned 34 on March 30 and the cutting horse trainer celebrated that

birthday in style throughout mid-April at the NCHA Super Stakes in Fort Worth.

The resident trainer at Terry Green’s Jackpot Ranch in Weatherford, Texas, since January 2006 earned $178,702 at the Super Stakes, including $162,658 with top Midyear Horse Im Catman (High Brow Cat x Cowstruck x Smart Little Lena) in 4-year-old events. Budge earned $16,134 with two Jackpot Ranch horses in the Classic Open.

Those performances helped estab-lish Budge as Equi-Stat’s Top Midyear Rider with total earnings of $268,863 through June at limited-age cuttings. That’s nearly as much as he earned in his prior top two complete years ($154,550 in 2008 and $121,194 in 2009).

“I knew we were doing good but I didn’t know we were doing that good,” Budge said after a reporter informed him exactly how much money his hors-es had earned by midyear. “It [the 2010 NCHA Super Stakes] really was one heck of a show.”

While he anticipates Im Catman continuing to do well with him in the open and with the gelding’s owner, Stephanie Haymes Roven, Los Olivos, Calif., in the non-pro during the second half of 2010, Budge hopes other horses he’s training might hit it big, too. His primary boss, Terry Green, has been great in allowing him to work with other owners and their horses while also arming him with several standout Jackpot Ranch horses, Budge said.

“This is by far my best year,” Budge said. “The Super Stakes sure helped me a bunch, but I have a tremendous set of horses, from my 6-year-olds to my 4-year-olds. I’ve just been really fortu-nate to have this set of horses and really good customers.”

Equi-Stat’s leading all-time Top Open Rider, Matt Gaines, Weatherford, Texas, ranked second on the 2010 Midyear Top Riders chart with $217,796 earned. Leading Lifetime All-Divisions money earner Phil Rapp, Weatherford, Texas, ranked a close third on the Midyear Top Riders chart with $217,572. Phil Hanson, who moved to Weatherford, Texas, full time from Prineville, Ore., in late 2009, ranked fourth with $200,445.

“All those guys are my idols,” Budge said. “I help Phil Hanson all the time [in the herd at cutting events]. I’ve helped Matt Gaines some this year and he’s helped me. Trying to beat Phil Rapp any day is hard. Just to be

in the same finals with those guys, just to have them even know I came to the cutting, is pretty cool with me.”

Chad Bushaw, Weatherford, Texas, the only non-pro among 2010’s Top 10 Midyear Riders, ranked fifth with $186,120. Crown Ranch, owned by Chad and his wife, Amie, also leads the Top Owners midyear chart. Chad earned the entire amount riding his own horses. The Morgan Stanley financial advisor handles most of his own horse

training.Bushaw, 2009’s Equi-Stat Award

winner as last year’s top-earning non-pro rider, led the Midyear list of Top Non-Pro Riders with that same $186,120 total. Lifetime Non-Pro Leading Rider Mary Ann Rapp, Weatherford, Texas, ranked No. 2 on the midyear Top Non-Pro Rider list with $135,394 and No. 11 on the over-all midyear Top Rider list.

Murchison, Texas, trainer Lee

Francois ranked No. 6 with $162,274 earned through June. That’s based largely on his Super Stakes Open vic-tory worth $147,086 aboard 4-year-old stallion Reys Desire (Dual Rey x Playguns Desire x Playgun). That horse also earned $77,921 by placing sixth with Francois in the 2009 NCHA Futurity Open finals. Reys Desire is owned and bred by Pike Road, Ala., veterinarian H. B. “Woody” Bartlett.

Leading trainers Boyd Rice, Spearman, Texas, Austin Shepard, Summerdale, Ala., Clint Allen, Weatherford, Texas, and Tim Smith, Temecula, Calif., round out the Top 10. Rice picked up $70,367 during the first half of the year aboard 5-year-old stallion Third Cutting (Boonlight Dancer x Crab Grass x Smart Little Lena). Third Cutting, owned by Carl and Shawnea Smith, Jacksboro, Texas, had earned $377,736, all with Rice in the saddle, prior to the pair’s victori-ous return trip to the NCHA Summer Spectacular in July. Third Cutting and Rice won the 2009 Summer Spectacular Derby Open to earn $138,051, then this year topped the Classic/Challenge Open for another $34,333.

Budge, 2010’s Leading Midyear Rider by a margin of more than $50,000, had topped his previous top-earning year by more than $100,000 heading into July. The trainer and Roven both plan to compete with Im Catman at limit-ed-age shows this summer and fall.

While still in his early 20s, Budge worked as an assistant cutting trainer with NCHA Hall of Fame Open Rider Pat Earnheart in Mississippi for two years. At the time, Earnheart offered Budge good opportunities and encour-agement, but upset him once with a fairly accurate prediction regarding the young trainer’s career.

“He told me, ‘You’re a good hand, but you’ll be in your 30s before you’re competitive at this,’ ” Budge recalled. “It made me really, really mad at the time. I was just livid about it. I thought, ‘Man, I’m going to do this so much quicker than that.’ ”

Budge and his wife, Betsy, cel-ebrated their seventh anniversary on June 15. They will celebrate their daughter Taylor’s second birthday in a few weeks. And through June, Budge celebrated his already top season as a cutting horse competitor at age 34. The career earner of $774,686 as a cutter, according to Equi-Stat records, earned $722,264 from January 2006 through June 2010 – at ages 30 through 34.

“He [Earnheart] sure was right,” Budge said. “There are some guys that do it quicker, but it seems like a lot of guys hit their stride in their 30s. I’m not sure whether it takes that long to get comfortable showing or whether it

2010 MiDYEaR cUttiNG StatiSticS

Midyear Leading Riders

Matt Budge

Phil Rapp

Chad Bushaw

Matt Gaines

Phil Hanson

Lee Francois

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August 15, 2010 • Quarter Horse News 97

takes awhile to get together with your training. I don’t know. Your maturity level is just better and you can keep your head on straighter. It seems like

a lot of people really hit their stride in their 30s, then a lot of them continue [to compete well as cutters] into their 60s.”

Ages of other cutters who rank among the Top 10 on the 2010 Midyear Top Riders chart are: Matt Gaines, 41; Phil Rapp, 40; Phil

Hanson, 49; Chad Bushaw, 37; Lee Francois, 38; Boyd Rice, 45; Austin Shepard, 33; Clint Allen, 36; and Tim Smith, 53. —MT

MiDYEaR LEaDiNG RiDERS ALL AGES ALL DIVISIONS

rider, total, City/state, leading PerForMers. 1. MATTHEW TAYLOR BUDGE $268,863 weatherford, tx - im Catman, $184,336; arC ruby Playgunia, $25,465; smart stylish date, $16,058; sdP tapt dancing, $10,339; Chulas Merada, $9,812; Play on lizzy, $6,322; Catarose, $5,960; lizzys gotta babe, $5,955; Pettys little lizzy, $2,792; oh stylish lizzy, $1,8252. MATT GAINES $217,796 weatherford, tx - special nu baby, $109,229; a smooth Criminal, $34,460; little Pepto Cat, $20,753; hoo rey For dreams, $17,014; Peppers stylish Cat, $14,694; little Charlies gal, $7,697; smart Moria boon, $5,452; Miladys Pistol, $5,098; that Catomine, $3,4003. PHILIP E RAPP $217,572 weatherford, tx - dont look twice, $103,651; Catlike kit, $57,056; secret spender, $14,664; toy engine, $10,250; arC Catty dual, $8,654; rock the Catsbah, $8,232; smoother than a Cat, $4,485; this kats king, $3,651; iced out, $2,792; boons Play, $1,850; swingin star Pepto, $1,140; Chili Pepper lights, $972; whiskeynadirtyglass, $1744. PHILIP L HANSON $200,445 weatherford, tx - lhr smooth Jamie May, $158,103; Pounce, $15,626; rubys royal Cd, $9,765; ellie Mae Merada, $7,496; Curly rey, $4,573; Cats tiara, $3,057; Phils Pull toy, $1,8255. CHAD G BUSHAW $186,120 weatherford, tx - twisting Playdough, $62,790; snow rey, $58,607; reylena Moon, $21,910; will you Play, $14,973; Maderas Crown, $12,903; Powdered sugar Cat, $12,788; Cats ruby, $2,1506. LEE FRANCOIS $162,274 Murchison, tx - reys desire, $147,086; war bird dog, $6,140; Mc Chiquita Catolena, $4,298; dual rock sugar, $4,000; rpl Pepto Max, $7507. BOYD J RICE $154,884 spearman, tx - third Cutting, $70,367; boonie tunes, $40,092; Peptos stylish sue, $16,565; Can you dual it, $8,910; smart Cat Moria, $6,133; smart kitty rg, $5,857; Chers smart Pepto, $2,660; dual spark, $2,150; that Pretty Cat, $2,1508. AUSTIN SHEPARD $147,969 summerdale, al - bet hesa Cat, $78,010; Playin at the Mall, $28,033; snazzy easter bunny, $20,021; Playin witha Cat, $5,576; ollies spooky Cat, $4,700; starstruck ichi, $4,533; Cats hitman, $4,348; a Peppy little widow, $2,000; a whittle widow, $7509. CLINT ALLEN $146,928 weatherford, tx - Prime time kat, $46,154; royals Magnificat, $33,504; never reylinquish, $20,675; Pretty Fletch, $15,443; stilish rey, $14,500; shady lil kitty, $13,313; sunset Color (Pt), $2,150; smart Moria boon, $1,19010. TIM SMITH $140,753 temecula, Ca - Cats Full Moon, $36,598; smoother than a Cat, $21,965; Flo like a Cat, $19,258; reys hot

wheels, $18,989; stylin roxy, $18,056; ragtime Cd Cat, $9,000; oaks on the skyline, $5,750; Peptastic, $4,455; haidas heritage, $3,375; smooth knitty kitty, $3,30711. MARY ANN RAPP $135,541 weatherford, tx - arC Catmando, $40,261; toy engine, $22,736; this kats king, $18,534; amandas little star, $14,527; smokin tap, $12,139; amanda starlena, $9,190; susie the sioux, $6,395; gracefully done, $6,232; letithappen Captains, $5,52712. JOHN MITCHELL $135,337 weatherford, tx - Peptos stylish Miss, $49,915; smooth asa zee, $36,390; boons smart Chance, $17,459; aristo twister, $13,389; Fancy lookin Cat, $7,146; sarahs super Cat, $4,573; high Playin Cat, $4,465; Pepto n Peppy, $2,00013. JASON LEITCH $129,649 springsure, Qld, as - winderadeen whiskey Cat (as), $81,261; senorslil Fire n ice (as), $17,256; winderadeen blacklabelcat(as), $14,385; yulgilbar wild Cat (as), $8,062; rackatazz (as), $7,263; smartys high Card, $1,42114. T J GOOD $119,537 Purcell, ok - trick Pepto, $34,580; bet on Merada, $34,111; high brow kwackin, $30,082; docs hickory kitty, $11,173; nQh tom Cat, $9,59215. DUSTIN D ADAMS $118,955 dublin, tx - the doctress orders, $48,918; Mh unexplainable, $29,459; kr winston, $12,465; stylin Playgirl, $11,328; Cherry Catepillar, $6,588; Palefaced hickory, $5,198; Marmolaker, $5,00016. CRAIG THOMPSON $106,410 buffalo, tx - Mamas Cats a star, $88,660; Justa Jazzy Cat, $9,899; lena Peptolena, $5,900; Justa little Mate, $1,95117. WESLEY GALYEAN $105,747 Claremore, ok - rascal Cats, $59,709; harley, $31,025; hangem Cat, $11,013; Mandalay rey, $4,00018. PAUL HANSMA $102,929 weatherford, tx - al Poocino, $42,885; reyminate, $30,597; Cats little tank, $21,262; Pud em up, $5,460; nurse Connie, $1,825; spooks smokin Cat, $90019. RONNIE A (SKIP) QUEEN JR $99,570 lipan, tx - spoonful of seahorse, $80,411; red Feather rose, $6,813; travalin tr, $6,220; Miss angel rey, $6,12620. MEGAN G MERRILL MILLER $96,484 Poolville, tx - itawtathenapuddycat, $26,250; snoop Cat, $25,565; starlight scootie, $25,277; swimmin dual, $14,392; Cabana rey, $5,00021. LLOYD DENNIS COX $93,998 Fort Morgan, Co - sdP al Capoone, $37,879; smart stingrey, $21,257; heres lookin at you, $14,592; Playin t etta, $13,710; scoot a lil Closer, $6,55922. SEAN FLYNN $93,002 weatherford, tx - herding Cats, $24,168; Cabana

rey, $18,740; Catty hawk, $18,739; smart Frosty Cat, $12,336; Candy Cat (dna), $8,120; Catmas, $6,443; reys dual Victory, $2,757; lynx of style, $1,70023. GARY GONSALVES $92,435 Millsap, tx - rey down sally, $24,836; spookys smarty rey, $24,767; spooky smooth, $22,402; Mr reymarkable, $8,058; spookys got Cash, $6,222; spookywearinstiletos, $4,000; Mecom bay roan, $2,15024. ARMANDO COSTA FILHO $88,091 saopaula brazil, bz - arosesuchaclatter, $50,358; Miss n wood, $37,73225. JAMES BRADLEY MITCHELL $79,345 thompsons station, tn - Cat a rey, $45,524; holly is smooth, $15,509; athena nuff, $11,812; Playboys lil star, $3,499; twist n smart, $3,00026. JASON CLARK $76,638 aubrey, tx - smooth o toole, $44,780; Moms stylish scoot, $18,651; tr ricochet, $4,250; indian rick, $2,481; hills rim shot, $2,326; willing wilson, $2,325; gunna getcha, $1,82527. MATT R MILLER $75,459 Poolville, tx - smooth going Cat, $35,243; itawtathenapuddycat, $20,243; Falcon Feather, $11,541; simply irreysistable, $4,432; little lap dancer, $4,00028. MICHAEL COOPER $75,243 summersville, Mo - Party like a lena, $49,141; high trinity Cat, $9,370; Make My day tr, $6,309; stylish Catofmine, $4,473; Mk Cd high roller, $3,050; yadacat, $2,000; smarter than Cat, $90029. RUSS DE CORDOVA $72,947 groesbeck, tx - hydualin Cat, $65,613; sweet lil Collette, $7,33430. KYLE MANION $71,370 aubrey, tx - a Cool smoothie, $33,673; bling bling bling, $20,396; smooth rey of hope, $12,140; ten Cents a shine, $5,16031. ED FLYNN $67,438 lipan, tx - little bow Peepto, $19,548; stylish little bow, $17,629; im divas Cat, $13,859; Cherry Chex dually, $10,901; short scootin, $5,50032. KAREN MICHELLE ANDERSON $66,867 Victoria, tx - Pantera Cat, $35,182; baba boon, $20,056; wsr the supernatural, $8,088; Purrceptive Cat, $3,54133. RONNIE RICE $63,339 grandview, tx - hydualin Cat, $29,339; dainty dual rey, $24,791; legal dream, $9,20934. CODIE L CRAIGHEAD GREEN $62,828 weatherford, tx - dual n tuff, $39,718; here to reymember, $23,10935. TOMMY MARVIN $61,340 barnsdall, ok - CP Jesse Cat, $55,361; Peek easy, $2,757; Pep in your step, $1,989; Peeka Peps Cat, $900; Mk dual Mate, $333

36. RUSS WESTFALL $58,083 los olivos, Ca - Cole d royal, $25,454; high style royal, $11,917; lil bit reckless, $8,882; lil dusty lola, $7,951; Peptos red Mouse, $3,879

37. KORY POUNDS $57,489 lipan, tx - Jojo boon, $32,955; Playin n Fancy smart, $9,406; el Cerrita, $5,808; shes too stylish, $5,687; Playn stylish lena, $3,634

38. KELLE EARNHEART $57,313 weatherford, tx - wicked stick, $29,678; badgers Perscription, $27,635

39. ASCENCION BANUELOS $56,153 Jacksboro, tx - blue dox Com, $35,027; Purr n like Magic, $12,144; Mister darth Vader, $8,982

40. CONSTANCE JAEGGI $53,119 switzerland, sw - explicit lyrics, $24,137; kool arista Cat, $18,756; dual r smokin, $10,226

41. ROGER WAGNER $52,928 weatherford, tx - dual n at noon, $37,170; dualin blue, $15,758

42. RANDALL LEE CHARTIER II $52,883 weatherford, tx - special nu kitty, $33,700; Pretty katz, $9,979; smart Moria boon, $9,204

43. KOBIE WOOD $51,587 stephenville, tx - boon too suen, $47,156; duallys Fever, $4,000; instant dual rey, $431

44. BART I NICHOLS $51,144 weatherford, tx - arosesuchaclatter, $43,779; rey boon lena, $7,365

45. KRISTEN N GLOVER GALYEAN $51,036 Claremore, ok - harley, $34,859; shady boonlight, $10,484; rio tazzy, $5,694

46. JULIE ANN WRIGLEY $50,866 ketchum, id - Pretty katz, $33,061; a little bossy, $14,545; special nu kitty, $3,261

47. PAULA ROGERS WOOD $49,358 stephenville, tx - duallys Fever, $19,421; Christys blue boon, $18,887; Cash My boon, $11,050

48. SAM GOOD $48,541 Mansfield, tx - lean on rey, $25,680; sweet lil sombrero, $22,861

49. STEVE OEHLHOF $47,829 Centerville, tx - Cr little Cat, $20,485; hay Maker, $11,781; our Magic Cat, $7,250; Cr dual smart Pep, $6,587; ichi bob Crane, $1,726

50. BONNIE MARTIN $47,602 las Vegas, nV - rubys royal Cd, $24,327; light n lindy, $18,190; Pure redwhiteandblue, $5,085

1-50 $4,920,034

51-1,114 $5,390,137

GRAND TOTAL $10,310,171

Boyd Rice Austin Shepard Clint Allen Tim Smith

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