Bet Hesa Cat and Austin Shepard Win Congress Cutting

Bet Hesa Cat (High Brow Cat x Bet Yer Blue Boons x Freckles Playboy), the 5-year-old stallion leading this year's National Cutting Horse Association Open any-age standings, and Summerdale, Ala., trainer Austin Shepard won the Open any-age finals at the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio, with a 225 to earn $1,230, after earning a Derby Open title at Congress last fall.

Bred by Oxbow Ranch, Weatherford, Texas, and owned by a syndicate including Shepard and Owbow Ranch founder Lindy Burrch, Bet Hesa Cat has earned about $200,00 in his career, and more than $100,000 this season while competing often and well at any-age and limited-age events.

Eight-year-old mare Another Tornado Mate (Smart Mate x Hickorys Tornado Rio x Doc's Hickory) and Ernie Beutenmiller, Union, Mo., were Open Reserve Champions with a 219 to earn $983. Dan Churchill, Moline, Ill, bred and still owns the horse.

Many cutting events took place at the All American Quarter Horse Congress from Oct. 7-14 in Columbus, Ohio. Here's a brief recap.

Todd Gann
Futurity Open
CR Smart Boonsmal 2008M (Peptoboonsmal x Smart April x Smart Peppy Doc) and Todd Gann, Leighton, Ala., won the Futurity Open with 222 to earn $6,115.

The horse, owned by Bill and Mary Arnett, Sullivan, Ind., was bred and originally owned by Center Ranch, Centerville, Texas.

Derby Open

Scarlet Catdancer, a mare (Boonlight Dancer x Scarlet Cat 2000 x High Brow Cat), ridden by Randy Chartier, Marine City, Mich., and owned by Eric Vanboekel, Mount Elgin, Ontario, Can., won with a 221 to earn $6,118.

Thirty Two Cattle Co., Marietta, Okla., bred the horse.

Reserve Champion HL Bonita Boon, a mare (Blue Bayou Boon x Uno Bonita Gal x Smart Little Uno) ridden by Gabe Reynolds, Springfield,Tenn., marked a 220 to earn $4,137. Paul & Ladene Sanderson, Murfreesboro, Tenn., own the horse, bred by High Lonesome Ranch, Dallas, Texas.

Classic Open

Dulces Smart Light, a 2005 stallion (Dulces Smart Lena x Light The Stars x Grays Starlight) ridden by Gabe Reynolds, Springfield, Tenn., won the Classic Open with a 223 to earn $5,873. Owned by Dewitt Shelton, Ten Mile, Tenn., the horse previously earned $13,166.

Jason McClure
Classic Non-Pro

Tama Boon, a 2006 gelding (Dualin Boon x Playboy Tamalena x Tamulena), owned and ridden by Jason McClure, Hayesville, N.C., won with a 225 to earn $2,592. Jim Bilbrey, Conyers, Ga., bred the event champion.

Reserve Champion SB Rey Charles, another 5-year-old gelding (Dual Rey x Ellen Oak x Doc's Oak), owned and ridden by Clint Pace, Winchester, Ky., finished a close second with a 224 to earn $2,592. Stephen Paul Bergeron, New Roads, La., bred that horse.

Derby Non-Pro

McClure, Hayesville, N.C., and his mare Freckles Meow (High Brow Cougar x Docs Berry Freckles x Freckles Playboy), also won this event with a 217 to earn $3,317. Berger Ranches Inc., Houston, Texas, bred the horse.

Reserve Champion Lauren Minshall, Hillburgh, Ontario, Can., guided Little Sweet Spot (Spots Hot x Macs Little Dolly x Quixote Mac), to a 214.5 worth $2,343. Lauren's parents, Shawn and Lisa Minshall, Hillsburgh, Ontario, Can., own the horse. DMI Land & Cattle, Chesterfield, Mo. bred the Reserve Champion.

Futurity Non-Pro

Champion Ima Shorty Dancer, a 2008 gelding (Boonlight Dancer x Ima Shorty Lady x Shorty Lena) owned and ridden by Gwen Gibson Eckerson, Lumberton, N.C., advanced with a first-go 218 and won with a final-round 215 to earn $3,453. Breeder and original owner Jarrett Callahan, MC Connells, S.C., sold the horse to Eckerson in mid-June.
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Reserve Champion XL Levis, a gelding (Smart Little Levi x Travlin For Mo Money x Travalena) that marked a final-go 212, earned $2,126. Owned and ridden by John Logan, Harbor Springs, Mich., the horse bred and originally owned by Chocola LLC., Harbor Springs, Mich., ended up with Logan following an August transaction.

$2,000 Limit Rider

Trisha Stanek, Miss., a prior winner of $523 as a cutter, topped that by winning $564 with a 219 aboard 1998 mre Olena Peppy Command Miss N Command x Olena Pep x Peppy San Badger), a prior career earner of $96,618.

Vick Etheridge, Corinth, Miss., owns the horse, Horse bred by Ellison P. Carter, Santo, Texas.

$3,000 Novice Horse

Pepto Jaz Olena, a 2005 mare (Chromesmal x Jets Easter Peppy x Peppy San Badger) and Walt Erwin, Cleveland, Ga. won with a 220 to earn $1,282. Two duos tied as Co-Reserve Champions with 218.5 efforts. Don & Judy Robinson, Hartsville, Tenn., bred the horse.

$5,000 Novice Horse

SB Rey Charles, a 2005 gelding (Dual Rey x Ellen Oak x Doc's Oak) and Clint Pace, Winchester, Ky. were Co-Champions with a 222 to earn $1,201. Stephen Paul Bergeron, New Roads, La., bred the horse.

Freckles And Braces, a 2006 mare (Bobs Freckles x Squirrel Tooth Alice x CD Olena) and Scott Chartier, Marine City, Mich., were Co-Champions with a 222 to earn $1,201. Slate River Ranch, Weatherford, Texas, bred the horse

$15,000 Amateur

Gerda Williams, Bakersville, Va., and Bob Somebody, a 2003 gelding (Somebody Smart x Tweetie Doc x Bob Acre Doc), won the event with a 221 to earn $538.

Two horses and riders tied as Co-Reserve Champions with 215.5 s. Albert Wollenberg, Jr., Fulton, Calif., bred Bob Somebody.

$10,000 Novice Horse

Royals Magnificat, a 2005 gelding (High Brow Cat x CD Royalty x CD Olena) and Austin Shepard, Summerdale, Ala., were $10,000 Novice horse Champions with 226 to earn $1,218.

Royals Magnificat is a prior $143,961 career earner owned by Terry and Catherine Pigg, Collinsville, Ala. Dave and Georgia Husby, Weatherford, Texas, bred the horse.

Smart Little Corona, a 2003 gelding (Kit Playboy x Play Me Corona x Corona Quixote) and Randy Chartier, Marine City, Mich were Reserve Champions with a 223. Bob Baker, Cleveland, Texas, bred the horse.

laurenminshall
Lauren Minshall
$15,000 Novice/Non-Pro

Fraggle Rocks, a 2005 mare (Duals Blue Boon x Miss Tassa Lena x Smart Little Lena), bred and owned by Shawn & Lisa Minshall, Hillburgh, Ont., Can., and ridden by their daughter, Lauren Minshall, won with a 221 to earn $1,618.

Two horses and rider tied as Co-Reserve Champions with 220s.

$35,000 Non-Pro

Snazzy Easter Bunny, a 7-year-old mare (Smart Sugar Badger x Oh Cay Shez Snazzy x Oh Cay Quixote) bred and owned by Mike & Libby Bowman, Simpsonville, Ky., and ridden by their daughter, Page Bowman, won with a 224 to earn $578.

Page Bowman
Page Bowman and Snazzy Easter Bunny were also Junior Youth Champions with a 220.

Two horses and riders tied as $35,000 Non-Pro Co-Reserve Champions with 220s.

$50,000 Amateur

Cory Lowery, Gardendale, Ala., and JM Sky Mate, a 9-year-old mare (Smart Mate x Sky Why x Gallo Del Cielo), won with a 220.5 to earn $1,283. Matthews Cutting Horses LLC, Warsaw, N.C., and Weatherford, Texas, bred the horse.

Reserve Champion Matthew Dedden, Burlington, Ky., and A Cat Named Sue, an 11-year-old Paint gelding (High Brow Cat x Merada Hickory Sue (PT) x Freckles Merada) finished with a 219 to earn $1,027. They were also Junior Youth Reserve Champions. Larry & Jane Bylo, Sullivan, Mo., bred the horse.

Senior Youth

Nico Del Serro, Bethlehem, Pa., and Cats Gotta Merada, a 9-year-old mare (High Brow Cat x Meradas Ginger Boon x Freckles Merada) won with a 219.5 to earn $164. Lakeside Ranch, Edmond, Okla., bred the horse.

Reserve Champion Zoe Woodland, Orient, Ohio., and 1998 gelding Quixote Soxs (Freckles Floyd x Lots Quixote x Holidoc) finished a close second with a 219.