NRHA Derby


McCutcheon Wins Her 7th NRHA Derby Championship


Contributed Courtesy NRHA, Photography by Waltenberry


Draw 18, in a field of 32


riders in the second section of the NRHA Non Pro Derby finals, Hollywood Starburst ‘burst’ into the Jim Norick Arena with NRHA Two Million Dollar Rider Mandy McCutcheon in the saddle. The score to beat was the 221.5 posted by past NRHA Non Pro Derby Champions Dr. Bill Rhoads and Mega Maggie Mae. The NRHA Hall of Famer riding the 4-year- old mare by NRHA Six Million Dollar Sire Hollywood Dun It and out of Chic Olena Starbuck nailed each and every maneuver requested by NRHA pattern 10 and, once the duo had closed their run, a 224 appeared on the score board and remained unbeaten. “Our run tonight went well from the


start, and I could not have asked her to be any better,” said Mandy McCutcheon. “My husband rode her as a 3-year-old, and my dad rode her a little this spring. Debbie Brown – who trains for us – really put in a lot of time into her in the past two months and really helped me figure her out. I had a pretty good run on her in Tulsa, but not so good a run at the NRBC. We put our heads together to figure out what links were miss- ing, and it worked!” Bred, nominated, and raised by Sarah


Willeman of Turnabout Farm Inc., Hol- lywood Starburst was born at Mandy and Tom McCutcheon Reining Horses in Au- brey, Texas. “Tom actually sold her to one of our customers last year and showed her at the NRHA Futurity, where he had a lit- tle trouble with her,” added McCutcheon. “This past Spring, we bought her back and sold a couple of horses at the futurity last fall so that we could have a spot for her. It’s hard to go wrong with a good Dun It mare!” Past NRHA Non Pro Derby champi-


ons and current go-round leaders, Dr. Bill Rhoads and his 5-year-old mare nominated by Martin Bonneson, Mega Maggie Mae (Magnum Chic Dream x Cinco De Mega), settled for co-reserve honors. “I was un- fortunate to draw first tonight, but she was awesome for me, and I couldn’t have asked


10 SouthWest Horse Trader August 2017


McCutcheon & Hollywood Starburst


Mandy


for more,” Rhoads said. Tying for reserve honors with Rhoads


was Sandra Bentien of Auburn, California, riding Gotta Twist It Up (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Make It With A Twist). The 4-year- old mare is owned and was nominated by Bentien.


The Other Champions Stephanie Gripp of Sheffield, Illinois,


qualified her 5-year-old AQHA and APHA double-registered mare Gun N For Glory (Gunner x Dun It For Chex), nominated by Oldenburg Farm LLC, in all four levels of the Non Pro Derby. With a 219 score, the 16-year-old left the pen with the Level 3, 2, 1 and Youth Non Pro Derby Champi- onships! “This is amazing…if I can put words to it. This was the first time I made it to the level 4 finals, and it’s simply unbe- lievable,” said Gripp. “My score was held for a little bit, so I was panicked a little bit and couldn’t breathe. When they finally an- nounced my score, I was just thrilled. I was very happy with how my horse did, and I’m very thankful to have her.” Laura Anne Bell Parker riding George


and Carol Bell’s Shirley Your A Tag (Whiz N Tag Chex x Pines BH), nominated by Lance Griffin, and Kara Gray Frye riding her Juice N Silk (Smart Like Juice x Silk N Sable Pine), nominated by Jim Irwin, tied for reserve honors in the L3 division. Both scored a 216.5. Earning the reserve championship in


the L2, L1, and Youth divisions were Cod- ed N Karma (Electric Code x Whiz N Snap) and Raeanna Thayn. The 6-year-old geld- ing is owned by Robert and Robbin Thayn and was nominated by Couture Reiners. The duo scored a 218 for the titles.


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