AUGUSTA, Ga. - The 30th annual Augusta Futurity ended Saturday, Jan. 31, in the James Brown Arena with PHIL RAPP of Weatherford, Texas, winning the 4-Year-Old Futurity Open championship riding DON'T LOOK TWICE to a score of 228.0 and earning $30,160. The mare is owned by Waco Bend Ranch of Fort Worth, Texas.
In the same night, BARBARA BROOKS of Brentwood, Tenn., captured the 4-Year-Old Futurity Non-Pro championship riding SASS AND THE CITY to a score of 218.0 and earning $19,217. The mare is owned by Painted Springs Farm LLC of Thompson's Station, Tenn.
The largest cutting horse event east of the Mississippi offered a total purse of $760,685 with contestants coming from 27 states as well as Canada and Australia. The largest number of the 515 entries from a single state was 131 from Texas.
"This has been a really smooth running show," said Show Manager Pete May. "The dirt's been good. The cattle have been good. The judging has been sound. The Champions Challenge [new this year open to all past champions including reserve ones) was more fun than we even thought it would be, and we had more entries than we expected. I think it's a permanent event now."
May is proud the Augusta Futurity has evolved into such a major family event with so many cutters taking part with their wives and husbands and sons and daughters.
"I think they like our audiences and the hospitality of Augustans. Our staff volunteers knock themselves out to make the cutters and exhibitors feel good about being here."
During the nine-day show (Jan. 23-31), Augusta Futurity champions were crowned in seven main categories plus two events held in the same venue: the Area 18 Youth Scholarships competition featuring contestants from Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia, and also the new Champions Challenge featuring past Open and Non-Pro Augusta Futurity champions.
Detailed coverage can be found at augustafuturity.com.
HERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE WINNERS:
4-YEAR-OLD FUTURITY OPEN
CHAMPION: PHIL RAPP, 228.0, riding DON'T LOOK TWICE, owned by Waco Bend Ranch, Fort Worth, Texas.
RESERVE CHAMPION: GUY WOODS, 220.0, riding LANEY REY TOO, owned by EE Ranches Inc., Dallas, Texas.
4-YEAR-OLD FUTURITY NON-PRO
CHAMPION: BARBARA BROOKS, 218.0, riding SASS AND THE CITY, owned by Painted Springs Farm LLC, Thompson's Station, Tenn.
RESERVE CHAMPION: JASON McCLURE, 216.0, riding PANOLAS MEMORY, owned by McClure, Hayesville, N.C.
5/6-YEAR-OLD CLASSIC OPEN
CHAMPION: BRETT DAVIS, 223.0, riding GRANDPAWS PLAYGIRL, owned by Leon Lewis, Carthage, Texas.
RESERVE CHAMPION: MATT GAINES, 219.0, riding KEECHI PEP, owned by Billy Martin, Millsap, Texas.
5/6-YEAR-OLD CLASSIC NON-PRO
CHAMPION: ELIZABETH QUEEN, 223.0, riding JAZZY TOUCHE, owned by Skip and Elizabeth Queen, Lipan, Texas.
RESERVE CHAMPION: MIKE BOWMAN, 218.0, riding SAN TULE UNO, owned by Mike and Libby Bowman, Simpsonville, Ky.
$100,000 AMATEUR 5/6-YEAR-OLD
CHAMPION: SETH E. HOLCOMBE, 221.0, riding HOT N SMART, owned by Van E. Holcombe, Birmingham, Ala.
RESERVE CHAMPION: GEORGE E. MOORE JR., 216.0, riding BSR CAT owned by George and Karen Moore Jr., St. George, S.C.
$50,000 AMATEUR ANY AGE
CHAMPION: ROBBIE GALE, 225.0, riding SHORT A SHAY, owned by Gale Force Quarter Horses, Conway, S.C.
RESERVE CHAMPION (TIE): KAYLA NORRIS, 216.0, riding KUAL GUN, owned by Kayla Norris, Sumrall, Miss.
RESERVE CHAMPION (TIE): STEVE WARNELL, 216.0, riding HAIDAS GOLDEN GIRL owned by Steve Warnell, Blichton, Ga.
$20,000 NON-PRO ANY AGE
CHAMPION: TARA GAINES, 217.5, riding PATRICK LA DUAL, owned by Tara and Matt Gaines, Weatherford, Texas.
RESERVE CHAMPION: AUBREY PIGG, 214, riding A TRACK RUNS THRU IT, owned by Terry Pigg, Collinsville, Ala.,
THE CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE
OPEN CHAMPION: AUSTIN SHEPARD, 223.0, riding THOMAS E. HUGHES, owned by Austin and Stacy Shepard, Summerdale, Ala.
OPEN RESERVE CHAMPION (TIE): JOHN MITCHELL, 219.0, riding PEPTOS STYLISH MISS, owned by Slate River Ranch, Weatherford, Texas.
OPEN RESERVE CHAMPION (TIE): SKIP QUEEN, 219.0, riding SISTER CD, owned by Skip and Elizabeth Queen, Lipan, Texas.
NON-PRO CHAMPION: ELIZABETH QUEEN, 226.0, riding SISTER CD, owned by Skip and Elizabeth Queen, Lipan, Texas.
NON-PRO RESERVE CHAMPION: GLADE KNIGHT, 220.0, riding LYNX OF STYLE, owned by Glade Knight, Richmond, Va.
AREA 18 YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS
CHAMPION: PRISCILLA CRAWLEY, Unadilla, Ga., 222, riding HANANA VANA.
RESERVE CHAMPION: JESSICA BAGLEY, Taylors, S.C., 219, riding STYLISH WOOD 003.
