The Non-Pro

Mandy McCutcheon has won the SWRHA Futurity Non-Pro the past two years, and in 2007 it was a preview of her NRHA Futurity Non-Pro Championship on Haidachino Hollywood.

This year, she earned the Non-Pro Championship with a 222 aboard Smart Scat, owned by her brother-in-law, Jim McCutcheon, Valley View, Texas.

McCutcheon, Aubrey, Texas, ended up riding Smart Scat after another of her futurity horses was injured.

“I needed a horse, and knew my brother-in-law had this mare. I’d seen her and really liked her a lot,” she said.

“We picked her up and I haven’t let him come and get her since.” McCutcheon had only been riding the black mare (Smart Starbuck x Scats Frecklefoot x Doctor Freckles) for a few weeks prior to the Ardmore show.

She earned $6,234 for the win, plus $1,024 for scoring a 224 for first in the go-round. McCutcheon also made the Non-Pro finals on Dolled Up Gunner (Colonels Smoking Gun x Mifs Doll x Mifillena), and earned an additional $407 for splitting 13th through 15th place.

In the finals, Smart Scat proved that she could be a consistent performer, McCutcheon said. “She walked in real quiet, stopped in the middle, stood there real quiet.

She waited for me both ways to turn,” she said. “When I left on the first circle I had a little issue with my hat and reached up, and I think it startled her a little.

Mandy McCutcheon showed Smart Scat to claim the Futurity Non-Pro title.

But she said, ‘OK, whatever youwant me to do, I’ll do it for you.’ That’s
kind of her attitude. I don’t have to ask her very hard. She’ll slide a long way. It’s really easy for her.”

McCutcheon plans to show Smart Scat at the NRHA Futurity, and jokingly said she going to keep the mare under her watchful eye until then. “I’m going to run her back to [my dad’s in] Tioga before Jimmy catches up with me,” she said with a laugh. Tricia Hamilton rode Whizzle For Me (Remin Whiz x JJM Sunny Delight x Bar Money Sunny) to the Reserve Championship with a 220 to earn $3,795.

“We had a good show here,” Hamilton said. “She keeps maturing. She’s quiet, easy to ride and a lot of fun.” Hamilton rode the mare to win the John Deere Futurity Non-Pro at the Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic in August, and will show her at the NRHA Futurity.