In a Classic/Challenge Open finals stacked with talent, the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Summer Spectacular saw tons of action July 22 in Fort Worth, Texas. Ichis My Choice topped the competition in a powerful run that had the arena filled with excitement.
The finals started out strong with the first three horses marking a 222, 220 and 219. But that momentum slowed until the middle of set one, when Metallic Rebel (Metallic Cat x Sweet Abra x Abrakadabracre) and Equi-Stat Elite $3 Million Rider Beau Galyean took the lead with a 223. That held strong until the very end of the next bunch.
From the next-to-last draw, Ichis My Choice (Cat Ichi x My Little Abra x Abrakadabracre) and Equi-Stat Elite $2 Million Rider Grant Setnicka upset the flow when they marked a cool 229 to take the No. 1 spot away from the mare’s half-sibling by blood.
“I was lucky enough to have a few guys find some [good cows] for me,” Setnicka said of his run on the EE Ranches of Texas-bred mare. “She’s just a huge athlete. She has a lot of reach, a lot of stop and a lot of move. The cow means a lot to her, so she has a lot of expression.”
Ichis My Choice, who was the 2016 NCHA Open Horse of the Year after a stellar 4-year-old season, and Grandview, Texas-based Setnicka earned $20,434 for owner J Five Horse Ranch Management LLC, of Weatherford, Texas. This pushes her lifetime earnings to nearly $330,000.