September 27, 2002 – Reno, Nevada – Mike Miller of Big Piney, Wyoming, rode
Playboys Buck Fever, a buckskin stallion by Freckles Playboy out of Tsarina
Chexanic, to a score of 221.5 in the Non Pro Cow Work Preliminary class
today. That marking gave him a 656.5 point composite and he leads the field
of fifteen finalists who will match up in the Non Pro finals next Friday.
The Non Pro winner will receive $40,000.
Close on his heels is last year's champion Joanne
Carollo of Atascadero, California riding TF Montalena, by Folks Montaluc out
of Peps Sissy Lena. Joanne has been solid thoughout the competition, and
finished with a score of 651. It's been a great week already for Joanne who
won the Non Pro Hackamore Class on Wednesday night aboard her 2001 Futurity
Champion, Plan to Win.
Finishing in the third and fourth place slots on her two
mounts is another consistent performer and former champion, Dema Paul. The
Scottsdale, Arizona Non Pro rode Melvin D Brook (Plain Brooksinic X Colonels
Lil Winner) to a composite score of 649.5 - just a half point ahead of her
other mount, Primos Bob Acre (Teninas First X Bob Acre Angeliena).
Rounding out of the top five was former champion Anne
Reynolds of Hammett, Idaho, on Hickory McClain (Docs Hickory X Shirley
McClain), with a 648.5 total.
Leading the ten $50K Limited Non Pro finalists will be
Joe Putnam of Woodside, California on Blarneys Award (Lenas Award X
Pepermint Gold) with a composite score of 645.5.
The Amateur Champion of the Futurity (decided by the
preliminary round) is Terry Christiansen of Snohomish, Washington on TC Lena
by Lenas Wright On out of Sugari Colonel. Christiansen marked 213, 221, and
210 for a composite of 644 to claim the Amateur title.
The Reserve Amateur Championship went to Michelle Cowan
of Ardmore, Oklahoma on Neat Starlight (Grays Starlight X Neat Prescription)
with a composite score 641.
The action continues at the World Championship Snaffle
Bit Futurity on Saturday with the first leg of the Open Herd Work
Preliminaries slated to begin at 8 am.
