A 'Nu' way for two

By Robert Eubanks

Cool hand Matt Gaines reached up his sleeve and pulled out an ace that trumped 'em all again July 29 in the National Cutting Horse Association Derby finals at Fort Worth, Texas.

No, it wasn't cheatin'.

 
It was purely legal. Call it a form of insurance that has made the hottest trainer going feel like a blessed man. Nu I Wood, a mare owned by Eddy and Susan Longley's Crystal Creek Ranch, Aledo, Texas, marked a 225 at 6:20 p.m. while working second in the 22-horse Open finals. It was before dark, but unbeknown to the throng at Will Rogers Coliseum, it was time to turn out the lights because the party was over.

Gaines, who had 218.5-220 - 438.5 (tie for third) in the preliminaries and led the semifinals with a 222.5 on the mare, then had the luxury of just sitting back and watching as no horse-rider tandems came closer than 4 1/2 points.

Squeaky Clean (DNA), owned by Eddie Godfrey, Arlington, Texas, and ridden by Ronnie Rice in the No. 5 hole, marked a 220.5 to share the Reserve Championship with Stylish Rosie, owned by Walton's Rocking W Ranch Inc., Mineral Wells, Texas, and ridden by Eddie Flynn in the fourth slot in the second group, or 15th overall.

The remarkable aspect of Gaines' second straight NCHA major event title is that it came on a different horse, meaning that if he didn't hit his cutting counterparts with his right, then his left was equally devastating.

In the Super Stakes finals on April 14, Sunettes Dually, owned by Joe Katin, Parker, Texas, and ridden by Gaines, set an NCHA aged event record with a 231.

Sunettes Dually, struggling with the slick arena sand that made it hard on hard-stopping horses, failed to advance with a 211 in the Derby semifinals after having scored 219.5-216 - 435.5 in the go-rounds. That was disappointing enough in itself.

However, an even more sickening blow was dealt when the stallion colicked and died despite heroic measures on Aug. 4.

Although Gaines felt like he had been punched in the pit of his stomach, he keeps his highs and lows in perspective, a trait that has helped make him an oustanding trainer and highly respected competitor at the relatively tender age of 32.

"It worked out because of her; she made the run," Gaines said of Nu I Wood. "I've been real fortunate this year. I thank the Lord for giving me two horses that are great. It just doesn't happen all the time. I've been blessed.

"I was disappointed I didn't do well on the stud. He has been so consistent (making all six aged event finals prior to the Derby) and one of the greatest horses going. But as many shows as we go to, it was bound to happen. They are like people. They are not on their game every day. It was nice having another one just as good."

Regarding Sunettes Dually's death, he said, "It makes me sick that happened to him, but that's the nature of this business. I feel terrible for Joe; it just wasn't meant to be. It seems like it always happens to the good ones, the great horses." Sunettes Dually, by Dual Pep out of Sunette Olena by Doc O'Lena, had career earnings of $141,784.

Nu I Wood, a mare by Zack T Wood out of Baby Nu Bar by Nu Bar, earned $40,247. The mare, which was third at the NCHA Futurity but lost a cow in the Super Stakes semifinals, now has career earnings of $217,181. The victory was extra special in that Zack T Wood is owned by Matt's father, Dick, and was ridden extensively by Matt.

Second place was worth $32,093 for Squeaky Clean (DNA), a son of Squeak Toy out of Dolly Playgirl by Sharp Flasher, and Stylish Rosie, a mare by Docs Stylish Oak out of Miss Rosie O Lena by Doc O'Lena.

"I think Matt is a wonderful guy and a great trainer," Eddy Longley said. "His consistency and his work ethic are beyond reproach. He's just unbelievable and is at the top of his game. We are fortunate to be with him."

Gaines' mounts have won $374,656 in the current NCHA Triple Challenge events, 23.1 percent of his $1,619,583 career total. His mounts earned $188,985 at the 2000 Futurity, $78,483 at the Super Stakes/Super Stakes Classic and $107,188 at the Summer Spectacular. In the NCHA Classic/Challenge, he was Reserve Champion on Smart B Back, owned by Matt and his wife, and tied fourth on Jack Ruby (DNA), owned by Mary Cavanaugh, Katin's girlfriend.

Horses shown by Gaines already have earned $267,920 this year.

It was a bit different than the Super Stakes, where Justa Smart Peanut, owned by Dean Sanders, Anderson, Texas, and ridden by Faron Hightower, worked sixth and marked a 228 that appeared secure. Dually and Gaines went 10th in the first group of 12 and posted their winning score.

"There are two ways to look at it," Gaines said. "It's a comforting feeling that you have that score and everybody else has to go and beat it. It's also hard to sit there and watch them shoot at you, too.

"Really, I would have liked to have seen the second bunch of cows be better. There were some horses in there that sure could have won. Those horses didn't have a chance. I want to win but I want to win when everyone is at their best and has their best shot. I kinda felt bad for Kathy (Daughn) on Royal Fletch. She sure had a chance to win it, too. But that's cutting, the luck of the draw."

Royal Fletch, which was ridden by Daughn to an NCHA Futurity record score of 229, had the fifth-high qualifying total of 219-219 - 438 and tied for fourth with another 219 in the semifinals. However, the great stallion lost a cow and marked a 198 while working third in the second group, or 14th overall, in the finals.

"We basically cut everything we looked at," said Flynn, who won the 2000 NCHA Derby on BR Instant Replay, also owned by Alice Walton. "You know, it just worked out as you always hope things will do. The mare was really good tonight. Alice bred and raised the mare, which makes it even more special."

Rice said his effort on Squeaky Clean (DNA) was "Just a pretty hard run all the way through. Matt had a great run with no 'boo-boos.' I had one little 'boo-boo' on my second cow and that's the difference in the cutting."

Daughn, who had a great run going before losing her third cow, said "I just took a chance (on a cow) and it tricked me. The horse was really good ... it was just a bad cow."

Stylish Play Lena, owned by Linda Holmes Ballard, Longmont, Colo., and ridden by Lloyd Cox, was fourth with a 220, followed by Playin N Fancy Peppy, owned by Glade M. Knight, Richmond, Va., and ridden by John Mitchell to a 219.5.

Horses owned by Kedon Farms, Weatherford, Texas, and ridden by Craig Thompson, 31, tied for sixth/seventh, and eighth/ninth. Lenas Horn marked a 218.5 to tie Raked In Satin, owned by EE Ranches, Pilot Point, Texas, and ridden by Guy Woods, while Purple Lynx scored a 215.5 to match Hangem High Playboy, owned by Kenny McLean, Point Clear, Ala., and ridden by this year's Classic/Challenge winner, Sam Shepard.

The Summer Spectacular ran 20 days, July 10-29, making it the longest aged event ever conducted by the NCHA. The show drew 1,184 aged event entries competing for $1,404,610, including $160,000 added, a 12.4-percent increase in entries and a 12-percent gain in purse over the 2000 Summer Spectacular, which had 1,115 aged event entries and a purse of $1,254,037. The East-West Shootout, featuring leading competitors from the Chevy Trucks NCHA Eastern and Western Nationals, had 22 entries competing for $10,900, while the NCHA Day Trailer Work-off drew 17 entries.

In the National Youth CHA John Roberts/Cole McGee Memorial Cutting, 180 youths competed for $20,624.99 in college scholarships. Entries were up 18.4 percent from last year's 152-entry youth cutting.

Judges for the 4-year-old Derby were Ernie Beutenmiller Jr., Union, Mo; Ralph Depew, Perryton, Texas; Terry Hollis, Sealy, Texas; David Holtsford, Lipan, Texas, and Rick Mowery Weatherford, Texas.

In the 5/6-year-old Classic/Challenge, the judges were Rod Edwards, Llano, Texas; Mark Harden, Weatherford, Texas; Tom McTaggart, Middletown, La.; Jimmy Reno, West Columbia, Texas, and Todd Williamson, Eagle, Idaho.

Showdown time

Spectators who delight in watching a number of rodeo events frequently have difficulty understanding the nuances, or variables, that determine how a cutting horse will succeed during a 2 1/2-minute sortie into a herd of cattle.

However, the wet, shifting sands that sidelined 25 percent of the 63-horse semifinals with zero scores, put a dent in efforts made by one of the best colt crops in cutting horse history, particularly the hardest-stopping, most-athletic competitors.

Arguably, it was a "level," albeit slippery, "playing field," but as Gaines noted after winning the semifinals, "the ground was slick ... the base is worn out. I'm not making excuses (for Sunettes Dually), but it was difficult, especially for the real athletic horses."

People like Gaines, Rice and Flynn could speak up, obviously not sounding like "sour grapes," because they had hefty paychecks awaiting them at the end of the show.

Pepto Taz (DNA), owned by Don Lester, Canby, Ore., and ridden by Randy Cherry, ranked as the No. 15 horse with $49,296 earned during the first six months of this year, including the Sun Coast Futurity Championship, the Bonanza Cutting Reserve Championship and sixth place at the Super Stakes. However, after posting to the leading total of 221.5-220 - 441.5 after two go-rounds, the Peptoboonsmal-Sweet Little Lena stallion lost a cow and walked out for the automatic zero while working third in the fourth bunch, or 40th overall in the semifinals.

Flynn, who was second with 221-219 - 440 on Lenas Snow in the preliminaries, worked sixth in the second group, or 18th overall, and went out when the great mare fell and marked a 208.

An NCHA spokesman said some dirt was removed after the semifinals and the conditions improved greatly for the finals. "The cattle here tonight were a whole lot better than what we had last night," Flynn said. "The cattle last night weren't good and the ground was atrocious. The ground was a lot better tonight because it dried up some."

Trainers are accustomed to having a particular herd of testy cattle in a five-group semifinals round force some great horses to pack up and go home.

Rice said "we have no control over what (cows) they bring us, but we can control the ground."

"I don't know what happened, but it got away from us last night a little bit and it eliminated a lot of good horses," he said. "It was way too deep, too loose and too wet. It was so much better tonight. I don't know what they did, but they really improved it."

The first and third cows on Gaines' winning run were "picks," but he had to opt off his first choice on the second cow. "I was just trying to do my job and fortunately I had a plan," he said.

Just 30 seconds into the run, he cut a white cow that bounced out to the right, went to the left and then was trapped in the middle before being turned loose with 1:34 to go.

The fortunate, or wise choice, on the second cut enabled the mare to bring a white cow from the right side to the middle of the pen, where she danced back and forth, holding it for 17 seconds.

"Actually, there was a yellow cow I wanted to cut, but boy, she acted terrible when I got her out there on top," he said. "She ducked her head around all those other cows and kinda took off, so I let her go.

"Then I cut what felt best in front of me. That cow wasn't that great of a cow, but that mare hung in there, gritted up and made it work. I think that says a lot for her."

Gaines then quietly moved down through the middle of the herd, making his cut with 22 seconds left, and mare power took over as she swept back and forth in the middle, totally frustrating the gray cow on its attempts to return to the huddled mass of cows pressed up against the white back fence.

Squeaky Clean (DNA) and Rice started their run by holding a gray cow for almost 25 seconds. Although a red cow took the mare toward the left side, she really stared it down, ending 20 seconds of work with 33 seconds remaining. Rice then went about one-third of the way into the herd to cut a red, ring-eyed cow in the middle of the pen with 13 seconds to go.

Rice, who failed to qualify with a 207 on Sheyssmartlittlelena (DNA) in the semifinals, said Squeaky Clean (DNA) was pretty wild in the loping area before marking a 219 while working 12th in the fourth bunch, or 49th overall in the semifinals.

"The cow change really 'buggered' him last night, but tonight, it didn't bother him," he said "The minute I stepped on him, I knew he was going to be a better horse. It just went like it was supposed to."

Some of this year's leading horses didn't get out of the starting blocks. Justa Smart Peanut, the mid-year leader at $112,852, and Hightower lost a cow and marked a zero in the first go. The same fate befell Classical CD, owned by Bar H Ranche, Weatherford, Texas, and ridden by Paul Hansma to the year's third-leading total of $76,800. Classical CD, a mare by CD Olena out of San Jo Pat by San Jo Lena, and Hansma marked a 229 to win the Memphis Futurity and finished third at the Super Stakes.

Swinging Little Gal, owned by Dean Sanders, and ridden by Larry Reeder, failed to qualify for the semifinals with 216.5-191 - 407.5. The mare, by Justa Swinging Peppy out of Little Hickory Gal, was No. 8 at $60,833 in the mid-year statistics published by Quarter Horse News.

The winning horse

Nu I Wood was bred by Tim Montz, Wichita Falls, Texas, who then partnered with his good friend, trainer Russell Harrison, with the idea that the mare would be trained and then sold at the NCHA Futurity Sale.

"I actually wasn't planning on buying a horse," Eddy Longley said. "Russell Harrison is a very special individual. I was standing in the arena and asked 'Is this a good filly?' He said, 'Yes, she is.' He said 'She has a very good mind; the only hole she has is she's too cowy. You have to make her go sit on the ends and she doesn't want to do that. She wants to play with a cow, but she's trainable.'

"I trust Russell's judgment and he's an honorable guy. I watched her and she was what I look for, what I like on the front end and she was good-minded."

Longley purchased the mare for $25,500 and sent her to Gaines. However, not long after the sale, the filly was turned out in a pasture and severely cut her left hind ankle.

"When I got the mare, I never dreamed that she would become the mare that she did," Gaines said. "She got hurt and I didn't get to ride her until March of her 3-year-old year. It was tough because of all that missed training. She had a lot of talent, but she was a little wild and she took a lot of work. About September or October, she started coming together and she got better and better.

"I've had some bad works on her and thought 'I don't know if she's going to be what she needs to be.' But every time you go down there in the show pen, she steps up and does the best you can. You don't train that in a horse. It's just there. That's a testament to her, having that much grit. She enjoys her job."

Nu I Wood and Gaines scored a 223 to lead the first go of the NCHA Futurity, a figure they matched for third place in the finals, topped only by Royal Fletch, which was ridden by Kathy Daughn to a Futurity record 229, and by Justa Smart Peanut, which scored a 224.5 with Faron Hightower in the saddle.

After earning $156,989 at the Futurity, Nu I Wood and Gaines made the finals at Abilene, Augusta, Memphis and the Suncoast Futurity in Las Vegas (tie for fourth) but lost a cow in the semifinals of the Super Stakes.

"I got her shown pretty well at Las Vegas but at the other places, I had trouble getting her shown in the finals," Gaines said. He said Nu I Wood and Sunettes Dually, are strong horses, but Nu I Wood, "being a mare, might be a little softer. Both horses are real gritty, big stoppers with a lot of eye appeal."

Family time

Gaines' immediate family, wife Donna and children, Lauren, 8, and Garrett, who turned 6 on July 25, were on hand to help celebrate his double dip.

They weren't for the Super Stakes final round, which was held on Saturday night for several reasons. First, Sunettes Dually had injured a leg when he kicked his feeder and then barely qualified for the finals, hardly giving a hint of the glory that was to come. So, Donna loaded up the kids and drove to Oklahoma City, where her sister's baby was to be christened the following morning.

Did Gaines forgive her?

"He did, eventually," she said. "He had to do it again so I would be here. It would have been nice to be at both, but ... It's just amazing that the same two people (Matt and Super Stakes and Derby Non-Pro Champion Kevin Arnold) won it again."

Winning ownersEddy Longley, 49, who was raised on a dairy farm in Wichita Falls, Texas, got into cutting about five years ago when he happened to go to a sale and bought a good mare, Lena Coquena.

He then went to the El Cid Futurity that year and got "bit" by the cutting bug.

"I tied for first in the $5,000 Novice/Non-Pro and was Reserve in the $20,000 Amateur Amateur," he said. "I thought, 'This is easy.' It isn't that easy, but it sure was easy to get me hooked."

He won the $50,000 Amateur at the 2000 Super Stakes with a 219 on Travs Smart Buy.

Longley has been sidelined since Oct. 22, when he was checking cattle on a 2-year-old that fell on him and broke his left leg in five places.

"It's been a long time healing and is not there yet," he said. "I'm optimistic that I will get to show something in the Futurity. Matt has another colt of mine that is an open quality horse, we reduced to the small futurities or to let me show." Eddy and Susan Longley raise about 11 colts a year at their Crystal Creek Ranch, where trainer Clint McDaniel rides their 2- and 3-year-olds.

"We're looking forward to expanding that and meshing that with Matt's program, because Clint McDaniel fits into the same mold as Matt with his work ethic," Eddy said. "He trained the Reserve Champion at the Futurity for Dean Sanders, so we feel real fortunate to be in the position we are in, to have fine people surround. This business is cyclical just like everything else. But we are in a good position with our mares and colts."

Longley is a consultant for Fort Worth-based Texas Equipment and Service Co., an oil field equipment company that he owned for 15 years before selling it four years ago. He and Susan, who doesn't show, have two sons and two daughters. Since 1996, horses ridden by Longley have earned over $40,800.

Horses owned by Crystal Creek Ranch had earned over $244,500 prior to the Summer Spectacular.

Prior to the $156,989 earned by Nu I Wood and Gaines at the NCHA Futurity, the largest single check earned by a Crystal Creek Ranch-owned horse was $14,236 earned by Sissys Travelin while ridden by Ascencion Banuelos to a tie for ninth at the 1998 NCHA Super Stakes. Eddy Longley was Amateur Reserve Champion on Sissys Travelin at that event.

Squeaky Clean

Rice said he got bogged down in the deep ground on Shesyssmartlittlelena (DNA) in the semifinals, but said it didn't bother Squeaky Clean (DNA) because he is an extremely strong colt.

Squeaky Clean (DNA) was raised by Godfrey, who is a great customer, Rice said.

"He brought him to me as a 2-year-old and he saw him for the first time when he was a 3-year-old at the Futurity," Rice said. "He just leaves you alone, but he brings me good horses.

"His old mare (Dolly Playgirl by Sharp Flasher), I think she has had three different studs under her and all three colts can cut."

Squeaky Clean's sire, Squeak Toy, is a 1984 stallion by Docs Sugs Brudder out of Sculptors Whim (TB) and had earnings of over $201,500, with much of it in weekend shows, Rice said. The stallion carried J. Scott Fleming to the Non-Pro Championship of the 1988 NCHA Derby and was ridden by Norman Bruce to the Classic Non-Pro Championship at Augusta and Memphis in 1990.

"His colts are athletes and some of them are wild and broncy, probably coming from the Thoroughbred side, but I like them," he said. "They are cowboy-type horses and you just go on with them. You don't have to worry about hurting their feelings." Rice said Squeaky Clean (DNA) had it (being broncy) real bad as a young horse.

"You couldn't drink a 'Coke' off him," he said. "We got him shod the week before the Futurity. I probably was the only one who could catch him. He is just a one-man horse and he's still that way, but he has gotten so much better."

Squeaky Clean (DNA) now has earned over $78,348, including a tie for ninth at the Super Sakes.

Sheyssmartlittlelena, a mare by Smart Little Lena out of Badger San Doc, tied for seventh at the NCHA Futurity and after earning $1,700 for gaining the Derby Semifinals, has career earnings of $55,858.

Stylish Rosie Flynn said the performance of Stylish Rosie and Lenas Snow, a mare by Docs Stylish Oak out of Lads Lena Jo, typify the quality Alice Walton is trying to raise at her facility in Mineral Wells, Texas.

"We have a good bunch of 3-year-olds, 2-year-olds and yearlings coming along that we're extremely proud of, so I think our breeding program is on the right track," he said. "It's just special for Alice that we raised this horse (Stylish Rosie)."

Stylish Rosie injured a hind leg and basically missed her 2-year-old year. She wasn't started on cattle until February "I made the semifinals at the Futurity on her with eight months of training," Flynn said. "We've had high expectations; we've just had to give her time to come into her own. It has been well worth it. She's a tremendous mare, a great athlete and is real physical. She has everything you want to make her a winner.

"The way the cows are these days, you have to have a horse that can go and stop. That's where a cutting is won and lost. If that cow out-stops you, you're kinda out of the ballgame."

Stylish Rosie, which gained the Bonanza and Super Stakes finals, now has career earnings of $53,937.

Lenas Snow, which was 20th at the NCHA Futurity, also was a finalist at the Abilene Spectacular, and now has career earnings of $26,122.

"It was a tough deal; it broke our hearts last night (in the semifinals) for the mare to fall down, because she is such a great mare."

Actions speak loud for Thompson

If Craig Thompson were to say "Beam me up," he would say it quietly, because that's his nature.

However, the 31-year-old trainer from Weatherford made a ringing statement at the NCHA Derby when he became the only trainer with two horses in the Open finals. He didn't just "place," because he tied for sixth with a 218.5 on Lenas Horn, a mare by Holidoc out of Lena Badger by Doc O'Lena, and tied for eighth at 215.5 on Purple Lynx, a gelding by Smart Little Pistol, or "Purple," out of Rosies Last Lynx.

He thus doubled up in only his second finals appearance at a major NCHA aged event. Lenas Horn and Thompson were finalists at this year's Super Stakes.

"There have been a lot of good horses go out because the cattle have been bad," he said. "I just wanted to try to the best I can, not beat myself and make good, clean cuts.

"I tell you God has really blessed me and my family and we got great help here. I was just glad to be here."

Purple Lynx, which was bought by Keith Goett and Donna Wangler (Kedon Farms) from breeder Rob Barber, Larkspur, Colo., in December 1999, has been a hard-luck gelding and had not earned an aged event check prior to the Derby.

The gelding and Thompson marked 215-210- 425 and failed to advance to the NCHA Futurity semifinals.

"He's always been a consistent horse for me as evidenced by the go-rounds here (a pair of 215s)," Thompson said. "I was just glad to get him shown."

Thompson said he sold Lenas Horn when he went to work at the Kedon Farms facility about 15 months ago. The mare was bred by Roger and Shannon Meline, Madisonville, Texas.

"She's always been real talented, but just a little immature," he said. "That's why I showed her last fall to kinda get her out and get her seasoned."

Lenas Horn, which now has career earnings of $33,751, was a finalist at the El Cid Futurity and the Brazos Bash Futurity last year.

Thompson is the only child of Mike and Anne Thompson, Madison, Miss. His dad is an electrical contractor and doesn't show, but Anne, who is noted for preparing delicious food at Mississippi cutting events, shows cutting horses.

Her dad, the late Thomas Nichols, is responsible for getting Craig into cutting.

"We always raised our own horses and cattle and I rode with him just as a family thing, but we never did show," Thompson said.

He did show as a non-pro until 1996, when he started in the NCHA apprentice program and then worked for Charles Spence, now deceased, Matt Gaines, Shannon Hall and several other trainers.

Thompson met his wife, Sasha, a native of Houston, at a cutting horse event when he was working for Kenny Pugh Jr. in Brenham, Texas. They were married three years ago and have a son, Chase, affectionately known as "Spook," who was born on Oct. 31, 2000.

He and Sasha had their own place in Buffalo, Texas, when Goett and Wangler called and asked if he would train out of their place in Weatherford. He accepts outside horses in addition to training horses for Kedon Farms.

Since 1993, horses shown by Thompson now have earned over $150,600. He tied for the Reserve Championship of the 1998 Memphis Futurity on Colonel Zack, owned at the time by Spence.

Purple Badger, owned by Kedon Farms, was ridden by Thompson to the Championship of the 2000 Texas Futurity.

"I tied my good friend Paul Hansma at the Memphis Futurity and it meant a lot to me because he, Winston (Hansma), Shannon Hall and Matt Gaines have helped me so much, getting me to this point," he said.

"I just appreciate Kedon Farms for putting the entry fees up and allowing me to show. It's been a great deal for me and it's been good for them (Kedon Farms), too."