$20,000 Amateur finals Stacie McDavid Becomes Champion The phrase "here's mud in your eye" normally is used as a drinking toast. Who would have thought it would apply to the finals of this class? Stacie McDavid won the title with a 219 on Lena San Finale on a ride she saw very little of. The reason? The first cow that was cut kicked dirt in her eye. It remained lodged there for the entire ride. "That first cow did not want to get cut and she went to throwing dirt," McDavid said. "I've had dirt get in my ear when I was cutting, but never my eye. I could only see with my right eye for the rest of the ride. It was kind of a new experience. For the most part, my horse took care of me. She could probably tell there was something wrong because I tensed up." Working sixth in the 13-horse finals, McDavid's 219 on Lena San Finale, who is by Peppy Lena San out of Chex Finale, was never challenged. She won $4,460. Melinda McDonald, the 11th rider to work, finished second with a 217 on Love To Play Bingo. The biggest shocker in the finals came when Haidas Golden Girl, the top scorer with Lena San Finale after the go-round (220s), lost a cow with 1:20 left and marked a 197. McDavid knew she'd turned in a strong ride under adverse circumstances when her trainer, Terry Riddle, told her "good job" afterward. "He doesn't give out that many compliments," McDavid said. "When he said ågood job,' that was big for him to make that statement. Most of the time, and I really like this in him, he's still trying to make you better." Riddle told McDavid which cattle to cut and she followed his instructions to the letter. "Fortunately, I have a trainer who looks out for me," McDavid said. McDavid took up cutting less than five years ago. She thought it would be an easy transition from showing Western horses. "I was not very good in the beginning, but I was athletic growing up and I think that helps," McDavid said. "It gives you a little bit of an edge." "They are doing great for no longer than they've been showing," said Riddle, who helps both Stacie and her husband, David. "The best thing they've done is they've listened to my advice about what horses they needed to buy to show. I've been in it 30 years so I've figured out a little bit about it, I guess." Stacie and David McDavid competed in their first Augusta Futurity in 1997, riding in a combined three classes with four entries. They returned in 1998 with even more enthusiasm, riding in five classes totaling 11 entries. "A friend of ours, Tony Langdon, had been telling us for several years what a great show this is and how much fun it is," David said. "Most of the shows are fun, but you try to pick the best ones and Augusta ranks way up there. We just had a ball in 1997. We love the quaintness of the city and the incredible hospitality the cutters are shown."