Faron Hightower, on Just Playin Smart, had 223 to win the Classic Open. It was one of 19 scores of 220 and above in the 2005 show. Michelle Hall, on Play Stocks, had the highest score, a 224. Special

That number is one of the high-water marks in the sport of cutting. It is equivalent to a kicker nailing a 50-yard field goal.

The 225 mark is not an easy one to obtain, as evidenced last year. No rider and horse was able to reach that number. Michelle Hall and Play Stocks came the closest, ringing up 224 to win the Futurity Open finals.

A lot of variables go into marking a big score. First, it comes down to the skill level of the horse and rider. Then, there's the cows and their moodiness.

Add to that the judges. A new crew of five come in each year. Some years, judges mark higher scores than others.

In the first 23 years of the Augusta Futurity, judges were reluctant to hand out big scores. Cutters marked just 11 scores of 225 or higher before the 2003 show.

In the next two shows eight scores were added to the 225 list. Five of those scores were marked during the 2004 show.

The judges rank runs between 60 and 80 points, with half-points being allowed. The final score is reached by dropping the high and low scores and adding the remaining three scores. The highest possible score is 240, and no cutter has come close to touching that total.

Last year, 19 scores reached the 220 plateau in eight official events and the two unofficial Western Horseman Cup events. That was almost a 50 percent drop from the 2004 show.

The 2003 show saw the highest scores in the futurity's history. Tag Rice and Chiquita Pistol blistered the field with 230.5, breaking Pete Branch's record mark of 227 set on Little Badger Dulce in the 1995 Classic Open.

Lindy Burch is the lone woman in the 225 club. On top of Play Peek A Boon, Burch recorded 227 during the 2003 open finals. She is tied for third-highest score in futurity history.

Two years ago, Rice and Chiquita Pistol posted 230 to win the Western Horseman Cup Open finals. Kyle Manion and Ricochet Pep scored 225.5 in the Western Horseman Cup Non-Pro finals. James Vangilder and Zacks Lena recorded 227 in the Classic Non-Pro, while Rice and Chiquita Pistol marked the same score in the Classic Open.

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.