When Bill Freeman purchased Hickorys Candy Man, he was hoping to one day ride the gelding.

But, in 1997, Freeman succumbed to cancer after a nearly three-year battle.

"My husband picked him out before he died of cancer," Tammy Freeman said. "He knew a good horse when he saw one. He didn't buy it necessarily for me to ride. He was going to ride it if he recovered. Unfortunately, he did not. And now, I have (the horse)."

She believed that Bill's presence was with her Saturday night. On Hickorys Candy Man, Freeman cut two cows out of an ornery bunch of cattle and marked 218 to win the $20,000 Non-Pro event at the 24th annual Augusta Futurity at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.

"I know he was looking down on me tonight," she said. "He's excited, because I'm excited."

Freeman, from Burgaw, N.C., became the third first-time winner of the event since it originated in 2001 and took home $5,481. On Moco Cash, Max Richardson, of Kingsport, Tenn., placed second at 216 for $4,110, and Brandy Jones, of Center, Texas, and Shortys Lila finished third (213, $2,740).

Riding seventh in the draw, Freeman and her 13-year-old gelding, by Doc's Hickory out of Cripplena,were able to keep the run together by holding on to the second cow.

"My second cow was very tough," she said. "We were afraid of him when we cut him. I thought I wasn't going to be able to hold him."

When Bill Freeman was diagnosed with angiosarcoma, a malignant bone tumor, he was given six months to live. But he lived for two years and eight months and purchased Hickorys Candy Man.

"It was wonderful, because he got to see the horse work one time before he died," she said.

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 868-1222, Ext. 114.