So what exactly does a man who's won seven Augusta Futurity titles do for an encore?

That's what Phil Rapp, of Weatherford, Texas, is trying to figure out.

Phil Rapp rides J R Colord Rambo during the 5/6-year-old open division. STAFF PHOTO

"I have no idea," he said Sunday. "You just want to be consistent. If you can make the finals on a few horses and take your chances, that's all you can ask for."

Rapp marked 218.5 on J R Colord Rambo in the first go-round of the Classic Open and advanced to the next round in the 24th annual Augusta Futurity at the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.

Rapp, 33, is the all-time champion in Augusta Futurity history, owning three more titles than his nearest competitors. Rapp fulfilled his Augusta Futurity career when he marked 223 on Dulces Smart Lena last year to win his first Futurity Open title.

"I've enjoyed wearing the (champion's) buckle," he said. "The Augusta Futurity is one of the great shows. It's great to win and do well at it. I'm just blessed it fell into place last year."

Rapp, a member of the National Cutting Horse Association Riders and Non-Pro Halls of Fame, has raked in more than $3.1 million in NCHA earnings. Because he didn't become an open trainer until two years ago, Rapp earned the majority of his money as a non-pro.

In the early 1980s, Rapp's father, Jerry, retired from the hotel business and went into the cutting-horse business.

"It became a family affair," Rapp said. "He could have his brood mares and studs and I could have the show horses."

Rapp starting showing cutting horses full-time in 1982. He first came to the Augusta Futurity in 1991 as a 21-year-old college student and found instant success, winning the Futurity Non-Pro.

Since then he's added the 1994 Futurity Non-Pro, 1998 Classic Non-Pro, 1998 Classic Open, 1999 Classic Non-Pro, 2000 Futurity Non-Pro and 2002 Futurity Open.

Rapp said he's changed a quite a bit since his first Augusta win. He's now married -his wife Mary Ann, won the 2001 Futurity Non-Pro title - and has a 19-month-old son, Ryan.

"I've gone from being a non-pro with a couple of horses to now last year and this year being a trainer," he said. "We brought 16 head of show horses out here with customers."

"Of course, I'm married with a little one. There's been big changes."

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