Some horse cutters are scoreboard watchers. Then there are cowboys like Cody DeCordova.

Riding 12th in the 14-horse competition, DeCordova needed to beat a score of 216 to take the lead in the $50,000 Amateur for 4-Year-Olds final Sunday. As he and Playboys Blu Diamond carved out three cows, DeCordova was oblivious to what was going on ahead of him.

"Really, I was just watching cattle," he said. "I really wasn't paying any attention."

DeCordova, of Groesbeck, Texas, marked 218.5 and won the amateur event of the 24th annual Augusta Futurity at the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center on Sunday.

"I wasn't trying to get a certain score," he said. "I was just trying to get my horse shown good."

DeCordova, a first-time competitor here, earned $4,000. Linda Chambless, of Poolville, Texas, and MS Fancy Sabrina placed second with 216 for $3,000, while Tim Brewer, of Weatherford, Texas, and CD Lady Leo finished third (215.5, $2,000).

DeCordova had only shown Playboys Blu Diamond, a stallion by Playboys Nu Gin out of Parkmans Diamond, twice before Augusta. The two missed the semifinals by a half-point in the NCHA Futurity and finished third in the $50,000 Amateur for 4-Year-Olds in the Abilene Spectacular.

"I'm going to try and go and show him as much as I can," said DeCordova, who owns the horse and raised him since he was a foal.

DeCordova, who works for his family's cattle company, and Playboys Blu Diamond also won the go-round Saturday with a 217.5. The victory didn't help their draw, as there were fewer fresh cows left to cut.

"Toward the end of the bunch there really wasn't many cattle left," he said. "My first cow was real good. My second cow was a little bit wild. And then my last one was real good."

DeCordova credits his stallion with the winning run.

"He's real smart," DeCordova said. "We just kind of eased through the cattle. We cut three cows we wanted to get cut."

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