Tag Rice scored 223 riding Cat T Masterson during his win in the Western Horseman Cup Open finals. Rice, of Buffalo, Texas, also won the event in 2004. Special

The Tag Rice dynasty continued Friday night at the Augusta Futurity.

Rice added his fourth Augusta win in four years when he and Cat T Masterson rung up 223 to capture the Western Horseman Cup Open finals by one point at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.

Rice, of Buffalo, Texas, earned $50,000. Sean Flynn of Weatherford, Texas, and Neat Little Cat placed second at 222 for $23,250. Roger Wagner of Weatherford, Texas, and Quintan Blue finished third (221, $15,190).

Rice moved into a tie for third place in all-time Augusta Futurity wins with Pete Branch and Terry Riddle. They trail only Faron Hightower (five) and Phil Rapp (seven).

Rice and his father, Ronnie, have combined for seven Augusta Futurity titles.

"I enjoy it down here," Rice said. "(The pen) is small, but we all have to go down there. It's the same circumstances for everybody. I've done well, but anybody could do well on the horses I've shown."

The 31-year-old Rice won his second Western Horseman Cup Open championship in three years. He won the inaugural event in 2004 with Chiquita Pistol.

"I've had nice horses," he said. "I've just been fortunate to have good draws."

Rice selected the sixth position in Thursday's Western Horseman Cup draw. After the first four riders took the first four spots in the second bunch of horses, Rice decided to ride second in the first bunch, in front of Austin Shepard and Show Biz Ben.

"I always tell (Shepard) I hate drawing right behind him, because he always takes my cattle out," Rice said. "So I went right before him.

"It's a big advantage to go down there early. I just had a good clean run, and the horse was sharp tonight."

Riding second, Rice and his mount cut three cows to a take a big lead early. Still, he said he was unsure if his lead would hold.

"There's a ton of good horses. Every horse in here is good, or it wouldn't be here tonight," he said. "And all these guys are great showmen. By no means was it an unbeatable run."

Rice has been training Cat T Masterson, a sorrel stallion by High Brow Cat out of Pretty Lean Chick, since the horse was a 3-year-old. The horse is owned by Jack and Susan Waggoner of Bridgeport, Texas.

"He moves pretty efficient and he stops nice," Rice said. "He's just all around a nice horse."

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

--From the Saturday, January 28, 2006 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle