James Vangilder, of Weatherford, Texas, and Freckles Royally Doc enters tonight's Futurity Non-Pro finals with the top aggregate score of 432.5 after Friday night's second go-round. Special

Mel Blount is quick to distinguish the difference between showing cutting horses and playing football.

"The thing about football is you have 11 guys helping you," Blount said. "In this sport, you've got four people helping you. And you've got a lot of cows who don't want to agree with what you want to do. There's a few more variables, but it's still a lot of fun."

The former football player will get one more day to enjoy his cutting experience in the Augusta Futurity. Blount recorded a score of 215.5 on High Brow Doll in the second go-round of the Futurity Non-Pro on Friday for a two-round total of 428.5.

Blount is one of 20 cutters with combined scores of 428 or better advancing to the Futurity Non-Pro finals tonight at 6 p.m. at the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.

The opening ceremonies begin at 5:30, and the Futurity Open finals will cap the evening.

James Vangilder, of Weatherford, Texas, and Freckles Royally Doc enter the Futurity Non-Pro finals with the top aggregate score of 432.5. Tommy Manion of Aubrey, Texas, and Brainiac recorded the second go-round's top score of 218 for combined 432 total.

Blount, a Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back, played 14 seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers, intercepting 57 passes in his career. He won four Super Bowl rings during the Steelers' championship run during the 1970s. But since becoming a serious cutter in the late 1980s, he's still seeking his first Augusta Futurity title.

"I'm still a rookie," Blount said. "Some of the people I'm competing against do this for a living."

Blount, whose mount is a gelding by High Brow Cat out of Miss Skeeto Doll, said he competes in no more than 10 cutting events a year.

He is busy with speaking engagements and with his two youth homes, which serve troubled boys who are victims of child abuse or neglect or have a criminal record.

Blount established his first youth home in 1983 in his birthplace of Vidalia, Ga., before adding another six years later in Claysville, Pa., his current residence. His brother Clinton runs the home in Georgia.

Each place has a large ranch where boys work farm chores and learn responsibility.

Blount said when the children enter the programs, they are given an individual plan to solve their problems.

"We're just trying to get kids out of a difficult situation," Blount said.