With the help of a rule change this year, Roger Wagner was able to make the proverbial third time the charm.

Wagner and Pet Squirrel marked 220 and held on to win the Futurity Open finals at the Augusta Futurity by 2.5 points Saturday night at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.

With his first Augusta Futurity win, Wagner of Weatherford, Texas, earned $30,293. Tracy Barton and Ten Colors placed second at 217.5 for $19,613. Tag Rice and Purdy Boy Flash and Sam Shepard and EBR Kitty Hawk tied for third (216, $15,409).

"It's one of the majors for sure," Wagner said. "Everybody in the town gets behind it. It's a helluva good atmosphere here."

Wagner made up for a pair of earlier runs. Riding third and fourth in the 28-horse finals, he got run over by cows both times on Guys Little Jewel and Autumn Acre, the top point getter in the go-rounds.

But Wagner got an opportunity to redeem himself, thanks to the Augusta Futurity. Before this year's show, officials decided to allow contestants to enter three horses - instead of two - in every class.

"It gave me three shots," he said. "I suppose me going down there twice before I showed that mare gave me a little more insight into what I was going to do."

Riding first in the second bunch of horses, Wagner, a native Australian, seized the moment. He and his mare, by Playdox out of Squirrel Tooth Alice, cut three cows to take the lead away from Shepard and his stallion.

Wagner said he knew his score - the lowest winning mark since 1997 - was good enough for a top finish, but he wasn't sure if it would hold.

"There were a lot of good horses coming after me," Wagner said. "I was just pleased to get through that (run)."

The win helped owner Jim Vangilder, of Jackson, Mo., cap a remarkable week. He won the Futurity Non-Pro second go-round and the Western Horseman Cup Non-Pro finals Friday night.

"This certainly exceeded anybody's expectations," Vangilder said.

Barton, of Penhook, Va., nearly stole the show with his stallion. Riding next to last in the event, the pair awoke a sleepy crowd with their run. The fans got louder as Barton and his mount continued cutting.

He cut two cows in the middle of the pen and appeared ready to take over the lead. But the two struggled with their third cow.

When their score flashed on the screen, loud boos rained down. The upset crowd soon began cheering again as Barton removed his hat as he left the pen.

"The horse was really, really good," said Barton, who recorded his third reserve championship in Augusta. "It was really nice to have the support of the local, hometown crowd behind you.

"It was a fun run. I had a good time."

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

--From the Sunday, January 29, 2006 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle