Bucki James always dreaded the thought of making the 18-hour trek to Augusta for a cutting event.

Bucki James riding Sonita Lena Chick scores a 218.5 in Round-2 with a combined score of 440.0. In Round-1, James scored a 221.5. SPECIAL

Although she's been showing cutting horses for 10 years, James never put Augusta on her itinerary. That was, until this year.

As it turns out, James, of Purcell, Okla., is starting to have a change of heart about the Augusta Futurity.

"I wish I had come sooner," she said. "It's just so far for me to come from Oklahoma. But I'll definitely plan on coming back. I think it's a wonderful pen and the cattle are wonderful and the people are wonderful."

On Sonita Lena Chick, James marked 218.5 in the second go-round of the Classic Non-Pro division of the 24th annual Augusta Futurity on Thursday and ended with the top combined scored of 440. On Rambo Morada, James also tied for the top go-round score of 219 with Cindy Love and Olena Peppy Command, and Wesley Galyean and Cocklabur Creek.

Twenty horses with an aggregate score of 432.5 or better advanced to tonight's finals, which start at 7.

For James, it'll be a busy night. Not only does she have Sonita Lena Chick and Rambo Morada in the finals, but she also qualified Starched Wranglers after a second go-round 216.5 got her in on the cut line (432.5). James is the only cutter to have multiple horses in the finals.

James, who owns a horse farm with her husband, David, seemed pleased with her run on Rambo Morada, a 5-year-old gelding.

"I had really good cattle for him this time," James said. "He felt like he was going real precise and real pretty. I really wasn't trying to get a whole lot done, but it happened. He's a real flowy, moving horse. The cows today really fit him."

Galyean, 19-year-old son of 1989 Augusta Futurity open champion Jody Galyean, marked 219 on Cocklabur Creek and appeared to have a high enough score (432) to advance to the finals in his first appearance, but he was shut out by a half-point.

"An 18 or 19 was what I was thinking we needed," Wesley Galyean said. "The first cow really put a lot of pressure on us, and my horse really did a good job of handling it. He made some big moves and really did a good job."

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