Julie McCloud 14-13 4 yr old Non Pro-1st go. Special Hope Mitchell 16-17 4 yr old Non Pro-1st go. Special Mary Ann Rapp 15-47 4 yr old Non Pro-1st go. Special

A friendly rivalry has developed between Hope Mitchell and Mary Ann Rapp during the past three years.

Rapp won the 2001 and 2003 Augusta Futurity Non-Pro championships, while Mitchell took home the 2002 title. Both will get a chance to add to their totals tonight in this year's finals.

"We've talked about that ourselves a few times," Mitchell said. "I told her I didn't know if I could beat her this year, because I don't think my horse is ready."

Rapp and Mitchell may have new competition to worry about tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center. Julie McCloud marked 218 on Friday in the second go-round and led after two go-rounds at 432.

Twenty-one horses advanced to the championship round with aggregate scores of 425.5 or better. Wesley Galyean and Billy Martin each qualified two horses into the finals.

Defending champion Rapp and Cat Tuesday posted 216 for 429. Rapp said she will not concentrate, though, on defending her crown.

"I don't even think about that," she said. "You just try and go get your horse shown."

Rapp failed on her attempt to advance a second horse. After she and Lectric Brakes marked 217.5 in the first go, the two came back with 206 to miss the finals by two points.

"The cattle I'll definitely say were brutal," Rapp said. "It's tough just to survive in here. That's about all you can do."

Mitchell survived her conservative second run, scoring 213 on MH Milliondollarbill to make the finals. Mitchell and her horse marked a high-enough first go score (217.5) to give her a chance for a breather, which she needed.

"I had trouble getting my horse ready to come out here," she said. "I was just trying to settle him down a bit. The soft run was probably a bonus. We've had bad luck in the practice pens lately."