Gray Segars and his girlfriend, Luan, shared a big hug after his breakthrough performance at the Augusta Futurity.

In his third trip, the Hartsville, S.C., resident finally did something other than leave the pen disappointed. On Friday afternoon, Segars and Tronas Elainalena rung up a score of 218 to win the $100,000 Amateur for 5/6-Year-Olds go-round by one point at James Brown Arena.

Darrell Copeland of Fort Lonesome, Fla., and Haidandsmoke marked 217 to tie with Libby Bowman of Simpsonville, Ky., and San Tule Uno for second place.

Ten horses with scores of 213.5 or better advanced to the finals, which will be held Sunday after the completion of the Classic Open first go-round.

Segars doesn't mind waiting.

"We'll go out and have a big dinner tonight and look forward to the finals," he said. "We'll wait and see where we land in the draw. From here, it's all good."

Segars turned his luck around after a rough go the past two years. Last year, he entered three events last year. He failed to advance out of the go-round in all three.

"We've struggled here," he said. "We've made finals a number of times at Fort Worth, Jackson, Mississippi, and Nashville. But right here at home, we've had a tough go of it. It feels good to finally get through a run."

A land developer of industrial property, Segars got into cutting four years ago after family friend Henry Taylor took him to the National Cutting Horse Association world finals. Segars enjoyed what he watched, especially because he's been riding horses his entire life.

"It was almost like a religious experience," he said.

Segars needed a prayer to survive his go-round run. He and Tronas Elainalena drew up first in the final bunch of 13 horses. He said he had four cows picked out to cut.

"A little brown cow I wanted to cut first didn't shape up. So I just took what was on top tagged off," he said. "Both my cuts were a little rough. But once we got them cut, I knew my mare is good at holding a tough cow. So she went to work."

Segars bought the 5-year-old mare, by Little Trona out of Abilenas Little Pep, last spring.

"She had a real quiet eye," he said. "When you look for a horse, you look at more than the flesh that's there. You try to see something a little different."

Segars said he attends cutting horse shows 30 weekends a year. Thankfully, he has a good horse to lead him.

"She's the best horse I've ever owned," he said. "She's just real special. Horses like her don't come along very often at all. It's really a blessing to have a horse like her carry me."

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

From the Saturday, January 19, 2008 edition of the Augusta Chronicle