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Hickorys Little Cat enhances credentials
By Chris Gay
Staff Writer
Chad Ferguson and Hickorys Little Cat have played the role of stealth bomber long enough.
The two are back on the radar screen after a 217 in the second go-round of the Futurity Non-Pro on Friday gave the pair a top aggregate total of 435.
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Hickorys Little Cat, with Scott Ferguson in the saddle, won top honors Friday in the second go-round of the Futurity (4 year old) Non-Pro competition. Hickorys Little Cat will be one of 20 horses in tonight's Non-Pro finals.
TODD BENNETT/SPECIAL
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"Them boys really don't know a lot about my horse," Ferguson said. "So I've got to show 'em what I've got."
The top 20 horses, including two - Cat N Gail and Ruby Duece - ridden by 2001 Non-Pro Futurity Champion Mary Ann Rapp, advanced to the finals with aggregate scores of 423 or better.
The slate is wiped clean and all horses start even for the finals.
The show begins tonight at 6 with the opening ceremonies. The Futurity Non-Pro finals is scheduled to begin at 6:30, followed by the Futurity Open finals, which will conclude the nine-day, 23rd annual Augusta Futurity.
Ferguson, who posted a 218 in the first go, snatched the lead away from Hope Justice, who took the lead five runs earlier. Justice, of Canton, Texas, had the high score of the first go with a 221. In the second go, she decided not to be aggressive and marked a 212.5 for an aggregate total of 433.5.
"I didn't even need my spurs today," Justice said. "We were just going to play everything as safe as we could."
Justice cut her second cow with plenty of time to go after a third cow. But she didn't want to.
"I knew it wasn't going to take a lot (to advance to the finals) anyway, because of what it took to get to the second round," Justice said. "I wanted to just keep everything clean. So after my second cow, we probably took about 35 seconds in the herd. I didn't really want to cut another one."
Ferguson, though, had a different frame of mind.
"I don't think you can play it too safe," he said. "It worked out good. The horse was good for me in the first run and was exceptionally well today."
Ferguson, of Hempstead, Texas, didn't take Hickorys Little Cat to the NCHA World Championship Futurity in December. Instead, he decided to show him at smaller futurities last year.
"I figured I'd get more exposure on that horse going to smaller futurities," Ferguson said. "We did exceptionally well at the smaller futurities. But I probably should have kept him for the big one. You never know."
Ferguson is making his fourth appearance in Augusta. He finished fourth in this event last year and is still looking for his first Augusta title.
"I feel I've got a good shot on the gelding," he said. "Hope's and Chad's (Bushaw) horses are probably two of the best horses here. But I think we've got a shot on Hickorys."
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