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Justice, Freckles Lena Boon reign in Futurity Non-Pro
By Chris Gay
Staff Writer
Justice finally prevailed in Augusta.
Hope Justice, 27, and Freckles Lena Boon marked a 222 on the first run of the 20-horse competition and won the Futurity Non-Pro finals by a half-point over Lance Harrel and PG Special Edition on Saturday night. Justice collected $16,195 for her first Augusta title.
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Hope Justice on Freckles Lena Boon won the 4-Year-Old Non-Pro Division with a score of 222.0.
JEFF BARNES/STAFF
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"Augusta is so prestigious," said Justice, of Canton, Texas. "Everybody goes, 'Oh God, are you going to Augusta?' because it is such a long drive. The cows are known to be a bit testy. But to get the recognition the horse gets and the people get - and they do such a good job of putting on the cutting - it means a lot."
Harrel earned $11,820 for his second-place finish, while defending champion Mary Ann Rapp, on Ruby Deuce, posted a 220 and showed third for $9,751.
Because Justice and Freckles Lena Boon, a mare by Peptoboonsmal out of Freckles Quick Girl, ran first, the two received moderated applause after their run. Their score pleasantly surprised the late-arriving crowd.
"Not until the second set did everybody get into it," Justice said. "It was pretty laid back. I knew it was a good run. When you know, you know. When that buzzer rang, I was just all smiles. When she (Freckles Lena Boon) does what she does and I get my job done, it's a good feeling."
No one came close to threatening Justice until Rapp marked her score on the second run of the second set of 10 horses. Then Harrell, riding 15th, electrified the crowd as he cut his first two cows. But he ran out of time trying to cut a third cow.
"If there was a horse that was going to beat me, he deserved to beat me," Justice said. "His horse was awesome. He cut some good cows in that bunch. I thought if they were going to put someone above me, he deserved to be above me."
Justice and Freckles Lena Boon won the first go-round of this competition with a 221. They played it safe in the second go, marking a 212.5 for a 433.5, the second-highest aggregate score.
It's been quite a short year for Justice after bad luck cost her the NCHA Non-Pro Futurity title in December. Justice would have won the event had she not lost a third cow at the buzzer. Those final seconds cost Justice more than $20,000 as she finished ninth.
In early January, Justice won the Futurity Non-Pro event in the Abilene, Texas, Spectacular on Freckles Lena Boon, a horse she owns.
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