Shepard captures Open title
Win puts NCHA Futurity champ in elite class

Earlier in the week, Atlantic Coast Cutting Horse Association director George Wallen gave trainer Austin Shepard a history lesson.

Only one other National Cutting Horse Association World Champions Futurity winner had ever gone on to win the Augusta Futurity Open finals. Make that two.

Aboard High Brow CD, Shepard marked 222 to win the Futurity Open finals by 2.5 points Saturday night at James Brown Arena.

The pair joined Tag Rice and Chiquita Pistol, who won the 2002 NCHA Futurity before winning in Augusta.

"That's a pretty big honor," Shepard said. "That horse, I don't think it really matters where we go. He's been pretty good to me."

Shepard of Summerdale, Ala., earned the top prize of $30,000. Allen Crouch of Noxapater, Miss., and CDS Starlight MS placed second at 219.5 for $20,000.

Brad Mitchell of Brentwood, Tenn., and Dual Rey Me Cat finished third (217.5, $13,000).

The 30-year-old Shepard, who is married to Non-Pro cutter Stacy Shepard won his second Augusta Futurity title in as many years. In 2007, he and Woody Be Tuff won the Classic Open finals.

With his latest victory, Shepard moved up to 16th in all-time Augusta earnings, with more than $154,000.

"I've been coming here since I was 5, 6 years old," Shepard said. "I thought this was the futurity. I thought this was the big futurity.

"This is really unique."

Shepard began training High Brow CD, a stallion by High Brow Cat out of Sweet Little CD that is owned by Arthur Noble of Madison, Miss., at the end of his 2-year-old year.

Since then, they've formed one of the top teams on the NCHA circuit.

"He's smart enough to know how to win, and he wants to win," Shepard said. "He has the heart to win."

In the Futurity Open finals, Shepard and High Brow CD ran fourth out of the field of 22 horses.

They avoided trouble on a rough first cow and then cut two more cows.

"I was a little worried on my first cow," Shepard said. "We really couldn't get it out of the corner. And my help couldn't get it out of the corner."

Earlier in the week, Shepard and his stallion marked 217.5 and 213 in the go-round. They entered with the 12th-ranked aggregate score.

"Both go-rounds I was pleased with him," Shepard said. "I didn't get him shown like I wanted to. Tonight, I had some of the first cows where I was able to open him up and be a little more aggressive."

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

From the Sunday, January 27, 2008 edition of the Augusta Chronicle