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Performance Report

From Setback to NCHA Super Stakes Champion: Red N Milds and Michael Cooper Shine in Fort Worth

Cutting horse rider in striped shirt and chaps pats his roan horse's neck in front of NCHA arena signage and cattle
Emily CareyApr 1, 2026

Michael Cooper piloted Red N Milds (Metallic Rey Mink x One Red Mist), owned by Wheeler Dealer Cutting Horses, to the 4-Year-Old Open Classic Championship at the 2026 NCHA Super Stakes in Fort Worth, Texas. The pair marked a 223.5 in the finals to claim the title and a $77,514.70 paycheck.

Heart of a Champion

From the first go-round, Red N Milds proved she belonged at the top of the leaderboard.

“This mare is kind and playful,” Cooper said. “She’s one of the sweetest horses I’ve ever been around… She loves her job.”

The 2022 mare delivered consistent performances throughout the preliminary rounds, tying for third in the first go with a 221 before backing it up with a 220 in the second round.

She kept the momentum rolling in the semifinals, marking a 222 to top the round and secure the highest aggregate score heading into the finals.

Drawing first in the second set of cattle in the finals, Cooper and the young mare set the bar with a commanding 223.5. The score held through the remainder of the class, with second-place finishers Gottii and Tarin Rice marking a 220.

Comeback Kid

While the championship run made it look easy, the road to the Super Stakes title wasn’t without setbacks.

Cooper has worked with Red N Milds since she was a 2-year-old and had high hopes for her heading into the fall of 2025.

“That mare, there was no doubt I was going to show her at the futurity,” Cooper said. “She was by far the coolest, neatest, easiest futurity horse I’ve had in maybe forever.”

Just 12 days before the NCHA Futurity, those plans came to a halt when the mare developed an abscess in a milk vein, forcing Cooper to withdraw from the event.

Once recovered, however, the mare quickly proved she hadn’t missed a step.

The duo returned with a reserve championship at the Abilene Spectacular before continuing their momentum at the Arbuckle Mountain Futurity, where Red N Milds claimed the 4-Year-Old Open title.

With the Super Stakes victory, the young mare’s lifetime earnings now sit just shy of $190,000.

2026 NCHA Super Stakes Schedule, Results, Where to Watch

4-Year-Old Results

Place

Horse

Sire

Dam

Location

Owner

Rider

Score

Earnings

1

Red N Milds

Metallic Rey Mink

One Red Mist

Weatherford, Texas

Wheeler Dealer Cutting Horses, LP

Michael Cooper

223.5

$77,514.70

2

Gottii

CR Gotcha Covered

Misplaced Cat

Natchez, Mississippi

Todd Carpenter

Tarin Rice

220

$67,121.97

3 (tie)

Call Me Stevie

Stevie Rey Von

Call Me Catniss

Arroyo Seco, New Mexico

Julie & Michael Magness

Tarin Rice

219

$50,754.50

3 (tie)

Get Um Talkin

Smooth Talkin Style

Just U Babe

Castle Rock, Colorado

Robert Tregemba

Kenneth Platt

219

$50,754.50

3 (tie)

Hustlerz Ambition

Badboonarising

Sofie Rey

Orange, California

Rockin R Ranch

Scott Amos

219

$50,754.50

6

Nu Rebelion

Metallic Rebel

Special Nu Baby

Madill, Oklahoma

Lloyd Dennis Cox

Kathleen Moore

218

$40,698.41

7

Loaded Dice

Once In A Blu Boon

One Rowdy Kitty

Decatur, Texas

EVX Partnership LLC

Jesse Lennox

216.5

$35,985.94

8

Silent Thunder

Kit Kat Sugar

Ava Rey

Channing, Texas

XIT Ranch LLC

Jesse Lennox

216

$31,273.47

9 (tie)

Bad In A Good Way

Badboonarising

Adelle

Weatherford, Texas

Carol Anderson Ward

Clayton Carter

215.5

$22,311.34

9 (tie)

Worth Thee Wait

Smooth Talkin Style

All Spice

Aspen, Colorado

SMF Cutting Horses LLC

Adan Banuelos

215.5

$22,311.34

11

Minkish

Metallic Rey Mink

Blackish

Sugar Land, Texas

Jackpot Farm / Ellen Carter

Beau Galyean

214

$20,922.89

12

Cool Sangria

Cool N Hot

Ichi Sangria

Whitesboro, Texas

EE Ranches Inc

James Payne

213.5

$19,997.25

13 (tie)

Secret Rebel

Metallic Rebel

One Little Secret

Weatherford, Texas

Gary & Michelle Reichart

Paul Hansma

212

$18,608.80

13 (tie)

Tappadero

Metallic Rey Mink

Laguna Girl

Granbury, Texas

Russ & Janet Westfall

Russ Westfall

212

$18,608.80

15

Merryweather

Dual Reyish

Metallic Merry

Algonquin, Illinois

Rocking V Horses

Cara Brewer

211

$17,220.34

16

IRR Durty Crow

Reyzin The Cash

Spookys Smarty Pants

Carbondale, Colorado

Iron Rose Ranch

Adan Banuelos

209

$16,294.71

17

Playy Dual

Dual Reyish

Play Miss Boonsmal

Saratoga, Wyoming

OCR Investments LLC

William Moore

208

$15,369.07

18

First Chance

Dual Reyish

Cat O Connor

Whitesboro, Texas

Billy Wolf

Cade Shepard

205

$14,443.43

19

The Marksmann

Sannman

SDP Hicapoo Cat

Lexington, Oklahoma

Travis & Paige Phillips

James Payne

193

$13,517.80

20 (tie)

Dragon It

Dont Stopp Believin

Hershay Kiss

Weatherford, Texas

Philip & Mary Ann Rapp

Ryan Rapp

0

$11,666.53

20 (tie)

If You Got The Money

Reyzin The Cash

Merada Mirage

Wichita Falls, Texas

Dillon & Kellee Crumpler

Justin Chalmers

0

$11,666.53

20 (tie)

Kolt 45

Rollz Royce

CR One Time Catty

Alvarado, Texas

00 Ranch

Ali Good

0

$11,666.53

This article was originally published on Performance Report — Cutting. View original article →

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