2024 NCHA SUPER STAKES OPEN CHAMPION
A 228 for James Payne and Jazlyn to win the 2024 NCHA Super Stakes
Leading the way into a clean-slate finals, James Payne and Jazlyn put up one more big score to win the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Super Stakes Open for owner Kathleen Moore.
“There was a little bit of pressure because I knew that she was peaking at the right time and there was a little nerve there,” Payne said. “It was a little nerve wracking because it’s like, you’re wanting to find the perfect cows and show your horse off and I wasn’t real sure that they were there.”
Jazlyn, by EquiStat Elite $1.5 Million Sire Hashtags and out of MK Cats Kitty ( by Spots Hot), just kept getting better throughout the week. She marked a 217 in the first go with Payne and a 218.5 in the second to advance to the semi finals. On Wednesday, from the twentieth draw, she marked a 224 to lead the 21 advancing horses into the finals. The roan mare, bred by Slate River Ranch, has shown promise for a while now and Payne was ecstatic that it all came together at the Will Roger’s Coliseum.
“It started off rough but everybody’s struggled with these cows,” Payne said. “As the open has ended though things just kind of fit.”
Coming from the first draw of the second set of finals Payne had his pick of the cows. It paid off, the pair marked a stunning 228 and the score held through ten more horses.
Behind the Scenes
As everybody knows, it takes a village, and Payne has one just the right size.
“I want to thank all my help in the show pen Lloyd (Cox), Casey (Green), John Michell, Shawn Flynn. I want to thank all my help at the house that helps me keep things going and because I’ve gotten in trouble before I’d like to thank my wife Nadine, and Kathleen because she’s like the best owner ever,” Payne added.
Moore purchased the mare as a yearling, and she’s been in Payne’s training program basically ever since.
Next, Jazlyn will have about a week and a half to take advantage of some turnout time before they head to Tulsa, OK for the Breeders Invitational.
Quarter Horse News | by Amy Olson | View article on QHN


MILLION DOLLAR SIRE
2022 NCHA LEADING FRESHMAN SIRE
RESULTS MATTER
NCHA Hall of Fame stallion Hashtags now has offspring earnings of $1,494,564, crossing the million-dollar mark at the NCHA Futurity with only two foal crops of competition age.
Abilene, Texas’s Wes Ashlock rode Ms Milania, by Hashtags and out of the One Time Pepto mare Little Miss One Time, to a $191,609 in earnings in 2023, with her $112,686 won for fifth place at the NCHA Futurity in December putting Hashtags over the million-dollar mark.
“So far Ms Milania has been the best we’ve had out of that mare and had the most success on,” Ashlock said. “This has been the best cross so far. She’s extremely smart. I’ve had several Hashtags I’ve sold through the 2-year-old sales, and I’ve had a great experience with them. I wish I had more.”
While the bulk of Hashtags’ offspring earnings have naturally come in the cutting, he’s proving a premier sire in the cow horse, as Corey Cushing excelled in 2023 on Reysin Sum Hash by the Dual Rey daughter Reynanza. Cushing and Reysin Sum Hash earned $28,603 in limited outings.
“The few I have rode have been trainable, willing and talented,” Cushing said. “He offers a lot that way. And the ones I’ve rode have gone on to be successful beyond the cow horse.”
Sired by Metallic Cat and out of Dual Rey Tag by Dual Rey, Hashtags himself earned $485,293 in his career with Tatum Rice, including the NCHA Super Stakes Open Championship and the NCHA World Championship.
Hashtags’ exceptional performance caught the eye of three-time PRCA World Champion Junior Nogueira, who bred his AQHA and PRCA World Champion mare Apache R Hali to him.
“My Hashtags filly is 3 this year,” said Nogueira, who rode Apache R Hali for $500,000 of her $750,000 in professional-level earnings. “She’s absolutely beautiful, and she moves so effortlessly. Everything has been easy for her, and she’s been gentle and kind since day one. I am taking my time with her, but I can’t wait to start hauling her.”
Ashlock and Cushing, too, pointed to the roping as a place where Hashtags’ offsprings’ versatility will shine.
“I have friends getting some ready for the rope horse futurities,” Ashlock said. “And they’re going to be exceptional there, too.”