2026 Solo Select NCHA Futurity
Flash Talkin Delivers Fairytale, Futurity Triumph
There are Futurity victories, and then there are stories that seem destined to be written.Only hours after Fair Lady Flash was inducted into the NCHA Horse Hall of Fame, her outstanding son Flash Talkin etched his own place in history, claiming the 2026 NCHA Open Futurity, proudly sponsored by Solo Select. Ridden by Jason Leitch, the victory marked his remarkable fourth Open Futurity title, while providing owners Jamie and Sarah Inglis with a long-awaited dream after two decades of entrusting their young horses to Jason and Rachel Leitch.
When the final buzzer sounded, Leitch’s first thought was simple.
“That was fun!”
It was the understated reaction of a horseman who has built a reputation for producing elite young horses, but even he admits Flash Talkin—know around the stables as “Benny”—is unlike any other.“That was fun!”There are Futurity victories, and then there are stories that seem destined to be written.Only hours after Fair Lady Flash was inducted into the NCHA Horse Hall of Fame, her outstanding son Flash Talkin etched his own place in history, claiming the 2026 NCHA Open Futurity, proudly sponsored by Solo Select. Ridden by Jason Leitch, the victory marked his remarkable fourth Open Futurity title, while providing owners Jamie and Sarah Inglis with a long-awaited dream after two decades of entrusting their young horses to Jason and Rachel Leitch.
When the final buzzer sounded, Leitch’s first thought was simple.
“That was fun!”
It was the understated reaction of a horseman who has built a reputation for producing elite young horses, but even he admits Flash Talkin—know around the stables as “Benny”—is unlike any other.
“This horse is quirky and feely. He has great foot speed and is light and agile, but he also has a high level of self-preservation, which made him a challenge to train. That just makes it even more rewarding when it all comes together.”
The road to victory almost took an unexpected turn just days before the Final.
With concerns surrounding a possible strangles outbreak at the event, horses received booster vaccinations. Benny reacted badly, developing an abscess that briefly left the team wondering if they would even make the Final.
Instead, he produced the run that crowned him Australia’s newest Futurity Champion. For Jamie and Sarah Inglis, the win represented far more than a single performance.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have won the Futurity with Jason and Flash Talkin,” they said.
“Jason has been training our young horses for twenty years. We’ve had some success and lots of great memories along the way, but to finally win the Futurity is incredibly exciting.”
Their confidence in Benny began more than twelve months ago when Jason made an unusually bold prediction.
“Jason rang and said he thought Flash Talkin might be our best horse to date. Coming from someone who is always careful to manage expectations, that meant a lot.”
The Inglis family describe the Futurity journey as one they cherish from beginning to end—breeding or purchasing a promising youngster, raising it, sending it to be broken in, then watching it develop over two years toward Australia’s richest cutting horse event.
Despite living hundreds of kilometres apart, Jason’s regular phone calls and progress reports have built a relationship founded on trust.
“We trust Jason’s judgement completely, even when it isn’t always what we want to hear,” they said.
Their faith was rewarded in spectacular fashion.
The Inglis family also believe Benny’s pedigree played a significant role, with Hall of Fame mare Fair Lady Flash proving once again why she is regarded as one of the breed’s great producers.
“We’ve learned how important it is to start with a horse from a great producing mare, and Fair Lady Flash is exactly that. Jamie chose Benny because he was such an athletic type.”
Jason’s record of never missing an Open Futurity Final gave the owners confidence that Benny would have every opportunity to shineThey were among the packed crowd inside AELEC as the Final unfolded.
“The atmosphere was electric,” they recalled. “We sat with the same families we’ve come to know over many years. There’s such camaraderie in cutting as everyone encourages, celebrates and commiserates together.”
Drawing ninth in the first herd meant a nervous wait.
When Lynda MacCallum and Hillbilly Hippie produced a superb 223 early in the second herd, it looked as though the title may have slipped away.
Then Benny answered.
“It was hard to believe we had finally won.”
The Inglis family were quick to acknowledge the entire Leitch team, including Rachel Leitch, whose outstanding Futurity also saw her finish third aboard Speaking, along with Steve Smith, Hugh Miles, Mat Oakley and loper Jessie Tattum.
“Jason and Rachel had a fantastic show and to share the win with them is very special to us,” they said.
The family also praised the National Cutting Horse Association for delivering what they believe was the finest Futurity yet, congratulating the staff, volunteers and sponsors who made the event possible.
For Jason Leitch, the victory adds another chapter to an already distinguished career.
For Jamie and Sarah Inglis, it fulfils a dream twenty years in the making.
And for Flash Talkin—Benny—the son of a newly inducted Hall of Fame mare, it marks the beginning of what promises to be a remarkable legacy of his own.
