National Cutting Horse Association

In the news . . .

Smart Little Lena, 1979-2010
Smart Little Lena, the NCHA's first Triple Crown winner, died Monday at age 31. Bred by Hanes Chatham, Smart Little Lena was shown by the late Bill Freeman to win the 1982 NCHA Futurity, followed by a win in the 1983 Super Stakes and a co-championship with Peppymint Twist in the 1983 NCHA Derby.

Smart Little Lena went on to be one of the sport's most influential stallions and for many years was the leading sire of NCHA money earners. His offspring have over $34 million in NCHA earnings to date.

Executive Committee actions

The NCHA Executive Committee met in Fort Worth August 23-24 to consider the recommendations developed by the Standing Committees at the 2010 NCHA Convention. Highlights of the meeting include a modernization of the Super Stakes program to be based on flat nomination fees for stallions and for foals; the introduction of a 4-year-old Gelding Class at the Summer Spectacular, phasing in a workable Medication Policy, and the introduction of a $1,000 Amateur class on a trial basis.

Super Stakes Nominations: A new stallion and foal subscription system will be phased in over four years beginning with foals conceived in 2012 and born in 2013, with added money projected to increase by as much as $400,000 with the 2017 show. (The 2011 Super Stakes will use the same subscription program it has in the past). The new structure is similar to that used successfully in Thoroughbred racing's Breeders' Cup, cutting's Breeder's Invitational and reining's National Reining Breeders' Classic.

Stallion owners will pay a flat $2,500 subscription fee by December 31, 2011 to make their offspring (of the 2012 breeding season) eligible for nomination to the 2017 Super Stakes.

Foal nominators will pay a $200 nomination fee by the end of the horse's weanling year (December 31, 2013). The normal payment schedule for nominated horses will then be in effect.

The transition in the purse from a program based on stud fees to one based on stallion and foal nomination fees will be smoothed out by an advance from collected fees.

Medication Policy: Phase I: A "blind" medication study will be conducted at the 2011 Super Stakes, taking blood and/or urine samples from Champions and Reserve Champions in all divisions, plus random samples from throughout the show. The results will be used to determine types and concentrations of medications now being used, in order to create a judicious and effective NCHA medication policy.

Phase II: At the 2011 Summer Spectacular and the 2011 Futurity, the NCHA Medication Policy will be in place and random horses from go-rounds and the Champions and Reserve Champions in each division will be tested. Letters will be sent to owners and trainers of sampled horses which test positive for substances that will not be allowed in the future, but no penalties or repercussions will be enforced at these two shows.

Phase III: The NCHA Medication Policy and Testing Program will be fully implemented in 2012 for NCHA-produced events as well as limited age and weekend shows.

Costs of the program will be covered by a $10 fee on entries in all stand-alone classes at the NCHA Triple Crown events, beginning with the 2011 Super Stakes.

Summer Spectacular Gelding Class: A third horse, which must be a gelding, and must be entered in a new Gelding Class, will be allowed to enter the 4-year-old division of the Summer Spectacular. The Summer Spectacular Gelding Class will be patterned after the Gelding Stakes at the Super Stakes. The top 30% of entries after two go-rounds will advance to the finals, with a maximum of 20 in the finals. The entry fee for the class-within-a-class will be $500. The Stallion Owners will provide $25,000 in added money to be split $15,000 to the Open Gelding Division and $10,000 to the Non-Pro Gelding Division.

A $1,000 Amateur Class will be introduced on a three-year trial basis. All Amateur rules will apply and show management will have the option of including this class. World standings will not be maintained, and there will be no year-end awards for this class.

Convention Location: In an effort to accommodate as many members as possible and help to increase Convention attendance, the 2011 NCHA Convention will be held in Oklahoma City June 17-19. NCHA staff is working with show management to coordinate with The Non-Pro and The Open show, which overlaps that time frame. The 2012 Convention will be held in Nashville, and the 2013 Convention will return to the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

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