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Welcome to the National Cutting Horse Association's E-Chatter newsletter. We'll be bringing the latest NCHA news direct to your inbox every other week. For questions or comments, select Comments. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter; select Remove. To receive this newsletter at a different email address, select New Email address and give your new address as well as the old address. |
World Finals fields shaping up
The field
for the John Deere/NCHA World Finals is nearly finalized. The show, with
$200,000 in added money, will be held February 27 through March 2 during the
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo at Reliant Arena. [Schedule]
|
Here's a look at the field in the Open | ||
| Rosies Lena, owned by Don
Mullins Quixote Mac, owned by David Behnen Stylish Pepper, owned by Tim Brewer Harriott Playgirl, owned by Lee Garner Oh Cay Liberty, owned by Lee Garner Smart Little Jaebar, owned by Lonnie/Barbara Allsup Doc O Wena, owned by Leonard Whitney Young Gun Classic, owned by Billy Strohm |
Stylish and Foxie, owned by Glenn &
Debbie Drake The Hollywood Buster, owned by Curtis Burlin Uno Palomino, owned by Debbie Patterson JB Fletch, owned by Kelly & Donna Graham Flites Riata, owned by Bob & Mary Fish Starlights Gypsy, owned by Joann Parker Shesgottabesmooth, owned by Lonnie/Barbara Allsup | |
| Non-Pro riders who have accepted invitations to the World Finals to date are: | ||
| Mary Jo Milner Joey Milner Lee Garner Debbie Patterson Joe Howard Williamson Kelle Earnheart Lonnie Allsup |
Ronald
Barrow Lauren Middleton Dave Behnen Bobby F. Kennedy Bobby Ray Hawkins Amy Welch King | |
For tickets, visit the HLSR web site and make sure to ask for NCHA World Finals tickets!
Houston Hotel Arrangements
If you're
planning to attend the Houston Livestock Show cutting competition or the 2002
John Deere/NCHA World Championship Finals in Houston in February, you ought to
start making your hotel arrangements now!
The following hotels have room blocks for the
NCHA:
Holiday Inn Astrodome
8111 Kirby Drive
Houston, TX
77054
713-790-1900
Radisson Hotel Astrodome Convention Center
8686
Kirby Drive
Houston, TX 77054
800-552-0942
And a new World . . .
The 2003 point year
has begun and horses and riders in all divisions are taking the first steps on
the road to the biggest, richest World Finals in
history, to be held in Amarillo, Texas, January 12-22, 2004. The $335,000-added
show will feature 11 classes, with the top 50 year-end contestants in each class
being eligible for the finals.
In conjunction with the new World Finals format, NCHA has expanded the standings listed on the web to go 100 deep in each class. The extended listings will also be published in the Cutting Horse Chatter beginning with the March issue.
(Note: At this stage of the point year, there are not yet a full 100 contestants listed in each class).
Amarillo to host expanded NCHA World
Championship Finals in 2004 - 2006
The National Cutting Horse Association
is returning to Amarillo, Texas, in a big way. The NCHA Executive Committee has
chosen Amarillo to host their expanded World Championship Finals event in
January of 2004, 2005, and 2006. [Press
Release]
Amarillo was selected based on the city's commitment to working with the NCHA to produce a "world class" cutting horse event under the new, expanded format for the prestigious event.
"This is a show our membership has told us they want. It will be a great way to bring together so many cutting horse enthusiasts to celebrate this fine activity. And we are delighted to return to Amarillo," Jeff Hooper, Executive Director of the NCHA, says.
The NCHA World Championship Finals will be held in the Amarillo National Center at the Tri-State Fairgrounds. The 2004 reformatted event will grow out of the NCHA's existing World Championship Finals held each February during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. [Press Release]
The NCHA anticipates 550 horses competing in this new event, with competition in 11 classes. The top 50 money earners in each class will be invited to compete for a share of a total purse exceeding $600,000. World Champions will be crowned in each of the 11 classes.
Augusta Futurity starts this week
The 2003 Augusta Futurity begins
on Friday in Augusta, Georgia. The showcase event has paid out more than $10
million in purses since its inception in 1979.
The centerpiece, the 4-year-old open event, has drawn a field of 116 contenders, including 13 of the 2002 NCHA Futurity finalists.
Western Horseman Cup update
Next
year's Augusta Futurity will feature the inaugural edition of the $250,000 Western Horseman
Cup for 4-year-olds of 2003 which qualify based on their performance at
existing aged events across the United States and Canada this year.
With two of the qualifying events completed-the NCHA Futurity and the Abilene Spectacular-Chiquita Pistol is leading the Western Horseman Cup open standings with 175 points, putting her 90 points ahead of Livin La Vida Loca. Mary Ann Rapp leads the non-pros with 220 points. Lewie Wood is in second in the non-pro standings with 125 points.
Affiliate spotlightRated high among the additional activities during the Augusta Futurity is the annual parade of horseback riders or horse-drawn vehicles routed through downtown on Sunday, January 26. For the first time in parade history, proceeds will be donated to therapeutic riding organizations, which allow people with disabilities to take part in equine-assisted activities and reap the physical and emotional restorative benefits of interacting with horses. [Parade Information]
Visit the Augusta Futurity web site for a virtual visit to the arena and highlights from the years past.
A full-time effort by the Atlantic Coast Cutting Horse Association's director of marketing Skip Peterson and show administrator Janice Pelcher keeps the show on track all year. The current officers and directors who help drive the show to its success are:
OFFICERS: W.S. Morris III, president; George Wallen, 1st vice president; Billy Baker, 2nd vice president, E.C. Bryant, secretary; Pete May, treasurer.
DIRECTORS: M.D. Babcock; Billy Baker; Susie Baker, Richard Brown; Norman Bruce; E.C. Bryant, Brian Celek; Frank Diehl; Earl Driggers; Becky Elliott; Dan Evans; Robert Graves; Skip Hamilton; Greg Hodges; Charles T. King; Glade Knight; Billy Martin; W.S. Morris III, Ben Neely, Ed Presnell; Sam Shepard; Ken Smith, Jr.; George Wallen, Randy Watkins and Michael Watts, and director emeritus Helen Groves.
Abilene Spectacular
Tag Rice rode Tooter
Dorman's NCHA Futurity Champion Chiquita Pistol to a record 231-point victory in
the Abilene
Spectacular Derby. Reserve Champion at Abilene was Gary and Kathy Benton's
Meradas Rocklena, ridden by Boyd Rice with a 224.
In the four-year-old non-pro competition, Lewie Wood of Weatherford, Texas, won, marking 223 on Peppy Plays For Cash.
The four-year-old Amateur Champion at Abilene was Andy Michael of Channing, Texas, who scored 218 on Pegie Playboy.
In the 5/6-year-old division, Lloyd Cox marked 225 on Gail Holmes' Stylish Play Lena to win the open over Tag Rice on Mr Beamon with a 223.5.
Dustin Adams and Boonsmal Doctress took the non-pro with a 220, while Crystal Morrison captured the amateur title with a 218 on Onesmartone.
On the web
As breeders decide where to
send their mares, a handy resource on the NCHA website is the list of stallions
subscribed to the Super Stakes. It's the most up-to-date listing you'll find
anywhere.
Judges Applicant Seminar scheduled March 27-28,
2003 in Weatherford, Texas.
If you meet the qualifications listed in Rule
21 of the NCHA Rule Book and are interested, please contact Ella
Hood via email or by calling 817-244-6188.
Texas Cooperative Extension Horse Management
Workshops
Three educational programs are coming up this spring that may
be of interest to you or some of your friends in the horse industry.
There will be a Mare/Foal Management Workshop February 18; a Performance Horse Owner Workshop March 18, and a Basic Horse Management 101 session March 25 at Texas A&M University at the Pearce Pavilion, next door to the Horse Center. Each of the day-long programs involves a combination of lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on evaluation for $30. The goal of the seminars is to offer education that supports the efforts of Texas horse owners to manage mares, raise young horses, improve and enjoy performance horses and about horse keeping in general.
Contact the Texas Cooperative Extension Department of Animal Science at (979) 845-1562.
Travel Planner
NCHA's popular 2003 Travel
Planner is available now for $5.00, plus $3.00 postage. Everyone who shows needs
one of these handy calendars.
Call Darla Bellville at (817) 244-6188 to order your copy today.
Designated Area for competition
Any
member who wishes to designate a specific area they will be competing in other
than the area they live for the 2003 point year, needs to do so prior to March
1st. The request to designate an area needs to be in writing to the attention of
Linda Smith. Please include in the request your membership number, name,
address, telephone, the area you wish to designate and the horses that will be
shown. Once you have designated an area for the 2003 point year, you may not
change areas until the next point year. Mail or fax to: Linda Smith, NCHA, 260
Bailey Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76107. Fax 817-244-2015.
NCHA Cutting Video Magazine
NCHA Cutting
Video Magazine, a monthly program of cutting horse highlights and features, has
arrived. The program, produced by Productive Media and presented in part by Dean
Sanders Diamond Spur Ranch is
hosted by Shelly Burmeister-Mowery.
The first full edition of the NCHA Cutting Video Magazine will be available at the end of this month. Each month it will include pieces on weekend cutters, prominent non-pros and trainers, and a special segment, Foundation Horses with the legendary Buster Welch.
With revolutionary new technology--a first for the horse industry--computer users can automatically download requested programming in the background whenever they are connected to the internet. When the download is complete, they can watch the program like a smooth, full-screen video right on their computer.
A demonstration program featuring Burmeister with highlights from last year's Futurity action and a wrap up of the activities at this year's show was a popular attraction at the recent NCHA Futurity.
Cutting enthusiasts can download a free sample and subscribe to the new program by clicking the "NCHA Cutting Horse Video" button on the NCHA home page.
"The beauty of this system is that it doesn't matter if you have a slow internet connection, or if you're all thumbs when it comes to computers," said NCHA Director of Publishing Alan Gold. "Setting up your subscription is a snap. After that, the programs are downloaded and stored on your computer without any further effort required.
"We've been working with Productive Media to develop this type of programming that complements our efforts in other media, such as the online version of the Daily Chatter, the e-Chatter electronic newsletter, our website, and the monthly television show, Big Moves & Hard Stops, which will make its debut in April."
You_ve got to laugh
Cutter Toons,
the acclaimed cartoon book by renowned artist Jerry McAdams is now available
for just $12.50 postage paid. McAdams' cartoons with a cutting edge are a
popular feature of the Daily
Chatter newsletter at NCHA shows.
Call Darla Bellville at (817) 244-6188 to order your copy today.
Futurity fashion
If you got too busy at
the NCHA Futurity to pick up one of those special edition vests commemorating
the event, it_s not too late to order one from Tioga
Territory. With the official Chevy Trucks/NCHA World Championship Futurity
logo on the front and back, you can look cool while you keep warm.
Breedings to Top Stallions Support
Youth
Breeding season is just around the corner so now is the time to
look over the all-star list of stallions donated to NYCHA's
Stallion Service Program , then send your bid in on the breeding of your
choice. Sealed
bids on available breedings will be due to the NCHA office by noon on
Thursday, February 6, 2003. Bids must be at least 50% of the breeding fee listed
and breedings will be awarded to the highest bidder.
For more information contact the NCHA Youth Coordinator, Danette McGuire at (817) 244-6188.
Renew On-line
More and more NCHA members
are discovering how easy it is to renew their membership with on-line
processing.
Right now there is an extra incentive to renew your membership. If you sign up for a three-year membership (2003-2005) by March 1, you will be entered in a drawing for a Sam's Club Gift Certificate, valued at $1,000. (Because of the already low rate for NYCHA members, youth memberships are not eligible for this special incentive).
Horses count, too!
Did you receive a
United States Department of Agriculture Census form last month? If so, make sure
you return it to USDA by February 3. This is the first year USDA is surveying
horse numbers nationwide. So, make sure your horses are counted!
If you did not receive a census form, call (888) 4AG-STAT.
Advertising deadline
The deadline for the
John Deere/NCHA World Finals program is Friday January 24. Deadline for the
March issue of the Cutting Horse Chatter is January 31. Contact Shawn McCoy at (817) 244-6188
for more information.
Change Our Address
Just a reminder to
everyone that the new address for the NCHA is:
260
Bailey Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas 76107
Please make sure and change
the information in all of your address books, etc, so that your mail will get
through in a timely manner.
NCHA's telephone numbers, extensions and fax numbers remain the same in the new office, as well as staff e-mail addresses.
