|
National
Cutting
Horse
Association |
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.
Showing Record Growth
Entries, added money and purses continue to grow at a record pace in both NCHA-approved weekend shows and limited age events.
For weekend shows processed through September 10, entries are up by six percent to 113,999 compared to the same period last year. Added money for those shows is up eight percent to $2,026,208, while total purses have also increased eight percent to $9,595,734. The increases all come on top of the record-setting results of the 2003 point year.
Meanwhile, limited age event entries have grown by 19% to 17,976, and LAE purses have jumped 36% to $8,305,369.
Record Membership
Overall membership in the National Cutting Horse Association has also continued to build on the record numbers set earlier this year. At the latest count, 16,225 cutting enthusiasts have joined NCHA for 2004, an increase of nearly 5% on last year.
Weekend Wealth
The 6% fee on entries that weekend shows send to NCHA flows back to the membership in awards and benefits. See how it adds up.
$1,000 Achievement Buckles
$1,000 in lifetime weekend show earnings will remain the plateau cutters need to reach to win an official NCHA Achievement Buckle. A proposal from the 2004 NCHA Convention would have lifted the limit to $2,000, but at their meeting September 8-9 in Fort Worth, Texas, the NCHA Executive Committee elected to maintain the $1,000 limit, which has been a coveted incentive for thousands of cutters over the years.
NCHA Earnings Only to Count for Eligibility
The Executive Committee also voted to continue counting only NCHA earnings towards determining horse and rider eligibility. It had been proposed to incorporate records from other organizations, such as the American Cutting Horse Association and the Australian NCHA for
purposes of eligibility, but research found that this was not practical.
"Although counting money in non-NCHA cutting contests is an admirable goal, there is not a source for this information that has the accuracy of the NCHA database," said NCHA Executive Director Jeff Hooper. "The opportunity for errors or flaws in this system of combining earnings from other associations with NCHA earnings could cause negative issues for the NCHA and our membership. Even if accurate information could be obtained, the timeliness of receiving this information could pose a problem."
Complete minutes from the September Executive Committee meeting will be published in the November Cutting Horse Chatter and posted at nchacutting.com.
NCHA Super Stakes Incentive Purse
The NCHA will introduce a new Super Stakes Incentive Purse at the 2005 show. The Incentive Purse will be structured as a cutting within a cutting. The payout is designed to reward all Incentive Purse foals and nominators of Incentive Purse foals that are Super Stakes finalists. The nominators of the successful subscribed foals, who may or may not be the breeders, will participate in 50% of the purse distribution.
The deadline for nominating a 3-year-old for the 2005 NCHA Super Stakes Incentive Purse is November 28. To subscribe foals for the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Super Stakes Incentive Purse, the payment is due by December 31, 2004.
NCHA Futurity on TV
If you can't make it to Will Rogers Coliseum for the Open Finals of the 2004 NCHA Futurity on December 12, you can still catch the action in a live telecast on DISH TV. The special pay-per-view show will include highlights of the Non-Pro finals. If you're not yet a DISH Network subscriber, contact DISH now to get on board.
NCHA Futurity Payouts Expected to Rise
More contestants are expected to take home more money at the 2005 NCHA Futurity thanks to an improved purse breakdown approved by the NCHA Executive Committee on August 17. The new payouts, recommended jointly by the Limited Age Event and Professional Trainers committees during the NCHA Convention in June, will see the sixth through 25th horses each earning a projected $2,400 more than their counterparts in the 2004 Futurity.
In addition, NCHA Futurity Open Semi-Finalists are projected to receive an increase of $3,000 each. So 26th through 70th places in NCHA’s premiere event are projected to be worth $10,000. The total purse is projected to grow by more than $180,000.
The projections are based on the number of horses entered in the 2003 NCHA Futurity, with a new entry fee schedule for the 2005 Futurity. The new fees begin with a $100 payment on October 1, 2004.
Fall Season of Western Horseman Cup Underway
The Music City Futurity kicked off the Westernhorseman.com Fall Season of the Western Horseman Cup series. Boon San Kitty, who had already qualified for the Western Horseman Cup during the summer season, won the Open Derby at Music City. Wesley Galyean, who qualified for the Western Horseman Cup in the spring season, won the Non-Pro Derby at Music City.
Tim Smith rode Wine Country Futurity Open Derby winner Smart Little Outlaw, while Janet Westfall kept on a roll with Jeeps Posi Traction in the Non-Pro Derby.
More Aged Event Action
Non-Pro champs have been named at the Brazos Bash, now underway in Weatherford, Texas. Julie McCloud won the 4-year-old division with a 225 on High Country Lake. Paula Wood took the 5/6-year-old division on My Blue Hagan. The show continues through Sunday.
Ultimate Equine Experience Video
American Country Countdown’s Bob Kingsley hosts "The Ultimate Equine
Experience: Your Guide to Owning A Cutting Horse, a new, one-hour video that features professional and non-professional cutting competitors who provide expert, first-hand experience on how to get involved in cutting. How to select a trainer, purchasing a cutting horse, and what level of involvement best suits you are some of the issues addressed in this video.
This video can be yours for $14.95 plus $5.95 S&H.
You can also relive some of the great moments of cutting horse history with VHS tapes of many of the past Triple Crown events available from the NCHA Video Library. Tapes are $29.95, plus $5.95 for shipping and handling. Call Darla Bellville at (817) 244-6188 for more information about ordering. And right now, there's a special, limited-time offer on the 2003 NCHA World Championship Futurity and 2004 Super Stakes videos together for $49.95 plus $5.95 shipping and handling.
Renew Your 2005 Membership On-Line
Kutting for the Kids
The second annual Kutting for the Kids, benefiting the Make A Wish Foundation, is set for Saturday, October 30 at the J.B. Wells Arena in Gonzales, Texas. Headlined by $2,500-added Open and Non-Pro events, a $2,500 Scholarship Cutting, and a Celebrity Cutting, the show will feature great purses and prizes across the board.
Services to 87 stallions have already been donated to the fund-raising stallion auction.
Dates Set for NCHA World Finals
The 2004 NCHA World Finals will be held in Amarillo, Texas, February 10-20, 2005. The schedule includes two weekends of competition.
The Race Is On in 2004
Georgia and David Husby's Flickacat, ridden by Chubby Turner, has a solid lead with $62,369 in the 2004 Open standings. Richard Walpole's Boonsmal Cee Lena, ridden by the late Greg Welch, and now retired in memory of Welch, holds second in the Open World standings with $26,187. Chubby and Ginger Turner are next in line with Shes A Dream As, with $23,474 in earnings.
In the Non-Pro standings, six-time World Champion Mary Jo Milner holds the lead over 1999 World Champion Joe Howard Williamson, $63,930 to $55,903. Milner will be inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame this fall.
Youngsters are making an impact in the standings, with McKenzie Mullins holding third place in the Non-Pro division, Katie Costello leading the $20,000 Non-Pro, and Raley-Mae Radomske leading the $10,000 Amateur,
Vesicular Stomatitis Advisory
Animal health officials say that the Vesicular Stomatitis outbreak in Texas appears to be winding down as of mid-August, but more than 150 infected animals have been detected in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, and more cases may be seen before the outbreak is over. VS is a viral disease that appears every few years. Infected livestock, such as horses, cattle, goats, deer, swine or other susceptible animals, develop blisters, ulcers or sloughing of the skin in and around the mouth, teats or hooves.
Some states have imposed quarantines or other restrictions on livestock traveling from affected states. If you're traveling out of state to a show, be sure to check with show or state officials on travel restrictions before you go.
AQHA Accepting Hall of Fame Nominations
Know a person or horse that deserves to be in the American Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame? October 1 is the deadline for nominations.
Affiliate Spotlight
With 13 shows plus the All American Quarter Horse Congress on the calendar, the Ohio Cutting Horse Association has an active schedule. Founded in 1953, the OCHA has great competition for year-end awards. It's going down to the wire in the Open class standings this season has Jack McDonald and Playful Alibi hold a $74 lead over Ryan Pierce on Doc Holladay's Covergirl Solano.
Need a Guide?
If you're an NCHA member who needs another copy of the popular Guide to Cutting that mailed with the January issue of Cutting Horse Chatter, or if you're not a member and you want to find out more about cutting, help is just a click away. The 64-page magazine is packed with information for cutters of all levels of ability.
Advertising Deadlines
The deadline for the November issue of the award-winning Cutting Horse Chatter is October 1. Contact Shawn McCoy today at (817) 244-6188, ext. 160. And remember, the deadline for the NCHA Futurity Program is coming up fast.
Vested Interest
Keep warm this fall with an NCHA Stormtech vest with micro-fiber outer shell and polar fleece lining from Tioga Territory. NCHA's logo is embroidered on center back and left chest. Vests are available in black and brown and in sizes X-Small through 2X-Large.