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From the staff of the National Cutting Horse Association, we wish cutting horse enthusiasts everywhere safe and happy holidays.
Craig Morris rode John McClaren's One Smart Lookin Cat to a 226-point victory in the Open Finals of the NCHA Futurity on December 14. The Non-Pro division went to Scott Ferguson on Laredo Blue. Julie Wrigley took the Amateur Finals on board Wood Ya Wanna.
You see pictures of all the champions and you can look back over each day's highlights by reading the online version of the Daily Chatter newsletter.
There are still some encore, pay-per-view telecasts of the 2003 NCHA Futurity coming up on DISH TV Network. The program, hosted by Red Steagall and friends, will be shown December 24, 27 and 29.
The NCHA World Championship Futurity is the association's largest and most highly-anticipated event of the year, showcasing three-year-old cutting horses competing for $2.7 million in prize money. In their debut competition, these athletes and their riders must step in and out-perform the rest of the field in four eliminatory rounds before being crowned a Champion.
$16 Million in Cutting Horse Sales
More than $16 million worth of cutting horses changed hands at the Western Bloodstock Sales held during the NCHA Futurity. You'll find complete results on the web.
McKenzie Mullins Featured in Texas Monthly
The mass circulation magazine Texas Monthly has a major feature on youthful cutter McKenzie Mullins in its January issue.
In the NCHA Open standings, Hollywood Nus Bar ($50,740), ridden by Robert Rust for David Plummer, remains in first place, while Young Guns Babe, ridden by Rust and Terry Riddle, holds onto second with $36,505 for shows recorded through December 3. In the Non-Pro race, defending World Champion Mary Jo Milner remains in front on Red White And Boon with $85,659, followed by McKenzie Mullins with $56,231.
Standings for all 11 NCHA-approved classes are on the web, and championships and final rankings in each class will be determined at the NCHA World Finals next month.
More than 530 entries poured into the NCHA office as cutters from 34 states and Canada rev up their engines for the trip to the NCHA World Finals in Amarillo January 12-22.
"The response to our new, expanded World Finals format has been tremendous," said NCHA Executive Director Jeff Hooper. "The quality and depth of the fields in each class promise to make the World Finals an exciting show."
Working orders for the first round in all classes are now available.
If you haven't made your travel arrangements yet, find Amarillo's best hotel rates on the web or call (800) 692-1338 for more information.
Inaugural Western Horseman Cup Approaching
After a year of anticipation, the inaugural Western Horseman Cup will be held on January 29 during the Augusta Futurity next month. The top Open and Non-Pro riders of 2003 4-year-olds who qualified at existing aged events throughout the year will take part in the $250,000 finale.
And the 2003 NCHA Futurity marked the beginning of the race for the 2005 Western Horseman Cup. We'll keep you updated throughout the season.
Geldings will get on the gravy train at the 2004 Super Stakes when the NCHA adds $20,000 to the Gelding Stakes. And that train really picks up steam in 2005 when NCHA and Western Bloodstock will begin pumping $50,000 annually into the Gelding Stakes program.
Everybody wins with the new purse structure, according to NCHA Executive Director Jeff Hooper.
"We'll be seeing substantial increases in purse money which will increase the value of geldings," Hooper said. "Hand-in-hand with that will be an incentive for people to have those geldings trained, and for trainers to be encouraged to ride them."
Western Bloodstock's Ben Emison added, "With this new program, a person will be able to ride three horses in the Super Stakes, as long as one of them is a gelding. The stallion owners, the breeders and the trainers will all benefit from this great new program."
The Gelding Stakes will be a "class within a class" for 4-year-olds, with a working finals. The new structure kicks off in 2004 with the $20,000-added NCHA Gelding Stakes, which will guarantee $10,000 to the winner. That will have a $1,000 entry fee, with $850 jackpotted.
Then in 2005, the $50,000-added Western Bloodstock/NCHA Gelding Stakes--with $25,000 from each organization--will be launched. A $500 entry fee will be due by September 1, 2004, or $1,000 to enter between September 2, 2004 and time of entry for the Super Stakes.
For the 2006 show, the $500 entry will be due by December 31 of the gelding's 2-year-old year. For 2007, the $500 entry will be due by December 31 of the yearling year. Later entries for each of those shows will increase to $1,000 or $2,000 depending on how tardy they are.
Join NCHA or renew your NCHA membership now and take advantage of these special offers! All new and returning members who sign up for a 3-year membership (2004-2006) prior to March 1, 2004 will be included in a drawing for a new Stetson NCHA Supreme 80 limited edition Genuine Beaver Hat with Sterling silver and gold buckle set with ruby stones. These hats have a retail value of $1500, and available in natural beaver, black, silver belly and silver beaver pre-creased or open crown. Only 100 of these limited edition hats will be produced and one of them could be yours.
In addition, all new members who join NCHA prior to March 1, 2004 will also be included in a drawing for a $500 Cowboy Tack Gift Certificate. That's a chance to get $500 worth of great tack! So whether you join for 1 year or 3 years, join today and take advantage of these great opportunities.
Winners will be announced during the 2004 Super Stakes in April 2004. You can join or renew online. If you have any questions please contact the Membership Department at (817) 244-6188.
Members of the National Youth Cutting Horse Association are gearing up for the 2004 NYCHA Stallion Service Program. Stallion owners may donate one breeding per year per stallion to the program. Those breedings are then sold in a competitive sealed bid process.
All proceeds benefit the NYCHA to support scholarships, awards, educational activities and postage for the newsletter. To participate in the program, fill out the 2004 contract and return it to the NCHA office with a copy of the stallion's papers. If your stallion will be standing at a breeding facility, be sure you notify them of your donation.
As soon as we receive the signed contract we will post your stallion's information on the NCHA website and in the Chatter. Sealed bids on available breedings will be due to the NCHA office by 12 noon on Thursday, February 5, 2004.
Beginning with the 2005 point year, horse and rider earnings gained in non-NCHA competition will be considered in determining eligibility for restricted classes.
"In the past, it has been possible for a horse to show extensively outside of NCHA and still be eligible for our novice classes," said NCHA Executive Director Jeff Hooper. "We are working with Equi-Stat and other organizations, such as the American Cutting Horse Association and the Australian Cutting Horse Association, to recognize non-NCHA earnings for eligibility purposes beginning with the 2005 point year."
The deadline for advertising in the February issue of Cutting Horse Chatter, the Stallion Issue, is January 1. Contact Shawn McCoy (817) 244-6188 to reserve your space.
With cooler weather here, it's a good time to order a Schaefer's long denim saddle jacket with NCHA cutter embroidered on bottom left pocket flap from Tioga Territory.
You can enter the NCHA cutting at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, to be held February 4-22, online. Register and pay online to have a chance to win two Southwest Airline tickets to anywhere Southwest flies. To be eligible, entries must be submitted online by January 15. The prize will be awarded to the animal owner. After you click the "Submit" button, a confirmation number will be assigned and a detailed summary of the registration information will be e-mailed to the e-mail addresses you entered.
January 15 is the deadline date for nominations for the annual Equine Industry Vision Award, which will be presented at the American Horse Publications seminar in Lexington, Kentucky, on June 11. The award recognizes outstanding leadership, creativity and meritorious contributions in the equine industry.
Anyone is eligible to be nominated, or to nominate a candidate for the Equine Industry Vision Award and nominees may include individuals and/or organizations. Candidates may be considered for a single outstanding visionary achievement or for sustained outstanding contributions that have made a profound impact on the equine industry.