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New way to win a deluxe Chevy Silverado
Chevy Trucks, which gave top-of-the-line trucks to NCHA members at the Chevy Trucks Eastern and Western National Championships last spring, has upped the ante for 2002.

This year, each person who purchases a 2002 membership in the NCHA is automatically entered in the truck giveaway drawing.

In addition, each time you win a check in an NCHA-approved cutting horse contest during the 2002 point year, you will receive an additional automatic entry in the truck giveaway contest. If you go to a show and win checks in three classes, you receive three additional opportunities to win a truck, with a retail value of $45,000.

In the Open, Novice Horse, and $2,000 Limited Rider classes, both the horse owner and the rider will receive additional entries in the truck giveaway contest, when a check is earned.

The winner of the truck will be selected in a random drawing conducted during the 2002 NCHA World Championship Futurity. You need not be present at the drawing to win the truck.

Purses hit all-time high
Purses paid at NCHA-recognized events jumped more than eight percent in 2001 to hit all-time record levels. Purses at weekend shows and aged events rose at about the same rate, and both types of shows posted the biggest gains seen in more than a decade.

For the first time ever, purses at weekend shows topped $10 million, nearly doubling the 4.5% growth rate of the previous, record-breaking year.

"Cutting horses have their roots in the 19th Century, but these figures prove they have an exciting future in the 21st Century," said NCHA Executive Director Jeff Hooper. "Cutters are competing for more money than ever before, thanks to increased entries and sponsorship support."

"Our grassroots cutters have shown the biggest gains ever, with growth approaching double-digits last year. Together with the big gains in limited age event purses, and sponsors like Flowmaster, the Insurance Corporation of Hannover and the American Quarter Horse Association putting more money in the pot for 2002, we should be seeing even greater gains in the months and years ahead."

Records fall at Western Bloodstock sales
Multiple World Champion Meradas Little Sue, the richest mare in NCHA earnings, broke a new record during the NCHA Futurity in Fort Worth. She brought a record auction price of $875,000 to headline Western Bloodstock's sales during the Futurity. (Complete Results)

Offered by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt of Houston, Texas, the mare was purchased by The Fort Ranch of Idaho Falls, Idaho, owned by Mitch Jacobs and Frank Vandersloot. She led Western Bloodstock's Preferred Breeders Sale to an average price of more than $87,000.

Bowmans Little Jewel, consigned by GCH Land & Cattle Company, set an all-time record price for a show horse selling at auction. The five-year-old Smart Little Lena daughter was purchased for $470,000 by Peter and Nora Stent of Woodside, California.

Bid now on NYCHA stallions
Breeders can bid on 111 stallions whose services have been donated so far to the National Youth Cutting Horse Association's fund-raising efforts. Recent additions to the list of stallions include Smart Chic Olena, CD Olena, Travalena, Playful Scotty, Playdox, Play Red, High Brow Hickory, JR Colord Smoke and Pepto Taz. (Complete List of Stallions)

Bids must be at least 50% of the established breeding fee and must be received by February 8, 2002. The highest bid wins the breeding. A check made out to NYCHA must accompany each bid, with the full amount of the bid going to support NYCHA.

NCHA is not responsible for chute fees, mare care, etc. and it is the responsibility of the bidder to find out any additional charges from the owner prior to bidding.

If two bids are received with the same amount, the postmark will determine the winning bid.

Affiliate spotlight
The Atlantic Coast Cutting Horse Association was formed in 1979 to produce an event convenient for East Coast cutters. The first Augusta Futurity was held February 1980 with 103 entries. Projected entries for the show in its 23rd year (held January 25 - February 2 in Augusta, Georgia) will be about 700, according to show administrator Janice Pelcher.

Tremendous community support throughout the event's history has culminated in this year's estimated $750,000 purse for competitors who will arrive from all points around the country.

In response to suggestions from previous competitors, preparations for this year's show included scheduling the Amateur and Non-Pro classes for more convenient participation.

Rated high among the additional activities during the Augusta Futurity is the annual afternoon parade of horseback riders or horse-drawn vehicles routed through downtown. To participate, just show up with the right equipment at the parade route head in Augusta's Lake Olmstead Park at the top of Broad Street, Sunday, January 27.

Over 40,000 spectators are expected to fill the stands of the Civic Center throughout the week with a standing-room-only crowd of 6,500 on hand for finals nights. Visit the Augusta Futurity web site for a virtual visit to the arena and highlights from the years past.

A feature article in December's Southern Living promotes the sport of cutting and how it has affected Augusta, Georgia.

A full-time effort by the Atlantic Coast Cutting Horse Association's director of marketing Skip Peterson, his assistant Noell Inman, 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, vice president; E.C. Bryant, secretary; Pete May, treasurer.

DIRECTORS: M.D. Babcock; Billy Baker; Richard Brown; Norman Bruce; Brian Celek; Frank Diehl; Earl Driggers; Becky Elliott; Dan Evans; Robert Graves; Skip Hamilton; Greg Hodges; Charles T. King; Glade Knight; Billy Martin; Ed Presnell; Sam Shepard; Ken Smith, Jr.; Randy Watkins; and Michael Watts.

Father, son excel in different sports
With his father, NCHA's current 13th-placed Non-Pro weekend cutter, Jerry Linaweaver of Leavenworth, Kansas, there to cheer him on, Blaine Linaweaver team roped to a sixth-place finish at the National Rodeo Finals held in Las Vegas, Nevada, December 7-16.

Nine-time rodeo world Ty Murray reported "they (Blaine and partner, Jory Levy) were made for this rodeo . . . with its fast setups and small arena . . . being fast is their strength." For a brief time, the pair led the average; with five checks collected their NFR earnings totaled $60,195 with total world earnings at $110,214.76.

The Linaweavers will be gathered again in Houston, Texas, to watch Dad aboard his San Jo Lena colt in the John Deere NCHA World Championship Finals, February 14-17. Read the story from the January issue of Cutting Horse Chatter.

Membership cards in the mail
NCHA membership cards for renewals received prior to December 10 have been mailed. Amateur status cards were mailed Friday, December 21, after the point year closed.

You will notice a new card style for 2002. For questions about your renewal please contact Julie Davis or Peggy Cox.

Division Champions
With final standings for the Open and Non-Pro divisions to be determined at the John Deere NCHA World Championship Finals at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo February 14-17, champions of other divisions were decided at the end of the 2001 point year. Here's a look at the winners:
$50,000 Amateur: David Uthoff, Wickenburg, Arizona, $32,994.40
$20,000 Non-Pro: Stephen Terrel, Phoenix, Arizona, $9,241.32
$10,000 Amateur: Marilee Smith, Yuba City, California, $8,511.23
$10,000 Novice Horse: Huggs Olena, owned by Robert and Connie Rust, New Ulm, Texas, shown by Robert Rust, $29,914.69
$3,000 Novice Horse: Vandals Villain, owned by Marcy Blanchard, Napoleonville, Louisiana, shown by Don Pooley, $31,856.01
$10,000 Novice/Non-Pro: Chase A Little Smoke, owned by Eileen and Russell Graham, Roscoe, Texas, shown by Russell Graham, $34,475.08
$2,000 Limit Rider: Colleen Delight Voigt, Chino, California, $8,953.50
Junior Youth: Lauren Middleton, Summit, Mississippi, 158 points
Senior Youth: Kelle Earnheart, Hernando, Mississippi, 189 points
(Complete Standings)

Horsecity.com features cutting
The NCHA and horsecity.com have teamed up to create a new educational website for cutting. In addition to news, the site features streaming video clips of winning cutters, an animated demonstration of what happens during a cutting, plus stories about what cutting is and how the sport developed. Each month, nearly a half-million horse enthusiasts visit horsecity.com and its network of affiliate sites.

American Airlines
NCHA Members, when you or your travel agent are making travel arrangements, don't forget to fly American Airlines. American Airlines is proud to be an NCHA sponsor, and provides discounts for NCHA members using Starfile #S12525. Visit their website or call 1-800-433-1790 to make reservations. Tell your travel agent, too!

AQHA offers improved record format
American Quarter Horse Association Members can now view a more comprehensive pedigree record in a more readable format. AQHA's new Show Performance Pedigree (catalog style) shows key information about selected horses and the performance records of its lineage. (Full Story)

Ads on the web
In addition to print exposure, advertisements from the Stud Connection, Corrals, Hitching Post and Classified departments of NCHA's Cutting Horse Chatter magazine now appear on the world wide web. (Check it out.)