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Rapp, Bushaw star at Memphis
Phil Rapp and Dulces Smart Lena marked a 222 to win the 4-year-old Open title at the Memphis Futurity which concluded February 12. The same team dominated the Augusta Futurity. Dulces Smart Lena, a son of $650,000-earner Little Badger Dulce, is owned by a syndicate based in Parks, Arizona.

Chad Bushaw of Poolville, Texas, champion of the 2001 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity on Jerryoes, notched another win at Memphis, marking a 221.

Amateur honors went to Kevin Lee Kenney of Texline, Texas on Mr Johnny Oak.

In the Memphis Classic, Lloyd Cox rode Stylish Play Lena to a 220-point victory for Linda Holmes of Longmont, Colorado. The Non-Pro Classic went to Tatum Rice of Spearman, Texas, who marked a 222 on Hesa Bob Acre Doc. Jim Vangilder of Weatherford, Texas won the Amateur on Poosmal. (Complete Results)

New NCHA trophy  unveiled
As if there were not enough incentives to win an NCHA trophy, there will soon be one more. The NCHA Executive Committee voted recently to freshen the look of the official NCHA weekend trophy. Their pick is an original piece designed by NCHA member Jan Mapes. The new design is made of metal with a bronze finish, set on a wood base.

Mapes lives in Sugar City, Colorado, with her husband, Jim. The couple has a cattle and cutting-horse operation there, which gives Jan plenty of inspiration for her work. The trophy  will be available around the first of June. (View new Trophy)

World Finals starts tomorrow
The list is complete and all entries are final. Fifteen of the top Open cutting horses from the 2001-point year, and 15 of the top Non-Professional riders are on their way to Houston, Texas, for the pinnacle competition for weekend cutters, the John Deere/NCHA World Championship Finals cutting.

The show starts tomorrow at 7 p.m. as 1990 World Champion Lee Garner rides to the herd first on Oh Cay Liberty. Keep up to date with the show by checking the acclaimed Daily Chatter newsletter each day starting February 14.

The John Deere/NCHA World Championship Finals is held every February as part of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Title sponsor John Deere added $100,000 to the purse in each division, for a total contribution of $200,000 to the $256,000 purse in the 4-day competition. On the evenings of February 14,15, 16 and 17, the 30 invited entries will go head-to-head in four exciting rounds, plus a payout in the average, for a last chance to advance in the 2001 NCHA World standings. (Contender News Release)

A whole new World
As the race for the 2002 World Championship gets underway, Lloyd and Karen Claycomb of Crawford, Nebraska have two horses ranked in the top five of the Open standings. The Claycombs' Huggs Olena leads the pack with $7,723, about $700 ahead of 2000 World Champion Bet Yer Blue Boons. The Claycombs' Just Like Chicynn is in fifth place.

In the Non-Pro division, Joey Milner of Southlake, Texas leads his mom, four-time World Champion Mary Jo Milner and 1996 World Champion Lonnie Allsup. Joey Milner and Pappion Cat have earned $9,531 already. (Complete Standings)

Eastern Nationals entries due
The absolute deadline for entering the Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern National Championships in Jackson, Mississippi, is next Tuesday, February 19. There is no 10-day grace period for getting your entries in late.

The Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern National Championships will be bigger and better than ever in 2002, thanks to the AQHA/NCHA Affiliate Challenge. The challenge is a program that provides greater structure and a "team" concept to the NCHA Eastern National Championships. The cutting event will take place at the Jackson, Mississippi, Fairgrounds from March 12-23, 2002.

Each of the National Cutting Horse Association's 120 different affiliate organizations can send their top 10 competitors from 11 different classes to compete in both the Eastern National Championships and its sister event, the Western National Championships, held later in the spring in Ogden, Utah. In 2001, there were over 925 entries in the Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern National Championships, an event that spanned 12 days.

And if you want to advertise in the program for the Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern National Championships, you need to have your material in the Cutting Horse Chatter office by February 14. The deadline for the Super Stakes program is February 28 and for the March issue of the Chatter, it's February 1. Contact Shawn McCoy for details. (Event Schedule)

Suncoast coming up
The 11th annual Suncoast Winter Championship gets underway February 22 in Las Vegas. With $113,000 in added money, the show, which runs through March 3, draws many of the nation's top limited age horses. There is also three days of NCHA and PCCHA cutting on the schedule.

The show takes place at the Rocking K Arena and the host hotel is the Suncoast. (Event Schedule)

NYCHA Stallion Auction
You could save as much as 40% on this year's breeding fees and support youth involved in the great sport of cutting at the same time by taking part in the NYCHA Stallion auction.

First check out the list of great stallions still available.

Make your selection. Send us a bid form with a check or credit card number. That's it!

Stallions are available on a first-come, first-serve basis for only 60% of the listed breeding fees.  Give us a call today (817-244-6188).....before the breeding to your favorite stallion is sold. 

Here's a partial list of stallions still available:  Choice Acres, Christy's Acre, CJ Sugar Lena, Delta Dare Devil (APHA), Hickory Bar Bully, JR Colord Smoke (APHA), Lectric Playboy, Lenas Wright On, Little Blue Lynx, Lucky Little Lena, Oh Cay Quixote, Play Red, Playdox, Playful Scotty, Poco Tronalena, Royal Chic Olena, Rum Squall, Smart Lil Paradign, Smart Little Pistol, Snackbox, Snip Starlight, SR Hallmarked, Young Gun. 

Contact Danette McGuire for further details.

Membership deadline approaching
NCHA members have until March 1 to pay their 2002 membership fees before they will be considered delinquent.

Show producers committee formed
NCHA President Lindy Burch and the NCHA Executive Committee have formed a new standing committee called the Approved LAE Show Producers Committee. This committee will facilitate relations and the flow of information between individual show producers and the NCHA.  The committee will meet prior to the 2002 NCHA Convention to build a consensus on issues that can be brought before the NCHA Board of Directors at the Convention.

The initial appointees to the committee are: Ernie Beutenmiller, Jr. (Missouri), Barbara Brooks (Tennessee), Don Bussey (Alabama), Paul Crumpler (Texas), Paula Gaughan (Nevada), Carolyn Gully (Texas), Curt Hargis (Missouri), Della Hillerman (Oklahoma), Byron Hussey (Canada), Ross Jenkins (California), Gary Martin (Oregon), Pete May (Georgia), Garry Merritt (North Carolina), and Chuck Smith (Ohio).

Weekend action coming up
Weekend cutters will have plenty of opportunities to take part in NCHA shows this week, with events scheduled in 11 different states.
St George UCHA Cutting: Hurricane, UT 2/14-16. Call Kathryn Webb (801) 768-0866
Butterspur Feedlot Cuttings: Brawley, CA 2/15-17. Call Terrye Kemp (817) 307-9246
Mississippi CHA: Canton, MS 2/15-17. Call Charlotte Armstrong (601) 654-9271
Mid-America Annual Valentine Cutting: Pecatonica, IL 2/15-17. Call Cheri McGann (309) 274-2609
Red River CHA: Wichita Falls, TX 2/15-17. Call Donna Bachand (580) 963-2802
Western Oklahoma CHA: Ada, OK 2/16/2002- 2/16/2002. Call Connie Wartchow (580) 777-2876
Kern County CHA: Bakersfield, CA 2/16. Call Donna Rice (661) 323-3674
Cowtown Cutters: Burleson, TX 2/16-17. Call Nellie Jacobs (817) 426-0036
Bonina Ranch Cutting: Eltopia, WA 2/16-17. Call Sanda Anderson (425) 844-0553
15th Annual Warren McKinnis Mem. Cutting: Fort Scott, KS 2/16. Call Lisa Arnoldy (785) 483-3402
Southeast Cutting: Geneva, AL 2/16-17. Call Melissa Scott (334) 684-0800
Northern Piedmont CHA: Lake Waccamau, NC 2/16-17. Call Vickie Lambe (336) 674-9299
West Tennessee CHA: Martin, TN 2/16-17. Call Gary Frazier (901) 861-4242
HDCHA Championship Cutting: Montgomery, AL 2/16-17. Call Kay Hilyer (334) 541-2115
Yellow Rose Championship Cutting: Platte, SD 2/16-17. Call Jackie Husted (605) 223-3144
West Central Texas CHA: Stephenville, TX 2/16-17. Call Traci Burgess (817) 800-1309
Oil Belt CHA: Sulphur Springs, TX 2/16. Call Teri Sims (972) 932-6860
Southern Cutters Association: Unadilla, GA 2/16. Call Judy Crawley (229) 645-3887
(Other Events)

Need a new barn?
With spring fast approaching, the thought of a new barn could be on your mind. Visit barnmaster's web site to see the latest designs and color schemes from the "Official Barn of the NCHA". For more information or to find a dealer in your area, call 1-800-500-BARN.

Get carded
The National Cutting Horse Association has had a long-standing relationship with MBNA Credit Card.  To find out how to apply for an MBNA credit card, call 1-800-523-7666 and reference the NCHA priority code QWNS.  As an NCHA sponsor, MBNA continues to support NCHA programs based on members' use of NCHA credit cards.

Stallion on the silver screen
Love and adventure in the Old West  are the framework of "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron," a feature-length animated film from the Dreamworks studio that is scheduled for release May 24. The story follows a "wild and rambunctious mustang stallion as he journeys through the untamed American frontier."

It features a score by Academy Ward winner Hans Zimmer ("The Lion King"), with songs performed by Grammy winner Bryan Adams.