FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 27, 2005

CONTACT: Megan Darnell

(817) 244-6188 Ext. 125

NCHA statue "The Finalist" to be unveiled in July

Jim Reno Sculpture to grace NCHA headquarters

(FORT WORTH, TX)--A life-size bronze statue will grace the offices of the National Cutting Horse Association when “The Finalist” is unveiled on Friday, July 29. Sculpted by renowned artist Jim Reno and presented by Anne Marion and The Burnett Foundation, “The Finalist” portrays the athletic grace and beauty of a cutting horse during its finest moment of working a cow.       

The unveiling is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on the morning of July 29 at the NCHA headquarters building, located at 260 Bailey Avenue in Fort Worth. Featured speakers include the sculptor Jim Reno, Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief and Glen Blodgett, DVM, manager of the Horse Division of Mrs. Marion’s famous 6666 Ranches. With the introduction of “The Finalist,” NCHA joins an elite list of locations that feature Reno monuments. Reno has also sculpted life-size bronzes for the American Quarter Horse Association, the Kentucky Horse Park, Texas A&M University, the Houston Astrodome and Sea World of Texas, among others. 

“The National Cutting Horse Association deeply appreciates the generosity shown by Anne Marion and the Burnett Foundation in providing this statue,” said Jeff Hooper, Executive Director of the NCHA. “Jim Reno’s sculpture captures the essence of the cutting horse, and will be appreciated by our members, as well as the citizens of Fort Worth and its visitors.”

Reno, a former cutting horse trainer, is one of America’s foremost sculptors, and has gained a reputation as the “Horseman’s Sculptor.” An Artist of the Year for the state of Texas, Reno’s ability to capture a horse’s action as well as its personality has made him the choice portrait sculptor of many owners of champion horses. His first-hand experience with horses has allowed him to understand the anatomy and mind of his equine subjects, a unique combination that results in equine art that can only be created by a keen horseman and genuine artist.

“The cutting horse business has been wonderful for me,” said Reno, who took one year to complete “The Finalist.” “Being a Past President of the NCHA, I’m very proud to be able to do this sculpture. I sincerely thank Mrs. Anne Marion for commissioning it.”

“The Finalist” is being presented by Anne Marion and The Burnett Foundation. Marion is president of Burnett Ranches Ltd., which includes the 6666 Ranches in Texas and Montana, and is also president of the Burnett Foundation and Burnett Companies and chair of the Burnett Oil Company Inc. The Burnett Ranches in Texas represent the largest individually-owned ranch property in the state.

Throughout her life, Marion has been dedicated to western heritage, ranching and the arts. She was the driving force behind the newly designed Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and is chairman and founder of the Georgia O’Keefe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Presenting “The Finalist” to NCHA perfectly blends Marion’s love of horses, cattle, ranching and fine art. 

The National Cutting Horse Association is made up of 16,500 members across the United States with a wide range of backgrounds. The sport of cutting has roots in Western ranching traditions, where good horses were a necessity for everyday ranch work and cattle handling. From cowgirls to CEOs, from firefighters to professional football players, the common ground is often in the cutting arena. Each year more than 2,200 NCHA-approved events are held throughout the country with more than $35 million in prize money awarded. To learn more about the National Cutting Horse Association and the sport of cutting, call 817-244-6188 or visit www.nchacutting.com.

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