News from NCHA, December 14, 2000

News from NCHA, December 14, 2000

NCHA John Deere World Finals

NCHA'S TOP MONEY EARNERS HEAD FOR

$256,400 NCHA JOHN DEERE WORLD FINALS IN HOUSTON

Fort Worth, Texas --- After more than 11 months of hauling and hard work at cutting horse shows across the United States, the top 15 money earners in National Cutting Horse Association Open and Non-Professional competition still have one important trip to make. NCHA's top 15 money earners for the 2000 point year in the Open and Non-Professional divisions will square off in the prestigious $256,400 John Deere World Finals, February 15 – 18, 2001. The NCHA John Deere World Finals, presented by Delta Airlines, will be held in conjunction with the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo in Houston, Texas, and with increased added money this year thanks to the support of John Deere, should be an exciting and dramatic end to the year-long contest.

NCHA's 2000 point year began in late December, 1999 and concluded on November 19, 2000. After reports from all shows were tabulated, the Open Division leader is Bet Yer Blue Boons, ridden by Lindy Burch of Weatherford, Texas with $57,817 in earnings this year. One of cutting great performers, Bet Yer Blue Boons is owned by Oxbow Ranch and was inducted into the NCHA Horse Hall of Fame earlier this month during the NCHA World Championship Futurity. The ten-year-old mare has amassed $293,342 in career earnings.

Just $2,364 behind Bet Yer Blue Boons and ranked second in earnings this year is Don’t Hava Cow. Don’t Hava Cow is owned by Kay Floyd of Stephenville, Texas and is ridden by Glen Blankenship, also of Stephenville. In third place heading into the John Deere World Finals is Smart Smokin Pep with $39,645, owned by Sharyl and Jim Kidd and shown by Bill and Jim Kidd.

More than $1,682,000 was earned in total by this year's top 15 Open qualifiers, who have average lifetime earnings of $112,185. Rounding out the top 15, listed with their earnings for the point year, are Christys Acre ($32,967), Dandyolena ($28,196), Peponitas Acre ($27,074), Miss Reylena ($26,156), Haidas Jan ($22,441), Mr Holey Chic Olena ($22,001), Jiggin Bingo ($21,376), Sneakin Cee ($20,778), Miss Freckles Boon ($20,457), Playboys Starlight ($20,420), Mr Smoke Hickory ($19,046) and Rude N Sassy (17,857).

In the Non-Pro Division, Don Boone of West Columbia, Texas is in the lead with $62,172 in money earned for the point year. His winnings have come aboard three top horses Shortys Smoke, Bayou Shorty and Smart Peppy Lena. Mary Jo Milner of Southlake, Texas rides into Houston in second place in Non-Pro standings, having accumulated $51,107 in purse money for the year. All of her winnings have come aboard the great mare Hicapoo, but she may be riding a new horse by the time she arrives in Houston.

Mary Jo is one of three Milners receiving an invitation to the Non-Pro competition at the NCHA John Deere World finals. Her husband, current NCHA President Jim Milner, holds on to third place with earnings for the year of $41,353. The Milners’ adult son, Joey Milner, sits in 11^th place in the Non-Pro standings with winnings of $23,260.

Rounding out the field for the top 15 Non-pro invitees are Debbie Patterson ($30,148), Robert Middleton ($28,108), Kathy Boone ($27,560), Heidi Hadlock ($27,188), Joe Howard Williamson ($27,039), Jeremy Ledet ($26,726), Lee garner ($26,019), Joey Milner ($23,259), Bobby F. Kennedy ($22,193), Robert C. Brown ($21,269), Robert S. Finger ($20,731) and Kelly Pittman ($20,193).

A total of five former Non-Pro World Champions will be competing during this year's NCHA John Deere World Finals, representing seven World Championship collectively. They include Mary Jo Milner (1981 & 1986), Jim Milner (1974), Debbie Patterson (1995 & 1997), Joe Howard Williamson (1999) and Lee Garner (1990).

As announced earlier this year by NCHA and John Deere, the total prize money for this year's NCHA John Deere World Finals has been doubled to a total of $200,000 in added money, creating the possibility for this year's World Championship showdown to be the most exciting ever. The format for the John Deere World Finals includes four go-rounds, each with prize money of $25,640. Combined scores from the four go-rounds are added together for a “non-working finals” which also pays a total of $25,640 to the eight highest scoring competitors. The World Champion in both the Open and Non-Pro division is determined by the highest earnings from both the point year and the World Finals combined. With such a tight race for the prestigious honor of Open World Champion, every cut will be critical in the battle for top honors.

John Deere Corporation, "The Official Equipment Provider of the National Cutting Horse Association,” and title sponsor of this year's event, was founded in 1937. Deere & Company has grown from a one-man blacksmith shop into a world-wide corporation that does business in more than 160 countries and employs approximately 37,000 people. John Deere is well know for its commitment to product quality, customer service and business integrity.

This year's NCHA John Deere World Finals are presented by Delta Airlines, the official airline of the NCHA John Deere World Finals. For more information on the National Cutting Horse Association and the NCHA John Deere World Finals, call the NCHA offices at (817) 244-6188 or visit the NCHA website at www.nchacutting.com. Or, click on this link to go to the NCHA John Deere World Finals information page for a schedule and list of invitees.