1st episode viewing party for NCHA’s new OLN program, Big Moves & Hard Stops

Program debuts Wednesday, April 16 at 5:30 CST on OLN

(Fort Worth, TX) — The debut episode of the National Cutting Horse Association’s new television program, “Big Moves & Hard Stops,” will air Wednesday, April 16 at 5:30 pm Central.

The NCHA will host a “Big Moves & Hard Stops” viewing party that evening in the Coors Light Western Trade Show at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum, as many NCHA members will be drawn together for the 2003 Flowmaster / NCHA Super Stakes & Super Stakes Classic. The cutting event begins April 2 and continues through April 20.

NCHA will provide refreshments and a large screen television, courtesy of Sam’s Club, for everyone on hand for the Super Stakes cutting in Fort Worth so that they, too, will be able to see the new program. The half-hour segment will air monthly on Outdoor Life Network (OLN), and include features of NCHA members around the country. Additionally, each episode will include highlights and results from NCHA events, and cutting tips.

Due in large part to the support of Dean Sanders and the Diamond Spur Ranch, the NCHA will host nine continuous episodes of “Big Moves & Hard Stops” beginning in April 2003 and continuing through December 2003.

Running J Productions and Creative Vision Productions will produce the show, which will air on OLN. Currently, OLN is available in more than 45 million homes. The station’s 2003 programming will include weekly telecasts of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) series, AQHA’s America’s Horse and a limited selection of United States Equestrian Team (USET) events and Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) competitions. This level of equine related programming positions OLN as the premier “horse-sports” channel in the nation.

The support of Diamond Spur Ranch was critical to making this new endeavor possible for the NCHA. Having a monthly television program will be beneficial for many reasons. Aside from having a scheduled time in OLN programming every month, the new format will also allow the NCHA to give a broader picture of our membership, as well as to include informative training and judging tips. Dean Sanders’ Diamond Spur Ranch is located in Anderson, Texas.

“The monthly telecast provides tremendous opportunity to feature ‘the Cutting lifestyle’ in addition to continuing to showcase highlights from NCHA events. Our members are passionate about their sport, the regularly schedule telecast gives us a chance to education the viewing audience and share our passion,” said NCHA Director of Marketing & Media, Clay Murray, of the agreement.

The Super Stakes & Super Stakes Classic begins at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, April 2 and continues daily through Sunday, April 20. A complete daily schedule and list of classes is available on the NCHA website at www.nchacutting.com. Admission is free through April 18^th, and then tickets begin at just $5. The Coors Light Western Trade Show opens at 9 am daily beginning on Thursday, April 3.

The Super Stakes is a show for only the offspring of nominated stallions. However, with 140 of the industry's top sires on the list of nominees, the show is far from "exclusive."

Each stallion owner paid $3,500 to subscribe, the vast majority of which is added directly to the event’s purse. In addition, each Super Stakes entry paid a fee of $1,500 or more depending on the event division and time of payment, with a major part of that fee adding to the purse.

The sport of cutting has roots in Western ranching traditions, where good horses were a necessity for everyday ranch work and cattle handling. The National Cutting Horse Association was formed in 1946 by a group of cowboys and ranchers who wanted to promote cutting competition, standardize rules and preserve the cutting horses' Western heritage. Today, the Fort Worth-based NCHA represents over 14,000 people and oversees more than 1,400 NCHA-approved shows with more than $26 million in total prize money awarded annually.

For more information about the NCHA, the 2003 Flowmaster / NCHA Super Stakes & Super Stakes Classic, or the sport of cutting, please call 817-244-6188 or visit www.nchacutting.com.