Countdown to the 2002 Chevy Trucks / NCHA World Championship Futurity

Fort Worth population will swell November 27 – December 15

(Fort Worth, TX) — It’s almost time again for the premier aged cutting horse competition produced by the National Cutting Horse Association. The 2002 Chevy Trucks / NCHA World Championship Futurity is just under a month away.

Beginning on November 27 and continuing through December 15, the Fort Worth community will be inundated with cutters. Over 1,300 three-year-old cutting horses plus all of the trucks, trailers, people, and energy that come along with them will converge on Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum to compete for an estimated $3 million in winnings.

The excitement of the Futurity is a long-standing tradition in the cutting horse industry. For cutters, horse owners, and spectators alike, the thrill lies in the unknown; this will be the first time any of these three-year-old athletes have ever been shown in competition. The winning team of horse and rider will be the one that advances successfully through four rounds of competition.

Champions will be crowned in five divisions: Open, Non-Professional, Amateur, Limited Open and Limited Non-Pro. Again in 2002, the Open Champion is guaranteed a check for $200,000. Other Futurity award sponsors include Cinch Jeans, Gist Silversmiths, Cowboy Tack, Murray Leather, Stetson and M.L. Leddy’s. Check the NCHA website at www.nchacutting.com for a complete schedule and results for each round.

The 2002 Futurity has a new title sponsor this year in the way of Chevy Trucks. Chevy Trucks has been a sponsor of the NCHA for 17 years, and has been the title sponsor of the Eastern and Western National Championships. This year’s sponsorship of NCHA also includes added support of the Futurity and a fully-loaded Duramax Diesel truck, which will be given away to one lucky NCHA member on the evening of December 15.

Tickets to the Futurity are still available, but if you will be unable to join the festivities in Fort Worth, you can still catch all of the action of the Open Finals with Cowboy TV. The Futurity will be broadcast live on DISH Network pay-per-view for just $19.95. DISH subscribers can place their order on channel 456. The competition will also be available by streaming video on the NCHA website. Call the NCHA at 817-244-6188 for all the details.

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 Futurity, tickets or the sport of cutting, please call 817-244-6188 or visit www.nchacutting.com.