FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 28, 2004 Contact: Clay
Murray (817) 244-6188 Ext. 120
NCHA
crowned champions in 11 classes at Millennium/NCHA Eastern National
Championships.
(Fort Worth, TX)—The Millennium/NCHA Eastern National Champions drew to a close on March 20, 2004 in Jackson, Mississippi. Eleven new champions were crowned during the two-week long event.
Participants qualified for the Eastern National Championships by competing in weekend shows across the United States and Canada during 2003. The top 10 competitors in each of the 11 NCHA-approved classes from each affiliate were invited to participate in both the Eastern and Western National Championships. Jackson, MS hosted 963 cutters and their families who competed for the $279,451 event purse.
The 2003 Millennium/NCHA Eastern National Champions are:
$10,000 Novice Horse: Prince Is My Name, owned by Juanita Bird of Sicily Island, LA and
ridden by Brett Davis
$3,000 Novice Horse: Hollys Holy Cash, owned by James Johnson of Lewisburg, WV and
ridden by Austin Shepard
Jr. Youth: Dustin Mills of Fulshear, TX riding Vibrant Docogold
Sr. Youth: Rachel Johnson of Lewisburg, WV riding Finally Got Smart
$10,000 Novice Horse/ Non-Pro: Smart N High owned and ridden by Ronnie Smith of Royce
City, TX
$2,000 Limited Rider: Ann Mitchell of Thompsons Sta., TN riding Scatter Hickory
$20,000 Non Pro: Nikki Sokol of New Smyrna Beach, FL riding Lucky Bottom Roy
$50,00 Amateur: Billy Ballard of Winchester, KY riding Fox N Style
$10,000 Amateur: Kevin Rucker of Fort Worth, TX riding Arizona Slim
Non-Pro: Lori Brown Amaden of Athens, TX riding All Night Bingo
Open: Uno Dos Seventyseven owned by James Johnson of Lewisburg, WV and
ridden by Austin Shepard
NCHA is honored to have the support of Millennium Industries, Gist Silversmiths, Mississippi Department of Tourism, the Jackson Metro Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Murray Leather, AQHA, Cowboy Tack, and KO Trading in hosting this event.
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 15,000 people and oversees more than 1,400 NCHA-approved shows with more than $30 million in total prize money awarded annually. For more information about the NCHA or the sport of cutting, please call 817-244-6188 or visit www.nchacutting.com.
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