FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
From the NATIONAL CUTTING HORSE ASSOCIATION
CONTACT: Amy Vorhes 817-683-7807
Homestate cutter wins Senior Youth class in Jackson
Kelle Earnheart adds another title to her long list of NCHA accomplishments
(Fort Worth, TX) —
At 16 years old, Kelle Earnheart has been to more cuttings and earned more money than many of her older counterparts. Winning the Senior Youth class at the 2001 Chevy Trucks/National Cutting Horse Association Eastern National Championships is one more in a long list of titles, but with it comes a $1,000 scholarship that makes the first-place effort even more important.Earnheart is the daughter of Pat and Teresa Earnheart, and lives in Hernando, Mississippi. In the 13 years that Earnheart has been riding cutting horses she's accumulated $111,100. What is even more impressive is that the 2001 NCHA Senior Youth World Champion also holds her own in the tough Non-Professional division, as well. After winning the Junior World Championship title in 1998 and 1999, Earnheart won the NCHA Non-Pro Derby. She qualified to compete in the Non-Pro class at the Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern Nationals later this week, as well.
Another standout youth competitor, Nikki Sokol, finished her NCHA youth eligibility with a Reserve Championship in the Senior Youth division in Jackson, Mississippi. Sokol, who lives in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, is the daughter of Ted and Kathy Sokol. Nikki has been riding cutting horses for 12 years, and in Jackson she showed her favorite horse, Lucky Bottom Roy. She will also show in the $20,000 Non-Pro later this week.
Kelle and Nikki were each awarded prizes from Gist silversmiths, Cowboy Tack, Chevy Trucks and Walls. They each also received a $1,000 scholarship from Boehringer-Ingelheim, maker of Ventipulmin Syrup.
The 2001 Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern National Championships are taking place at the Jackson, Mississippi, Fairgrounds from March 12-23, 2002. Thanks to all of the added money and the potential to win a championship title in top-end competition, 979 entries were taken for the 12-day show. That number marks a strong increase in last year's numbers.
The City of Jackson, Mississippi, has been home of the Eastern Nationals cutting for 21 years. Past figures credit the Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern National Championships for bringing an economic impact to the city of $8 million.
The nature of the Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern National Championships is traditionally competitive, yet fun for the whole family at the same time. The AQHA/NCHA Affiliate Challenge program will only enhance that feeling. The Affiliate Challenge format encourages affiliates to send as many entries as they can to the Jackson cutting. In addition to the individual competition, which will pay out $286,043, all entrants in the show will also compete on behalf of their local NCHA Affiliate. The AQHA will award $27,000 to affiliates at the Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern National Championships, and again at the Chevy Trucks/NCHA Western National Championships.
The NCHA and HorseCity.com have developed an interactive, educational site about the sport. Visit and learn more at www.horsecity.com/NCHAcutting/nchacutting.shtml. For more information about the sport of cutting, the Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern National Championships, the AQHA/NCHA Affiliate Challenge, or the National Cutting Horse Association, please contact the NCHA at 817-244-6188 or visit www.nchacutting.com.