Record entries for 2002 Chevy Trucks / NCHA Eastern National Championships

Count breaks 1,000 for annual Jackson, Mississippi, cutting

(Fort Worth, TX) — For the first time ever, entries at the Chevy Trucks / National Cutting Horse Association Eastern National Championships have topped 1,000. A record 1,005 contestants will vie for a share of the $288,391 purse in the big show which opens in Jackson, Mississippi on March 11. The annual cutting will continue through March 22, with cutting beginning every day at 8 a.m.

The City of Jackson, Mississippi, has been home of the Eastern Nationals cutting for 22 years. The 2002 show will be another 12-day cutting, and will bring 1,005 cutters and their families to the metro Jackson area. Past figures credit the Chevy Trucks / NCHA Eastern National Championships for bringing an economic impact to the city of $8 million.

Defending Champions who are entered include Son Of Olena in the Open, Raked In Satin in both Novice Horse classes, Tina Russell in the $50,000 Amateur, Sara Bingham in the $20,000 Non-Pro, and Kelle Earnheart in the Senior Youth.

The annual NCHA Fish Fry is a highlight on the busy schedule of events. It is always a full evening -- the group of cutters and their families eat over 400 pounds of catfish, catch up with friends, and dance well into the night. This year’s Fish Fry will be held on the evening of Thursday, March 13.

The public is welcome to come see what the sport of cutting is all about at the Chevy Trucks / NCHA Eastern National Championships. Admission is free to watch the top cutting horses and riders from across the eastern United States.

The Chevy Trucks / NCHA Eastern National Championships are also home to the AQHA Affiliate Challenge. The Affiliate Challenge format encourages affiliates to send as many entries as they can to the Jackson cutting. In addition to the individual competition, all entrants in the show will also compete on behalf of their local NCHA Affiliate.

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 Chevy Trucks / NCHA Eastern National Championships, or the sport of cutting, please call 817-244-6188 or visit www.nchacutting.com.