For immediate release                             March 27, 2001

Freckles Poco Dot ridden by Allen Crouch is the Eastern National Championships Open Champion

As the first rider up in the Open competition during the Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern National Championships at Jackson, Mississippi on Saturday, March 24, Allen Crouch set the bar with a 220-point score aboard Freckles Poco Dot and was never bested.

Becoming Co-Reserve Champions with their 219 scores were, Rosies Lena ridden by Robert Rust for Ken Sitton of Freeport, Texas and Missin Minerva ridden by Dennis 'Zeke' Entz for Jim and Laura Bilbrey of Conyers, Georgia.

Freckles Poco Dot, owned by Allen and Lauryn Crouch of Noxapeter, Mississippi had scored 217 points with Lauryn Crouch aboard as the last rider in the last Non-Pro set. Allen Crouch then saddled the 11-year-old Freckles Playboy gelding for the Open set after a water and rest.  "He's going to be the same every time you cut on him," said Crouch of the back-to-back draws. "He's always going to try to help you win."

Adding another buckle to the three he already had won at the Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern National Championships, Robert Rust rode Rosies Lena to a Co-Reserve Championship.

Riding the nine-year-old by Lenas Jewel Bars, Rust cut three cows and marked 219 points to tie with Zeke Entz on Missin Minerva. "My horse did all he could," said Rust. "If I had cut him better cows, he would have done better. My first two weren't very special. I peeled my third cow and he handled it well."

Missin Minerva scored 219 points on three cows to tie with Rosies Lena. "She's a real gritty mare and can read fast, tough cattle," said Entz.  "She has everything I like to see in a horse."

The Chevy Trucks/NCHA Eastern National Championships came to its conclusion on Saturday, March 24 with Non-Pro and Open Finals competition. The competitors at the event had qualified to participate through the affiliates or regional cutting competition. More than 900 entries were vying for more than $90,000 in cash and prizes.

For more information about NCHA and upcoming events, contact the marketing office at (817) 244-6188 or visit NCHA's website at www.nchacutting.com.