For Immediate Release

December 14, 2001

From the NATIONAL CUTTING HORSE ASSOCIATION

Contact: Amy Vorhes

817.244.6188 ext. 113

(Fort Worth, TX) -- Cookie Banuelos could not help but smile as the buzzer sounded on his two and a half-minute work in the Limited Open Finals of the 40^th Annual National Cutting Horse Association World Championship Futurity.

Banuelos' horse, Abrakadabracre, worked for 223 points in the finals, giving the Farwell, Texas, trainer a solid lead in the class, and eventually, the win. Banuelos rode the three-year-old stallion by Bob Acre Doc out of Willys Tivio Babe by Tivio Bar, for owners Chatham & Marmande of Fort Worth, Texas. Cookie Banuelos is the brother of Ascencion Banuelos, who has career NCHA earnings to date of $1,123,277.

Cookie Banuelos, who added $19,213 to his lifetime earnings with his Limited Open win, will also be riding Abrakadabracre in the Open Semi-Finals on Saturday, December 15 at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Reserve Champion of the 2001 Limited Open Futurity division is Clint Allen riding James Vangilder's noteworthy gelding, Merada Clone. Allen is from Weatherford, Texas, while Vangilder calls Jackson, Missouri, home. The three-year-old gelding is by Meradas Money Talks out of Lilly Dual by Dual Pep.

Additional prizes include a Remington bronze from Sam's Club, Gist Silversmith's trophy buckles, Professional's Choice products, M.L. Leddy's saddles and briefcases, and a score of other items. The $345,000 added money for the NCHA World Championship Futurity is provided by the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the City of Fort Worth.

The National Cutting Horse Association's 40^th Annual Futurity will wrap up 20 days of fierce competition on the evening of December 16 with the Open Futurity Finals and Champions Party thereafter where all of the show's champions will be the guests of honor.

In addition to world-class cutting, the NCHA also hosts the Cowboy Christmas Extravaganza trade and gift show, nine cutting horse sales, a Cowboy Santa, and a celebrity cutting. All of the NCHA's sponsors are on hand, including Sam's Club, Chevy Trucks, John Deere, Flowmaster, Sooner Trailers, and many, many more.

For more information about the National Cutting Horse Association, the 40th Annual NCHA World Championship Futurity, or the long list of activities that accompany the 20-day show, please call the NCHA at 817-244-6188 or visit www.nchacutting.com.