September 11, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Amy Vorhes - 817-244-6188 ext. 113

NCHA Night at the Mesquite Rodeo

Live cutting demonstrations to be presented during September 15 performance

(Fort Worth, TX) — The evening of Saturday, September 15 promises to be something a little different at the Mesquite Championship Rodeo. It's the National Cutting Horse Association Night at the rodeo, where four live cutting demonstrations will be presented during the regular rodeo action.

"The NCHA is excited about the opportunity to showcase the sport of cutting to the fans in attendance, and to the national television audience of the Mesquite Championship Rodeo," said NCHA Executive Director Jeff Hooper. "Cutting is a sport that is rich in ranching traditions and Western heritage, and is a perfect compliment to this world-class rodeo."

In addition to the great PRCA rodeo action provided every Friday and Saturday night throughout the summer at the Resistol Arena in Mesquite, Texas, NCHA Night will offer the rodeo audience a chance to experience the sport of cutting.

Like rodeo, the sport of cutting has roots in Western ranching traditions. Good cow horses were a necessity for everyday ranch work and cattle handling. "Cutting" horses specialized in their ability to separate or "cut" one cow from a herd of others for branding, doctoring or shipping.

The NCHA was formed in 1946 by a group of cowboys and ranchers who wanted to promote cutting competitions, standardize rules and preserve cutting horses' Western heritage. Today, the Fort Worth-based NCHA represents 14,000 members in 22 countries and oversees more than 1,400 NCHA-approved shows paying out over $25 million in prizes annually.

The talented lineup of cutters for the rodeo on Sept. 15 all hail from the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Punk Carter, a longtime cutting horse trainer out of Celina, Texas, comes from a family of cutters and brings a lifetime of experience and wins worth almost $300,000. He will be joined in the arena by fellow trainer Rick Mowery, his wife, television personality Shelly Burmeister Mowery, and a celebrity cutter who has yet to be named.

Rick Mowery, too, comes from a family of cutters. Horses ridden by the Weatherford, Texas, trainer have garnered just under $400,000. Shelly Burmeister Mowery, who was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1990, has been actively cutting for more than a decade. She is a familiar face in both the sports of rodeo and cutting. Shelly has interviewed competitors behind the chutes at the Mesquite Championship Rodeo for Fox Sports Net and co-hosted NCHA telecasts on the Outdoor Life Network.

Plan to attend the Mesquite Championship Rodeo the evening of Saturday, September 15 to watch world-class PRCA rodeo athletes and catch the excitement of NCHA Night at the rodeo at the same time.

Doors open for the rodeo at 6:30 p.m., and the action starts at 8. Contact the Mesquite Championship Rodeo ticket office at 972-285-8777 to reserve your seat, or visit www.mesquiterodeo.com for more information.