(Fort Worth, TX) — Mary Jo Milner of Southlake, Texas, has zipped past three more milestones. In becoming the National Cutting Horse Association Non-Pro World Champion of 2001, she set an all-time record for single-season earnings by a non-professional cutter.

She also tied Carol Rose as a four-time winner of the Non-Pro World Champion title. And her official NCHA earnings moved into seven-figure territory.

As of the July 31, 2002, Milner's official earnings in NCHA cutting competitions stand at $1,093,932. She made a record $120,182 in 2001.

Milner earned checks in seven states, plus Alberta, Canada, in 2001. Her paydays prior to the John Deere/NCHA World Finals ranged from a low of $100.20 when she split fourth and fifth place at Sweetwater, Texas, to a high of $2,695.05 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo cutting during World Finals week. She picked up $26,357 in the World Finals cutting.

She rode Red White And Boon in all but one of her money-making runs. The exception was a round on Hicapoo, the mare that she rode throughout the regular season when she won the 2000 NCHA Non-Pro World Championship. She collected no fewer than 50 first-place checks in 2001, and collected the most money -- a cool $47,450 -- in her home state of Texas, but she also collected a sizable $33,538 in Mississippi.

Milner is a long way from resting on her laurels. Through mid-July, she was running a close third in the 2002 NCHA standings, making her a solid contender for a record fifth Non-Pro World Championship title.

The National Cutting Horse Association is made up of 14,000 members across the United States with a wide range of backgrounds. The sport of cutting has roots in Western ranching traditions, where good horses were a necessity for everyday ranch work and cattle handling. From cowgirls to CEOs, from firefighters to professional football players, the common ground is often in the cutting arena. Each year more than 1,400 NCHA-approved events are held throughout the country with more than $26 million in prize money awarded.

To learn more about the National Cutting Horse Association and the sport of cutting, call 817-244-6188 or visit www.nchacutting.com.