FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE             8-28-02

Sue wins Derby Open Finals with John Wold
Reserve title goes to Blue Duck Okie and Shannon Hall

(Fort Worth, TX) — There were no jokes when the stallion named Sue got to work on his 227-point work in the Open Finals of the 2002 National Cutting Horse Association Summer Cutting Spectacular this evening.

Sue is a DNA stallion by Duals Blue Boon out of Meradas Little Sue, and was ridden in the Summer Cutting Spectacular by John Wold of Bartonville, Texas. Prior to the $46,773 check for the Derby Open championship, Sue's NCHA earnings to date were just at $7,000. The stallion is owned by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt of Houston, Texas.

The reserve champion title went to Billy Emerson's stallion, Blue Duck Okie. The Miss N Okie-bred cutting horse was ridden by Shannon Hall to a score of 221 points in the finals. Hall, of Minco, Oklahoma, and Blue Duck Okie earned a $40,311 check for Emerson, who lives in Dallas, Texas. The total purse in the class was $404,204.

The Limited Open champion was Roger Wagner of Weatherford, Texas, on Hope Justice's gelding, Little Moria Red. His check for $3,150 was the largest of the $15,750 Limited Open purse.

The 2002 NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular began July 9 and will conclude on Sunday, July 28, 2002, at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The Summer Cutting Spectacular is the third portion of NCHA's Triple Crown of Cutting, which are limited age events beginning with the Futurity in December, the Flowmaster Super Stakes in April, and concluding with the July Summer Cutting Spectacular.

Thanks to the support of the Emison Insurance Agency and the Insurance Corporation of Hannover, added money for the 2002 Summer Cutting Spectacular will reach $221,000.

Among a host of insurance services provided worldwide, the Insurance Corporation of Hannover writes policies for livestock mortality through agent and NCHA member Ben Emison. ICH is a niche, special-program insurance company that carries a rating of "A" from A.M. Best rating services, and are the fifth largest reinsurer in the world. Currently, ICH insures roughly 20,000 horses ranging from miniature breeding animals to cutting horses to Grand Prix jumping horses.

During the 20 full days of cutting at the 2002 Summer Cutting Spectacular, special events like the youth scholarship cuttings, the East/West Work-offs, the Sponsors cutting and the Sooner Trailer/NCHA Day Work-off offer something for everyone involved with NCHA cutting. Plus, there will be lots of great shopping next door to the cutting at the Coors Light Trade Show.

Awards for class finalists and champions will be presented by NCHA sponsors including Cowboy Tack, Gist Silversmiths, M.L. Leddy's, Cinch Jeans, Sean Ryon Western Store and Saddle Shop, Walls, Stetson, Sooner Trailers, and KO Trading.

For a schedule of events at the 2002 NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular, hours for the Coors Light Trade Show, to learn more about the sport of cutting, how to get tickets for the finals, or for more information about the sport of cutting, please call the NCHA office at 817-244-6188 or visit our website at www.nchacutting.com.