FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Judy Mayes

817-244-6188

Jill Long Rides Diamond J. Starlight To Win

NCHA's Super Stakes Classic Non-Professional Finals

Fort Worth, TX (April 6, 2001)-- The final round of the $254,000 NCHA Super Stake Classic Non-Pro competition at the Will Roger Coliseum came to a exciting close when Jill Long of Gardnerville, NV scored an impressive 221.5 to win the Classic Non-Pro division. Long and her mount Diamond J Starlight cut three difficult cattle to stay in front of Greg Coalson and take the title. Long was pleased with Diamond J. Starlight's performance in winning the first-place purse of $21,034. "I felt that I had a good cut, but I didn't know how the score would come out," said Long, "Diamond J. Starlight has so much power, is pretty consistent and is very silky." Diamond J Starlight has been a significant part of the Long family's competitive edge by taking Jill to three top 10 finishes in the last two years. Jill's husband, Tom, and Diamond J Starlight's success includes winning the 2001 San Diego Cutting Horse Association's Winter Aged Event and the 2000 Northwest Ranch Festival. Long said, "Tom's training regiment has been so successful …I always seem to win with her." With this win, Diamond J Starlight's lifetime earnings have exceeded $120,000.

Greg Coalson of Weatherford, TX took the reserved champion spot on Quejanapep, and collected $20,082 of the Classic Non-Pro purse. Quejanapep and Coalson's first major success was finishing in the top 20 of the Open division of the 1999 NCHA World Championship Futurity and Reserve Champion of the Non-Pro division of the 1999 World Championship Futurity. In 2000, Coalson and Quejanapep teamed up to win the Reserve Champion of the NCHA Derby and the Champion title at the 2000 Brazos Bash at Silverado on the Brazos. This Reserve Champion placing at this competition pushes Greg's lifetime earning over the $250,000 mark and Quejanapep's earning to more than $125,000. Third place went to 2000 World Finalist Debbie Patterson on Uno Palomino with a score of 217.5. Dean Sanders and Chukas Smartie scored a solid 216 to finish fourth in the Non-Pro competition.

The NCHA Super Stakes continues with daily go-rounds through April 14 and offers total purse money of over $1.8 million. The NCHA Super Stakes showcases 4-year-olds and the Super Stakes Classic is restricted to 5 and 6-year olds. Only horses sired by stallions subscribed to the NCHA Super Stakes program may compete in the event.

The sport of cutting has roots in Western ranching traditions, where good 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 National Cutting Horse Association was formed in 1946 by a group of cowboys and ranchers, who wanted to promote cutting competitions, have standardize rules and preserve the cutting horse's Western heritage. Today, the Fort Worth based NCHA represents more than 12,000 members in 22 countries and oversees more than 1,400 NCHA-approved shows with more than $22 million in total prize money awarded annually.

For more information, please contact Judy Mayes at 817-244-6188, or visit the NCHA website at www.nchacutting.com.