From the NATIONAL CUTTING HORSE ASSOCIATION
CONTACT: Amy Vorhes 817-244-6188 ext. 113
Paul Hansma rides Bueno Chex Dually to 223 points in Classic Open first go
Three horses--Missis Trona, Stylish Rosie, Goran--follow with 221
(Fort Worth, TX)
— As a trainer at Bar H Ranche in Weatherford, Texas, Paul Hansma has ridden quite a few horses sired by resident stallion Dual Pep. Hansma put his knowledge and Bueno Chex Dually to work in the first round of the 2002 Flowmaster / National Cutting Horse Association Super Stakes Classic Open and got 223 points back in return. Hansma is riding Bueno Chex Dually in the class of 235 for owner Dick Brown of Tallulah, Louisiana.Of the 235 that began the class on April 14, 123 marked scores of 213.5 points or better and will therefore advance to round two. Three of those horses finished with scores of 221 points: Missis Trona is a Little Trona mare owned by Benjie Neely of Lyons, Georgia, and shown by Austin Shepard; Stylish Rosie is a Docs Stylish Oak mare owned by Walton's Rocking W Ranch in Mineral Wells, Texas, and ridden by Eddie Flynn; and Goran is a Bob Acre Doc gelding owned by EE Ranches of Pilot Point, Texas. All are registered American Quarter Horses.
Round two of the Classic Open begins at 8 a.m. on April 16. From there, the top 30 horses will go straight into the Super Stakes Classic Open finals on Sunday, April 21. Tickets are still available for the semi-finals and the finals on Saturday and Sunday.
The 2002 Flowmaster / NCHA Super Stakes & Super Stakes Classic cutting will continue through Sunday, April 21, and pay out an estimated $2.2 million over the course of the show. Entries for the 2002 edition of the annual spring Fort Worth show have jumped an incredible 7 percent from last year's number, from 1,235 entries in 2001 to 1,328 entries in 2002. The $2.2 million purse is a record payout for the Super Stakes & Super Stakes Classic show, which dates back to 1981.
Favorites from the 2001 NCHA World Championship Futurity will be returning for a second shot at a major win at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in the Super Stakes. They will be joined by a host of other 4-year-old potential champions in seven divisions. Meanwhile, the 5- and 6-year-old horses -- many of which have built outstanding records -- will compete in three divisions of their own. All told, 10 champions will be crowned during the 2002 Flowmaster / NCHA Super Stakes & Super Stakes Classic.
The Super Stakes is a show for only the offspring of nominated stallions. However, with 137 of the industry's top sires on the list of nominees, the show is far from "exclusive." The Super Stakes is for 4-year-old cutting horses and the Super Stakes Classic portion of the show is for horses aged 5 and 6 years old.
In addition to the hefty checks that will be distributed, winners will also receive awards from NCHA sponsors like Gist silversmiths, Cowboy Tack, M.L. Leddy's, Flowmaster, Walls, and Cinch jeans.
Flowmaster, the title sponsor of the 18-day April cutting, is a household name in car racing circles. The company came on board as an NCHA sponsor this fall. Over the past 18 years, Flowmaster's patented technology has also blazed new trails in the passenger car and tow vehicle markets. Their customers are saving 100 million gallons of fuel per year.
The sport of cutting has evolved into a thriving industry with members of many backgrounds. From CEOs to cattle raisers to former rodeo stars and professional athletes, National Cutting Horse Association members find a common thread in one of the most challenging, exhilarating and exciting sports in the world -- riding good cutting horses.
In addition to the outstanding athleticism required of a standout cutting horse, the equine athletes must also be able to read cows and outmaneuver the herd-natured animals with lightning-quick movements from side to side, hard stops and split-second bursts of speed.
For more information about the Flowmaster / NCHA Super Stakes & Super Stakes Classic, the history of the sport or how to become an NCHA member, please call 817-244-6188 or visit www.nchacutting.com.