FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

From the NATIONAL CUTTING HORSE ASSOCIATION

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

(Fort Worth, TX) — The National Cutting Horse Association's next 20-day Fort Worth cutting event is getting closer. The 2002 Flowmaster / NCHA Super Stakes & Super Stakes Classic is scheduled for April 4 - 21 at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum.

The Super Stakes is the second leg of the National Cutting Horse Association "Triple Crown" of cutting, which began with the World Championship Futurity and will conclude in July with the Summer Cutting Spectacular.

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.

The Super Stakes is a show for only the offspring of nominated stallions. However, with 123 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.

Each stallion owner paid $3,000 to subscribe, 95 percent of which goes into the event’s purse. In addition, each Super Stakes entry paid a fee of $1,500 or more depending on the event division and time of payment, with a major part of that fee adding to the purse.

A total of 1,134 Open, Non-Professional and Amateur entries showed for $1,895,890 at the 2001 Super Stakes & Super Stakes Classic. The 2002 edition of the show is anticipated to be the first Super Stakes to break the $2 million mark in payouts, which is attributed in part to a new title sponsor for the event.

Flowmaster, a household name in car racing circles, 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.

From the original 13 members who created the National Cutting Horse Association in 1946 to the present membership of over 14,000 cutters, the roots of the NCHA are buried deep in Western ranching traditions where good horses were a necessity to everyday ranch work and cattle handling. 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.

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.