October 1, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Amy Vorhes

817.244.6188 ext. 113

Shania Cee Blows Out West Texas Futurity

Five-day show paid out $258,155

(Fort Worth, TX) — The West Texas Futurity was hosted by the West Texas Cutting Horse Association in Amarillo, Texas, Sept. 25-30. The NCHA-approved aged event pulled 357 cutters to the Texas panhandle for $258,155 with $70,000 added money.

Shania Cee and Minco, Oklahoma, trainer Shannon Hall have put together some amazing performances in their two years together. Beginning with winning the 1999 NCHA World Championship Futurity, their resume includes a string of accomplishments that made Shania Cee the hands-down recipient of the NCHA 2000 Horse of the Year title.

The little palomino mare has not slowed down, either. She is gaining confidence with age, and at the West Texas Futurity in Amarillo last week, Hall put Shania Cee to work for another show-stopping effort. In the Classic Open, Billy Cogdell's mare took on enough cow to earn 228 points and first place with the highest score of the 5-day show. The score was also and incredible nine points ahead of second place in the class.

Darren Simpkins, Weatherford, Texas, was marked the top of the WTCHA Open Futurity finals on Neiman Mark Me, a young sorrel Quarter Horse stallion owned by Roger and Shannon Meline. The $7,096 for first place in the Open Futurity at the Amarillo show was the first NCHA check for Neiman Mark Me.

The Open Derby narrowed a group of tough 4-year-olds down to 15 for the finals. In the end, Starlight And Jazz shone brightest. Trainer Boyd Rice, Spearman, Texas, rode the registered Paint mare at the West Texas Futurity. Owner Carol Dewrell has previously showed the mare in Non-Pro competition.

The non-pro headliners for the week were Julie Hansma and Hope Justice, who tied scores of 219 in the Non-Pro Classic Finals. Both riders were well-mounted. Hansma, Weatherford, Texas, rode Oh Dual, the 1995 bay Quarter Horse gelding that has helped her pick up $19,950 since their start together at the 1999 NCHA World Championship Futurity.

Justice had her 6-year-old DNA mare, Bambi, in Amarillo. The pair won the 2001 NCHA Classic/Challenge Non-Pro in July at the Summer Cutting Spectacular, and have NCHA winnings of $95,690.

The Non-Pro Derby class winner was Bucki James of Purcell, Oklahoma. James and Sonita Lena Chick have been on a hot streak since the Polo Ranch Cutting in Sheridan, Wyoming, this past August, where they tied for third place in the Non-Pro class. Their check from the West Texas Futurity added $8,078 to their NCHA earnings. Finally, Crested Butte, Colorado, cutter Catherine Lacy rode her sorrel 3-year-old mare to the top of the Non-Pro Futurity class.

Stacie Kopp rode TR Majorette through two rounds to win the $50,000 Amateur Derby, while Suzy Watson was the winner of the division's Classic finals riding Classic Acre.

The National Cutting Horse Association was formed in 1946 by a group of cowboys and ranchers who wanted to preserve cutting competition, standardize rules and preserve the cutting horses' Western heritage. Today, the Fort Worth-based NCHA represents more than 14,000 members in 19 countries and oversees more than 1,400 NCHA-approved shows with more than $24 million in total prize money awarded annually.