September 17, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Amy Stapleton

817.244.6188 ext. 113

WESTERN HORSEMAN CUP UPDATE:

Wine Country Futurity kicks off WesternHorseman.com Fall Season

(Fort Worth, TX) — The third and final season of the inaugural Western Horseman Cup championship cutting series begins with the Wine Country Futurity this week. The Western Horseman Cup series includes many major cutting horse contests approved by the National Cutting Horse Association. The series brings the structure to cutting horse competitions made popular by such other major sports as NASCAR racing and Pro Rodeo.

The third, Westernhorseman.com, season of cutting will include 21 events from coast to coast with total payout of $1,580,150. So far this year, 265 Open horses and 160 Non-Pro riders have earned points at Western Horseman Cup events.

All National Cutting Horse Association-approved events with added money of at least $10,000 are included in the Western Horseman Cup series. Those events approved for the Westernhorseman.com Fall Season are:

- Wine Country Futurity & Aged Event in Paso Robles, California

- Lone Star Futurity in Athens, Texas

- Raleigh Cutting Series in Raleigh, North Carolina

- Dave Whitall Memorial Futurity in Vernon, British Columbia

- Dakota Classic Breeders Futurity in Platte, South Dakota

- Brazos Bash in Weatherford, Texas

- Wyoming Cutting Horse Futurity & Aged Event in Gillette, Wyoming

- Canadian Supreme in Red Deer, Alberta

- Cutting Horse Association of Nebraska Aged Event in Broken Bow, Nebraska

- All American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio

- Music City Futurity in Franklin, Tennessee

- Suncoast Futurity in Las Vegas, Nevada

- Heartland Futurity/Maturity/Classic in Ada, Oklahoma

- Minnesota Cutting Horse Association Incentive Program Futurity in Nevis, Minnesota

- Lammles Western Wear & Tack Futurity in Calgary, Alberta

- Colorado Fall Championship in Longmont, Colorado

- Southern Cutting Horse Futurity in Jackson, Mississippi

- Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association Futurity in Burbank, California

- Texas Cutting Horse Futurity in Waco, Texas

- Utah Cutting Horse Futurity & Aged Event in Odgen, Utah

- Louisiana Kajun Classic in Gonzales, Louisiana

The Western Horseman Cup program was unveiled at the 2002 Chevy Trucks / NCHA World Championship Futurity in December. The Futurity, held annually in Fort Worth, Texas, was the first on the long list of events included in the first annual Western Horseman Cup championship cutting series for horses four years of age in 2003. Each event on the list must offer total added money of $10,000 or more.

The series brings a new continuity to the limited age cutting horse circuit by adding seasons, and tracking results. The five Open horses (plus ties) with the highest point total and the five Non-Professional riders with the highest point total at the end of each of three seasons will be invited to participate in a newly-created Finals during the 2004 Augusta Futurity in January. Those 15 horses and 15 riders will cut one time for a total of $250,000.

The Western Horseman Cup was created under the support and direction of longtime cutter W.S. Morris, III. Morris’ Cowboy Publishing Group publishes Western Horseman Magazine and Quarter Horse News, and operates the equine web destination, Horsecity.com. The CPG publications, as well as the NCHA’s official magazine, the Cutting Horse Chatter, and newspapers across the country, carry results and updates for the Cup.

The sport of cutting has roots in Western ranching traditions, where good horses were a necessity for everyday ranch work and cattle handling. The National Cutting Horse Association was formed in 1946 by a group of cowboys and ranchers who wanted to promote cutting competition, standardize rules and preserve the cutting horses' Western heritage. Today, the Fort Worth-based NCHA represents over 15,000 people and approves more than 1,400 shows with an excess of $28 million in total prize money awarded annually.

For a complete list of events, results, points, rules and running totals, just visit www.westernhorsemancup.com or check your favorite cutting horse publication!