Tyson Stewart / FCS Ima Classy Flinn win Western Senior Youth class with 221

Reserve taken by Cody Lee / Smart Oakalena

(Fort Worth, TX) — The first champion named at the 2002 Chevy Trucks / National Cutting Horse Association Western National Championships was Tyson Stewart of Cody, Nebraska.

Stewart, who showed in the Senior Youth division at the Ogden year-end show, rode his horse, Sprats Last Asset, for 221 points in the class finals. He was one of 12 Senior Youth cutters who advanced from the first round of 28 cutters into the finals, which paid a total of $2,079. Stewart also represented the South Dakota CHA in the AQHA/NCHA Affiliate Challenge program.

The Reserve Champion of the class was Cody Lee of Hamilton, Montana. Lee rode his horse, Smart Oakalena, for 214.5 points in the finals while representing the Montana CHA.

The Chevy Trucks / NCHA Western National Championships are also home to the AQHA Affiliate Challenge. The Affiliate Challenge format encourages affiliates to send as many entries as they can to the Ogden cutting. In addition to the individual competition, all entrants in the show will also compete on behalf of their local NCHA Affiliate. This program, sponsored by the American Quarter Horse Association, allows NCHA affiliate organizations to earn points for their participation and success in the Chevy Trucks / NCHA Western National Championships. The AQHA provides $27,000 in prize money to the 10 affiliates that accumulate the most points during the show. Participants in the 2002 Chevy Trucks Western Nationals represent 56 NCHA affiliate clubs.

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 14,000 people and oversees more than 1,400 NCHA-approved shows with more than $26 million in total prize money awarded annually.

For more information about the NCHA, the 2002 Chevy Trucks / NCHA Western National Championships, or the sport of cutting, please call 817-244-6188 or visit www.nchacutting.com.