Big Start for Super Stakes
With some new features and more than 1,800 entries, the 2006 NCHA Super Stakes opened on March 28. The $2.8 million show, for the progeny of subscribed stallions, continues through April 16 in Fort Worth, Texas. Live web casting of the event begins daily at 8:00 a.m., brought to you by 6666 Ranch. And you can keep up with the news behind the scores each day in the popular Daily Chatter newsletter.

Yesterday saw Widows Intentions, star of last month's Wayne Hodges Trailers * Outlaw Conversions Eastern National Championships, take the Super Stakes Classic Open in a spectacular end-of-the-night run and Julie Wrigley was crowned Super Stakes Classic Limited Non-Pro Champion at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum.

The Super Stakes Open and Non-Pro on Sunday, April 16 will feature live, expert commentary to fans at Will Rogers Coliseum thanks to Rancharrah Radio's popular Smart Bug receivers.

New Features at NCHA Super Stakes
There will be some new twists to the NCHA Super Stakes, which opened in Fort Worth, Texas on Tuesday, March 28. this year's show introduced an Open Wildcard Round, a $10,000 Novice Horse Class,  and a $200,000 Non-Pro class. Read the details here.

Big Sale at the Super Stakes
See the complete listing for Western Bloodstock's NCHA Super Stakes Sale which is coming up April 14-15.

Important Change Made to Entry Schedules
Beginning with entries for the 2007 NCHA Futurity, payments must be postmarked or received in the NCHA office by the date listed in the payment schedule. There will no longer be a 10-day grace period for payments. The grace period will also be dropped for the 2007 NCHA Super Stakes and 2007 NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular.

For example, the initial payment for the 2007 NCHA Futurity is due October 1, 2006, so it must be postmarked or hand delivered to the NCHA office by October 1. Late entries will be assessed late fees according to published schedules.

Eastern Nationals Champions Crowned
The winners have been crowned at the Wayne Hodges Trailers * Outlaw Conversions Eastern National Championships. The show was held in Jackson, Mississippi, March 6-17. Jim Langdale of Quitman, Georgia, won a year´s use of a trailer when his horse, Widows Intentions, marked 225, the highest score of the show. Austin Shepard rode Widows Intentions in the high-point run in the Open finals. It was Shepard´s third Open championship at the Eastern Nationals in the past four years.

The North Mississippi Cutting Horse Association edged the Florida Cutting Horse Association by just 15 points to win the AQHA/NCHA Affiliate Challenge, in which affiliates earn points based on their members´ participation and performance. North Mississippi earned $7,500 from the award´s $27,000 distribution. The AQHA/NCHA Affiliate Challenge will also be a feature of the 2005 Wayne Hodges * Outlaw Conversions Western National Championships, to be held in Ogden, Utah, April 27-May 7.

Read about the show in the Daily Chatter and in the May issue of Cutting Horse Chatter. Here's a look at the Champions:

• Open: Widows Intentions
• Non-Pro: Lori Rogers
• $10,000 Amateur: Kelly Eastburn
• $50,000 Amateur: Blain Peerson
• $20,000 Non-Pro: Barbara Himsel
• Senior Youth: Lauren Minshall
• Junior Youth: Katlyn Entz
• $10,000 Novice Non-Pro: MKKittylena
• $10,000 Novice Non-Pro: WR Stuffin
• $2,000 Limted Rider: Zoe Woodland
• $3,000 Novice: Pepto Mania
• $10,000 Novice: Smart Lil Jewel

Eastern Nationals Youth Activities
Check out this special photo collection to see what National Youth Cutting Horse Association members were up to at the Eastern National Championships with a Grand Entry, Team Cutting, Pizza Party and more.

Cutting Makes Headlines
The announcement that a clone of all-time leading producer Royal Blue Boon has been foaled in Oklahoma has generated headline stories on the major networks, in dozens of metropolitan dailies, and in media outlets as far a field as South Africa, Romania and China. Sally Harrison previewed the ground-breaking story in the Fort Worth Business Press, did a follow-up on Smart Little Lena's clones, and she has a feature on the subject in the April issue of Cutting Horse Chatter. The American Quarter Horse Association has outlined their current position on registration of clones on their website.

Anne Marion, Bill Collins to be Honored
Anne Marion of Fort Worth, Texas, and Bill Collins of Calgary, Alberta, are among the people and horses who will be inducted into the American Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame in 2007. Marion, president of Burnett Ranches, Ltd., is a well known philanthropist who sponsored the Jim Reno statue, "The Finalist" which stands in front of the NCHA office in Fort Worth. Bill Collins has been a popular ambassador for cutting for more than 50 years, and he was instrumental in bringing cutting competition to the Calgary Stampede.

Hotel Discounts Offered to NCHA Members
It's daylight savings time! That means more hours in the day and great travel savings at Choice Hotels International® National Cutting Horse Association members! The National Cutting Horse Association has partnered with Choice Hotels International® to offer you a great travel saving benefit. Take advantage of a 10% discount at over 5,000 participating Comfort Inn®, Comfort Suites®, Quality®, Sleep Inn®, Clarion®, MainStay Suites®, Econo Lodge®, Rodeway Inn® and Suburban Extended Stay® brand hotels worldwide. Make reservations conveniently by booking online at www.choicehotels.com or by calling 800-258-2847. When making reservations remember to book in advance and reference the National Cutting Horse Association's Special Rate Identification Number 00217850. Look out for your personal National Cutting Horse Association S.O.S. Card, which should be in your mail shortly!< /p>

Additionally, take advantage of the benefits of our Choice Privileges® rewards program along with your National Cutting Horse Association's discount! Earn points towards airline miles or room nights at any Comfort Inn®, Comfort Suites®, Quality®, Sleep Inn®, Clarion®, or MainStay Suites® properties in the U.S., Canada, Mexico or Caribbean! How? It is simple. Sign up to be a Choice Privileges® member by going to www.choiceprivileges.com or calling 800-770-6800. Membership is FREE! When making your reservations be sure to reference both your National Cutting Horse Association Special Rate Identification number 00217850 and your personal Choice Privileges® identification number. Join now and start earning points!

Where is your next travel destination...Choice Hotels Is There!

NCHA Cutting Academy
The NCHA Cutting Academy, a series of grass roots cutting clinics to be held throughout the country, will be launched on April 22 in DuQuoin, Illinois. Four clinics will be scheduled annually in different locations, with the emphasis on the education and presentation of showing horses.

The inaugural NCHA Cutting Academy clinic will start off with an overview by NCHA by Executive Director Jeff Hooper, and will continue with a session on judging and rules conducted by NCHA Director of Judges Russell McCord. The afternoon session will focus on live works, with evaluations and critiques of each ride by some of the industry´s leading trainers.

The second clinic will be held June 10 at Rivers Bend Ranch, Stanley, Virginia. 

Watch our website for information on the other upcoming clinics in Louisiana and California. (Dates and locations to be announced.).

Contact Julie Davis at the NCHA office for more information or if you are interested in attending one of these clinics.

National Velvet to Screen this Month
On Wednesday, April 19, the 1944 classic National Velvet, winner of two Academy Awards, will be shown at Fort Worth's Museum of Modern Art, a quarter-mile from Will Rogers Memorial Center, benefiting the Lone Star Film Society.

This is a rare opportunity to see the classic movie starring Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, Angela Landsbury and more on the big screen. Children are encouraged to come, as the movie is about a young girl who takes a renegade horse and wins the Grand National Steeplechase. Admission is $7.50 Movie starts at 7 pm.

NCI Building Systems Sponsors NCHA Futurity
With a brand new website for cutters, NCI Building Systems, Inc. will be the title sponsor of the NCHA World Championship Futurity. NCI's support of cutting's showcase event, along with purse enhancements already approved by the NCHA Executive Committee, will help raise the added money for the NCHA Futurity to $625,000 compared to $300,000 in 2005.

NCI Building Systems is one of the largest integrated manufacturers and marketers of metal building components, custom engineered metal building systems and metal coil coaters in North America.

Based in Houston, Texas, NCI Building Systems has 34 facilities located in the United States and Mexico.

2006 NCHA Convention at Worthington in Fort Worth, Texas
The 2006 NCHA Convention will be held at the Renaissance Worthington Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas on June 23-25. Located in historic downtown Fort Worth, the Worthington has hosted the NCHA Convention four times in the past.

You may book your hotel room reservations by dialing 1-800-433-5677 and identifying yourself with the NCHA Convention in order to get the discounted group rate. Please remember that the hotel rooms for the NCHA Convention are only being held under our group rate through May 24, 2006, so be sure to make your reservations early.

The Race Is On In 2006
CD Lights, owned by Danny Motes and Winston Hansma, has more than twice the earnings of his nearest rival in the Open standings for the 2006 point year. Riding Could I Would I, Squeaks My Alias and Kit Dualena, two-time Non-Pro World Champion Joe Howard Williamson has a significant margin over Kathy Boone and Julie Wells in the Non-Pro standings. Less than $50 separates Diane Burns from Richard Mendenhall in the $10,000 Amateur class.

Remember, you can keep up with the standings in all NCHA-approved classes online every week.

Keep Your Membership Active
March 1 is the deadline for renewing your NCHA membership for 2006. If you had an active membership in 2005, but did not renew by March 1, you will no longer be eligible to show horses in NCHA competition, and beginning with the April issue, you will no longer receive the award-winning Cutting Horse Chatter magazine until your membership is renewed.

Triple Crown Accommodations
If you're headed to the NCHA Super Stakes, check out the Green Oaks Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. They offer a 10% discount to NCHA members who make their reservations 60 days out, and 5% for those who make reservations 30 days out. That deal works for all three NCHA shows in Fort Worth. Call (800) 433-2174 for more information. With the recent closing of several Fort Worth area hotels, it's especially important to book your rooms early.

NYCHA Stallion Service Program
Why spend more for breeding fees if you don´t have to? Breedings donated to the NYCHA Stallion Service Program can be purchased on a first-come, first-serve basis for 60% of the advertised breeding fees. Here´s a sample of the breedings we have available for purchase: Bobs Freckle, Smart Lil Highbrow, Its Just About Me, Mylanta Lena, Squeak Toy, Tumbleweed Smith, That Sly Cat. To purchase any of the breedings, contact Danette McGuire, NCHA Youth Coordinator at (817) 244-6188. All proceeds benefit the National Youth Cutting Horse Association.

$100,000 Riders May Apply for Judges Card
Riders who have earned $100,000are invited to apply for an NCHA Judges card. The Applicant Clinic will be held on Sunday, July 16, 2006 during the Summer Cutting Spectacular in Fort Worth, Texas. This clinic is specifically targeted to only those members who have won over $100,000 in lifetime earnings. If you meet this requirement and are interesting in attending, contact Holly Davis at 817-244-6188 extension 158 to register. The deadline to apply is July 10, 2006. The regular Judges Applicant Clinic for those winning $25,000+ in lifetime earnings will be held in the Spring of 2007.

Olan Hightower Benefit
Affiliates in Area 10 have organized a stallion auction to benefit Olan Hightower of Chappell Hill, Texas. The auction ends May 1.

Judge Recertification Seminars
Two more Judge Recertification Seminars will be held this year held in conjunction with major shows. It is mandatory that all NCHA carded judges attend a recertification seminar in 2006.

• Reno, Nevada – May 13, 2006, 1:00 p.m. (in conjunction with the PCCHA Derby/Classic/Challenge)
• Fort Worth, Texas – July, 29, 2006, 8:00 a.m. (in conjunction with the NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular)

Horse Power Brochure Available
The American Horse Council offers a comprehensive and entertaining look at the economics of today´s horse industry in its new American Horsepower brochure. The full-color brochure is based on statistics and information from the Economic Impact of the Horse Industry on the United States study that was commissioned by the American Horse Council Foundation.

Contact the American Horse Council at 202-296-4031 to purchase copies of the brochure.

Listen Up!
NCHA Director of Judges Russell McCord and announcer Tom Holt have recorded a new audio CD that examines NCHA's contest rules. The insightful commentary can help you show your horse better and improve your scores. The price for the Rules and Regulations Audio CD is just $10.00, or $10.83 for Texas residents (to cover sales tax). There are no shipping and handling charges except for foreign orders. Visa or MasterCard are accepted. Fax your order to Holly Davis at (817) 244-2015, or email Holly for more information.

The Chatter's 2006 Media Kit and Rate Card and Advertising Contract are now online.

Join Us!
Get your NCHA membership today and receive a subscription to the NCHA's award-winning monthly magazine, Cutting Horse Chatter. You can join quickly and easily right now, just click on this link to join online. If you have questions or need additional information about membership please contact the membership department at 817-244-6188 or email Julie Davis or Peggy Cox.

You can also relive some of the great moments of cutting horse history with VHS tapes of many of the past Triple Crown events, available from the NCHA Video Library. Tapes are $29.95, plus $5.95 for shipping and handling. Call the NCHA Marketing Department at (817) 244-6188 for more information about ordering. And right now, there's a special, limited-time offer on the 2003 NCHA World Championship Futurity and 2004 Super Stakes videos together for $49.95 plus $5.95 shipping and handling.