Ford NCHA Super Stakes underway
With a record-breaking purse and nearly 2,000 entries, the 2008 Ford NCHA Super Stakes opened in Fort Worth, Texas on April 1. You can keep up with all the scores, watch the live webcast presented by 6666 Ranch and Big Sky Internet Design, read each day's news, stats and features in the Daily Chatter newsletter, and listen to twice-daily updates on Cutting Edge News. Clint Allen rode Hydrive Cat to the top score of 222 in the first day of Super Stakes Classic Open competition. See how Hydrive Cat made more than $340,000 on his way to the Super Stakes Classic with his official NCHA/AQHA record form ncharecords.com. You can also see him in action in NCHA staff photographer Dave Atterberry's shot.

NCHA Western National Championships coming up
Entries are due now for the show that is a highlight of the year for hundreds of weekend cutters. Here are a few of the reasons why cutters love the NCHA Western National Championships, May 1-11, 2008 in Ogden, Utah, :

• Affordable entry fees with a healthy payout thanks to an added purse of $120,000
• Five-judge monitored scoring
• Be a part of a tradition that stretches back to the first Area Work-Offs, held more than 30 years ago
• Great competition in all 12 NCHA-approved classes
• Help your home team try to win the AQHA/NCHA Affiliate Challenge which pays out $27,000 to affiliates, based on the participation and achievement of their members at the show
• Enjoy the Daily Chatter newsletter with photos and features throughout the show
• Ogden is a great place to be in May!

You haven't got time to wait. Download a print-friendly schedule and an entry form, book your accommodations and get your entries in today for the weekend cutter's favorite show.

NCHA Super Stakes Sales - April 18-19
Join Western Bloodstock on Friday and Saturday, April 18-19, for the annual 2008 NCHA Super Stakes Sales at 9:00 AM each day in the Watt Arena of the Will Rogers Equestrian Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

• Friday, April 18
  Private Offerings of 2008 Seasons to Various Stallions
  Sale Session 1 - Broodmares & Yearlings
  Sale Session 2 - Futurity Prospects and 2-Year-Olds
• Saturday, April 19
  Sale Session 3 - Seasoned Cutting Horses

The catalog is now online. Printed catalogs will be available at the NCHA booth in the 2008 Super Stakes Trade Show. A link to the live webcasts of the sales will be available on the NCHA and Western Bloodstock websites.

Non-Pro/Amateur proposal
NCHA President-Elect Bronc Willoughby offers a proposal for combining Non-Pro and Amateur classes to be discussed at the 2008 NCHA Convention June 20-22 at the Hilton DFW Inn.

New results service
Having trouble figuring out the breeding on this year's big winners? Can't remember who won what? Blogger, author and statistician Sally Harrison has compiled an interactive guide to the results of this season's major limited age events, at www.sallyharrison.com, an official news outlet of the NCHA.You can review the details on all the finalists, and click on a horse or rider's name for a listing of all the events where that contestant was a finalist. New results are added as they become available, and these shows are already online:

• Rocky Mountain LAE
• PCCHA Derby/Classic/Challenge
• MillionHeir
• South Point Winter Championship
• Tunica
• Augusta
• Western Horseman Cup
• San Diego Winter Championship
• Abilene Spectacular
• NCHA Futurity

Get attention online
With more than 560,000 pages downloaded in March, sallyharrison.com is the world wide web's favorite site for cutting horse news and features. Now Cutting Horse Chatter advertisers can reach out to this audience with a special package that includes print and web advertising, plus special links in the online edition of Cutting Horse Chatter. Click here for more information.

Cowgirl U features Kathy Daughn
Kathy Daughn, NCHA two-time NCHA champion and National Cowgirl Hall of Fame Honoree, will be in Burnet, Texas, May 8-11 for Cowgirl University's Kindle the Cowgirl Spirit Women's Retreat teaching her method and approach to riding. Sponsored by the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, Kindle the Cowgirl Spirit is a weekend adventure where women learn the best in western life from the very best women in the horse industry today. Nestled on a 2,000 acre working ranch in the Texas Hill Country, Kindle the Cowgirl Spirit is a chance to sharpen your own horsemanship skills while spending a relaxing weekend with other women in true cowgirl fashion. Space is limited, so register by April 7 by calling Brittany Bates at 817-509-8967 or visit www.cowgirl.net/education.asp.

2008 NCHA Cutting Academy Grass Roots Clinics scheduled
Four NCHA Cutting Academy clinics are planned for 2008. The series of grass roots clinics are designed to increase the working knowledge of NCHA rules and improve showmanship in the arena.

• Session I of the Cutting Academy includes segments on understanding rules, equine nutrition plus information on membership, amateur and non-pro status and more. The cost, which includes a light breakfast and lunch, is just $25 at the door.
• Session II features live work critiques with some of the industry's leading experts. Cost for Session II is $150, with prepayment required.

Here's a schedule for the upcoming clinics, sponsored by Purina Mills:

• April 25, Hershey, Nebraska, featuring NCHA Director of Judges Russell McCord on "Understanding Rules and Judging," plus live works insights from trainer Ernie Beutenmiller, Jr of Union, MO.
• September 19, Clarksville, Arkansas, featuring NCHA Director of Judges Russell McCord on "Understanding Rules and Judging," plus live works insights from a leading trainer in our industry.

Watch for upcoming information on clinics in Region 2 (Nevada/Arizona) and Region 4 (Ohio). Contact Julie Davis (817) 244-6188 at the NCHA office for information and reservations.

Judge recertification seminar scheduled
All NCHA judges are required to attend the Judge Recertification Seminar in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 22, during the NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular. Read more . . .

Cutters on TV
Don't miss NCHA Rode to the Winner's Circle on RFD-TV this week, Saturday at 12:30 a.m. and Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. Central. This week, the Western Horseman Cup is featured.

April Chatter is online
The April issue of Cutting Horse Chatter, featuring coverage of the 2007 NCHA World Champions, is now online.

The race is on in 2008 . . .
The 2008 point year is building up steam with tight races in most divisions. Here's a look at all of the leaders:

Save on breeding fees
Save 40% on this year's breeding fees and help support the youth association by purchasing your 2008 breeding through the NYCHA Stallion Service Auction. Many great breedings are available including several stallions sired by Smart Little Lena - Just Smart, Little Bit Of Smarts, Little Blue Lynx, Little Lol Lena, Smart Blackbird, Smart Little Dulce, Smart Little Jaebar, Smart Mark, Smart Prime Time and Smart Steady Date. You’ll pay only 60% of the advertised breeding fee. All remaining breedings will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. All proceeds go to support youth scholarships, awards and activities. For more information, contact Danette McGuire, NCHA Youth Director at (817) 244-6188.

Buffalo Ranch supports NYCHA with stallion fees
S.David Plummer’s Buffalo Ranch is helping the NYCHA by lots and lots -- Lots Of Acres, that is. For the 2008 breeding season, Buffalo Ranch will donate 100% of Lots Of Acres’ breeding fees to the NYCHA scholarship fund. All breeding fees from outside mares will be earmarked for youth scholarships, with a minimum guaranteed donation of $50,000 per year.

"We are extremely excited to have Buffalo Ranch's support of the youth scholarship program," said NCHA Youth Director Danette McGuire. "Their generous donation will enable us to help even more youth members as they enter college and continue their educations."

Lots Of Acres is standing the 2008 season at Buffalo Ranch in Farmington, Utah. The Bob Acre Doc son was a finalist at the 2002 NCHA Open Futurity, and has lifetime earnings of $57,269. His first foals arrived in 2006.

Membership
Renew now for 2008 and if you plan to compete in the Amateur or Non-Professional classes, don’t forget to complete your Amateur/Non-Pro Application.

Town & Country Foods launches fund-raising program
Town & Country Foods will donate $50 to the National Cutting Horse Association for every order placed by an NCHA member. Town & Country is the nation’s largest all-natural and organic in-home grocer. They deliver to your home all-natural, prime and choice, aged, restaurant-quality meats, flash-frozen and individually vacuum-packed, produced from Nebraska, Iowa and Colorado. They also offer Cascadian Farm’s organic vegetables and non-farmed sea-foods from Orca Bay.

Many consumers, faced with retail supermarket grocers, are frustrated with the high costs and low quality. By taking the building out of the equation, Town & Country can feed you high quality, nutritionally dense foods for $2-3 a portion.

Find out how a food consultant can deliver to your home about a week's worth of free meats, without obligation, then custom build a menu for your family and explain Town & Country's food system. Visit Town & Country's website at townandcountryfoods.com, watch the movie on the home page, then call them at 1-877-602-4774 to get started eating better food, delivered… at a better price.

Farmvet.com offers discount
NCHA's newest sponsor, FarmVet.com is offering NCHA members a 5% discount on products offered on their website. With access to over 50,000 products, an extensive equine pharmacy, the highest level of customer service, and fast shipments, FarmVet.com can get you what you need, when you need it.

Introducing the Sire's Get, All Foals Report
Order this report for an in-depth look at a breeding stallion. This report includes the following information:

• 3-generation pedigree of the subject
• The stallion's detailed NCHA show record, including all major limited age event placings
• Summary of the stallion's foals, performers, and their all-time and current-year earnings
• AQHA Alliance earnings for the subject horse
• List of all of the stallion's AQHA-registered foals, with their dam's and dam's sires, plus their NCHA earnings.

You can order all these reports right now from the official (NCHA/AQHA) web site by selecting the Purchase Reports option at the top of the page.

Rules resources
The NCHA Judges Department has a variety of resources to help members become better cutters. You can order these CDs and DVDs today:

• The acclaimed Inside the Judges Stand DVD, presented by Peptotime and Justin Insurance, in which judges score and discuss live performances.
• Judges Rules and Guidelines DVD, a must for everyone who shows.
• Understanding the Rules CD, the perfect soundtrack as you haul to your next show.
  

NCI Building Systems sponsors NCHA Futurity
With a website for cutters, NCI Building Systems, Inc is the title sponsor of the NCHA World Championship Futurity. NCI Building Systems is the leading integrated manufacturer and marketer of metal building components, custom engineered metal building systems and metal coil coaters in North America. Based in Houston, Texas, NCI Building Systems has 44 manufacturing facilities located throughout the United States, in Mexico and in Canada.

Get covered
A khaki cap from Tioga Territory is great for displaying your cutting pride! It has a sandwich bill that reads "NCHA" with NCHA embroidery on the bill. The back velcro strap also reads "NCHA".