2005 NYCHA Hall of Fame Inductees

Kelle Earnheart
A three-time Youth World Champion, Kelle has been cutting for 16 years. The daughter of Pat and Teresa Earnheart, Kelle showed many horses during her youth years, with Peppy’s Bo Diddley and Zippa Freckles holding a special place in her heart. In addition to her three Youth World Championships, Kelle also won the Non-Pro Derby, and won the Youth and Non-Pro at the Eastern National Championships in the same year. Kelle is currently attending the University of Mississippi, where she is majoring in business. She plans on getting her Masters degree and continuing to show cutting horses. Her favorite things about cutting are traveling to different places, meeting new people, and the sportsmanship among friends and fellow competitors.

Sutton Eddings
A resident of Caldwell, Texas, Sutton has been involved in the cutting horse industry for seven years. She showed several horses during that time, including Rude N Sassy, Peppy Lenas Star, Hiyamate, Uno Dos Seventy Seven, and many more. Two of her favorite horses were Rude N Sassy (Rudy) and Peppy Lenas Star, a.k.a. Moose. “Rudy was just a great show horse, and Moose was a lot of work, but I had fun with him. He taught me a lot.” She is most proud of winning the $2,000 Limited Rider title at Eastern National Championships, and also qualifying for the National High School Finals Rodeo in 2003. In addition to showing horses, Sutton also shows pigs, and enjoys horse judging, shopping and hanging out with her friends. She is currently attending Blinn College, in Brenham, Texas, and working for Nancy Moses. She would like to pursue a career in equine pharmaceuticals, and hopes to one day have an aged event horse.

Keri Garrison
Keri has been involved with horses all her life, and has been cutting for seven years. The daughter of Don and Felicia Garrison of Jackson, Mississippi, Keri has shown several horses, including Bravo Hickory Lea, Boon San Sal, Smart Little Silk, Duhons Hick and Ripped In Satin. One of her favorite memories about Bravo Hickory Lea is her weight. The mare was always a little chubby and was always getting made fun of. One weekend someone said “go elephant” and they said it every time after that until the mare was retired. Keri’s greatest cutting moment was when she received the Whitney Welch Memorial Sportsmanship Award. Keri is currently a Junior at Delta State University where she is majoring in Business, and showing twice a month. She is also considering law school following her graduation from Delta State.

Tatum Rice
Tatum has been involved with horses for 19 years and has been cutting for 10 years. During his time in the youth, Tatum showed Jazzy Olena and Montana Musical Sox. His greatest cutting accomplishment came in 2002, when he was the Reserve Champion at the Summer Scholarship Cutting aboard Montana Musical Sox. Tatum made the finals of the Summer Scholarship Cutting four times, and was in the Junior Youth Top 10 in 1999. A resident of Burleson, Texas, Tatum has served the NYCHA as an Area Director, and was very involved in Area 11 during his youth career. He is currently working and riding horses, and plans to continue cutting.

Ryan Smith
The son of Ronnie and Cindy Smith of Royce City, Texas, Ryan has been involved with horses for 20 years and has been cutting for 15. His greatest accomplishment has been winning the Amateur Classic/Challenge at the 2000 NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular. Ryan has shown many different horses—most notably Kiss Her Acre and Smart N High—and was a three-time Youth finalist at the Eastern National Championships. He also made the Senior Youth Top 10 in 2001. Outside of cutting, Ryan enjoys basketball, football, and golf. Ryan is currently attending Texas A&M Commerce, where he is majoring in Ag-Business. He works for his grandfather at Dallas Foundation Drilling, and continues to show cutting horses whenever he can.

Jamie Sokol
The list of horses Jamie has shown is a long one, including Lucky Bottom Roy, Peppy Sandalena, Bouncer Solano, Perfect Little Peppy, Hickorys Little Sis, Jae Bar Alex and about 50 others. In 1998 her parents bought Peppy Sandalena for Jamie and her mother to show. She got along with him right off the bat and was very successful in the show arena, including the 1998 Junior Youth Reserve Champion title at the Eastern National Championships (a title she also won in 1994). Peppy Sandalena was sold in 2000, but the pair was reunited in 2005, when Jamie needed a horse to show at the Eastern Nationals. It turned out to be her most memorable cutting moment. When Jamie won again at the Eastern Nationals, she not only became a two-time national champion, but did it during her last time showing in the youth and on one of her favorite horses. Jamie, the daughter of Ted and Kathy Sokol of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, will receive her Associate of Arts Degree this fall from Daytona Beach Community College. She plans on transferring to the University of Florida in the spring to major in business management and finance, and is looking forward to showing her new 3-year-old this winter.

Tiffany Sternfels
A 12-year veteran of the cutting arena, Tiffany’s greatest accomplishment wasn’t a single moment but rather an entire year of challenge and triumph, when she earned the title of 2003 Senior Youth World Champion. Tiffany stepped aboard many great horses during her youth career, including Gods Little Acre, Purrin Like A Lena, Vandals Villain, Lil Jamin Innovator and Slama Jama Mama. The daughter of Leo and Agnes Sternfels, Tiffany recently received her certification in Equine Massage Therapy. A resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Tiffany is working towards a business degree at Nichols State University, and plans to finish college and pursue a career in equine massage therapy.