Journalistic purists often cringe when they see the words “1st Annual.” They take pains to point out that an event isn’t truly “annual” until the 2nd edition has been held a year later. And despite good intentions in the horse business, sometimes that 2nd annual event never happens.
That was definitely not the case with the “1st Annual NCHA Super Stakes” held in 1981. In six days of competition in Fort Worth’s Will Rogers Coliseum, the National Cutting Horse Association Super Stakes paid out $513,346 to competitors in 4-year-old Open and Non-Pro divisions. This year’s renewal, in the same location, has stretched out to 20 days of competition with more than $3.1 million in the purse. Another measure of the growth is that 17 stallions were subscribed to that inaugural event. More than 130 are participating this year.
These days, there are 14 champions to be crowned, with divisions for 5/6-year-olds, for geldings, novice horses, limited open and non-pro riders and senior riders in the Ford NCHA Super Stakes and Super Stakes Classic.
Judges at the inaugural event were Ernie Beutenmiller Jr., Punk Carter, Bill Collins, Vince Cummings and Pat Patterson. The Open champion was Stylish Lynx, a Doc’s Lynx mare ridden by Don Parker, a former successful trainer of halter and pleasure horses who switched his emphasis to cutting as purses began to swell.
Here’s a look at the 17 stallions subscribed to the inaugural NCHA Super Stakes:
- Boon Bar
- Cal Bar
- Doc Bar
- Doc O’Lena
- Doc Quixote
- Doc Tari
- Doc’s Lynx
- Doc’s Mahogany
- Doc’s Oak
- Doc’s Solano
- Dry Doc
- Flite Oil
- Jewel’s Leo Bars
- Mr San Peppy
- Pay Twentyone
- Peppy San
- Sonita’s Last