The world of elite western performance horses will shrink to the corridor between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City this Saturday, November 21 through December 13, 2009.
On Saturday, the $4 million Borden Milk National Cutting Horse Association Futurity begins with open first go-round competition. The winner of the final go-round, on December 13, will earn $250,000. If the winner is sired by Hes A Peptospoonful, it will collect an additional $1 million bonus, offered by Hes A Peptospoonful’s owners, David and Stacie McDavid.
For the first time since its inauguration in 1962, the NCHA Futurity will be held in conjunction with the $200,000-added Mecuria NCHA Open and Non-Pro World Finals, November 24 – 25 and 27 – 28. Two-time world champions Dual Rey Me and Jeremy Barwick, with $74,424 in 2009 earnings, have an $11,000 advantage over #2 ranked Thomas E Hughes and Austin Shepard.
Though possible, with $256,400 up for grabs in the 5-round event, the chance for an upset in the open isn’t as likely as in the non-pro division, where less than $3,000 separates current leader Elizabeth Queen and seven-time former non-pro world champion Mary Jo Milner. Milner’s current tally of $69,801 was earned at 84 shows in 2009; Queen’s $72,729 was earned at 42 shows.
Another showdown in the offering at the NCHA World Finals is the title of leading active money earner. Elizabeth Queen’s mount, 7-year-old Sister CD, by CD Olena, has NCHA career earnings of $764,650, while Dual Rey Me, by Dual Pep, has $753,401. Only Poco Quixote Rio, with $1,091,734, and Mary Jo Milner’s former mount, Red White And Boon, with $882,498, have earned more in the 63-year history of cutting.
The NCHA Futurity, from first go-round to last, as well as the NCHA World Finals will be webcast through www.nchacutting.com.
The NCHA Futurity Sales, December 8 – 13, on the grounds of Will Rogers Equestrian Center during the NCHA Futurity, will also feature webcast sessions through http://www.westernbloodstock.com/.
Three hours north of Fort Worth, the $1.9 million National Reining Horse Association Futurity kicks off its 7-day run on Sunday, November 29, at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. In addition to the NRHA Futurity, the slate of events includes the Adequan North America Affiliate Championships, as well as the $100,000-added Federation Equestre Internationale World Reining Masters, and the NRHA Futurity Sales.
For more information about the NRHA Futurity go to http://www.nrha.com/.