NCHA Futurity Champions’ Cup brings past and present together

September 14, 2011 Off By Roberta Johnston

In celebration of the 50th NCHA Futurity, the National Cutting Horse Association will present a unique event that spotlights the Futurity’s history in a crowd-pleasing format. All 32 living past Open Futurity champion riders have been invited to take part in the NCHA Futurity Champions’ Cup, to be held in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Neiman Marcus/NCHA Futurity Champions Cup, presented by the Jerry Durant Auto Group, will start at 4:00 p.m. in Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, November 26. Contestants are eligible to ride any horse.

The past champions will compete in one of three age groups, with the winner of each division receiving a specially designed champion’s buckle. All entrants will receive a custom trophy sculpted by Weatherford, Texas, artist Kelly Graham.

“The 50th NCHA Futurity gives us a unique opportunity to honor our past champions in a format that will appeal to cutting horse fans everywhere,” said NCHA Executive Director Jeff Hooper. “By bringing together great riders from a span of five decades with some of the top horses in training today, the Futurity Champions’ Cup promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

General admission is $10, with proceeds to benefit the NCHA Foundation in its mission to preserve the history and protect the future of cutting. Tickets will be available for purchase starting Monday, Oct. 3.

Neiman Marcus will host a Futurity Champions’ Cup party for all NCHA members at their Ridgmar Mall store on Friday evening, November 25, with food, beverages, live music and Christmas shopping opportunities. For 104 years, the Neiman Marcus name has been synonymous with quality, service, and the Texas experience.

One lucky fan (18 years old or older) will win $15,000 off the purchase price of any new vehicle from Jerry Durant Auto Group of Weatherford, Texas, the Official Triple Crown Auto Dealership of the National Cutting Horse Association. A drawing of ticket numbers at the Futurity Champions’ Cup will determine the winner.

The National Cutting Horse Association has more than 20,000 members from a wide range of backgrounds. Each year more than 2,200 NCHA-approved events are held throughout North America, with more than $43 million in prize money awarded. For more information visit www.nchacutting.com or call (817) 244-6188.