Women Become Dominating Force in Cutting
A record number of female competitors swells NCHA's ranks.
November, 2001 -- The sport of cutting horse competition is rich in history, dating back to the old West days when cows had to be separated from the herds on the open range. Based on this rugged origin, the connection of women to cutting horses may be difficult to grasp, but females have risen as a commanding force in cutting, according to the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA).
Once rarely seen in professional cutting, women are now competing in record numbers in major NCHA cutting horse events. They're also competing with record-shattering success, according to NCHA executive director Jeff Hooper. In the past five years, the overall number of females competing in all divisions of NCHA's six major events has increased 23%. More impressively, when comparing annual prize winnings among females in the same events, over the same time period, women's earnings have risen 38%, according to recently released statistics by the NCHA.
Not only are women winning record amounts of money in cutting, for the first time in the history of the NCHA, women hold the titles to three of the organization's most prestigious events: World Championship Futurity winner Kathy Daughn; Open World Champion Lindy Burch; and Non-Pro World Champion Mary Jo Milner.
Not only is Lindy Burch claiming titles and top prize money, she's also playing a big part in molding the future of professional and amateur cutting. In June, she began her one-year term as president of the NCHA, thus becoming the first-ever female president in the organization's 55-year history. Burch, Daughn and Milner are distinctively the dominating female forces in NCHA cutting today. Known as the "leading ladies of cutting," together their lifetime earnings exceed $6 million.
Kathy Daughn's almost $3 million in career prize money makes her the 5th all-time NCHA rider and the number one NCHA female competitor of all time. This is impressive, especially when compared to the career earnings of these professional women athletes: LPGA golfer Nancy Lopez, $5.3 million; Tennis star Billie Jean King at $2 million and retired Thoroughbred jockey Julie Krone at an estimated $8 million.
Unlike any other sport, in cutting, men and women compete on a level playing field. There's no gender bias, no handicap equalizers, or any other advantages offered to women. "There's the LPGA, WNBA, WUSA (soccer) and other pro sports with women's divisions.......but there's no W in NCHA," Hooper notes.
Zack Wood, serving as executive director of the NCHA from 1962 to 1990, spearheaded the introduction of the non-professional division in all major events in 1964. This "less intense" level of competition proved to the springboard of women in cutting. "Looking back, I'm sure that nobody would have ever forecasted that prize money earnings among women would be in the millions," Wood said. "The rise and success of women in cutting are great for the sport. I never would have predicted it would have become this significant," he added.
In 1946, the NCHA began its efforts of extending the cutting horse's talents from the ranch to the arena, and was successful in building cutting into a major equestrian sport. This year, NCHA's six major events, The Futurity, Super Stakes, Summer Cutting Spectacular, World Finals and the Eastern and Western National Championships have offered a combined purse of $6.5 million.
Today, the membership of the NCHA is well over 12,000. The roster includes members in all 50 states and 22 foreign countries. Members consist of people from all walks of life who either own a cutting horse for competitive sport, or have an interest in them.
For information on the National Cutting Horse Association, call (817) 244-6188, or visit their website at www.nchacutting.com.
Background information on NCHA's Leading Female Competitors
Lindy Burch was the first female to win an NCHA Futurity in 1980, and she is the first woman president in the 55-year history of the National Cutting Horse Association (she began her one year term in June). A breeder, trainer and rider, Burch has competed solely in the open division of NCHA events since her accomplished career in cutting began in 1976. With multiple world championships and big event wins, Burch has amassed $2.3 million in career NCHA earnings, making her the 10th all-time leading money rider in open division, limited and aged competition. Burch's cutting horse operation is based in Weatherford, Texas, just outside Fort Worth. She is a member of the Cowgirl Hall of Fame and the NCHA Riders Hall of Fame.
Kathy Daughn's almost $3 million in career prize money makes her the 5th all-time NCHA rider and the number one NCHA female competitor of all time. Daughn is the reigning champion of the ultra-prestigious $2.5 million NCHA Futurity. Last year she won $200,000 with her second career NCHA Futurity win. In 1985, at 26, she became the youngest person to win the NCHA Futurity.
In the 38 year history of the NCHA Futurity, a woman has won the event's open division only three times --twice by Daughn and once by Burch. Since she began her professional cutting horse career in 1979, Daughn has consistently ranked as a top competitor in NCHA open division events. She's a member of the NCHA Riders Hall of Fame, and also lives in Weatherford, where she breeds, raises and trains cutting horses.
Mary Jo Milner has competed for more than 30 years in the non-professional division of NCHA's aged-event cuttings. Mary Jo and her husband Jim Milner are currently NCHA's second all-time leading non-pro money winners at $2,953,767. With $970,128 in lifetime non-professional career earnings, Milner is by far the number one non-pro female competitor, and ranks in the top ten of all-time non-pro riders.
She won her first of three Non-Pro World Championships in 1981 and is currently the reigning Non-Pro World Champion. This year, Mary Jo is ranked as NCHA's number one non-pro rider with $63,434 in earnings. Incidentally, Jim is ranked as the number two non-pro rider mid-way through 2001, with $33,403 in prize money.
A member of the NCHA Non-Professional Hall of Fame, Milner has compiled a career record of championships, reserve championships and top ten finishes that is unmatched by any NCHA Non-Professional rider, male or female. Milner lives in the Southlake, outside the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex.
Other Female Cutting Pioneers
Fern Sawyer of Nogal, New Mexico, Mary Harbinson Hensley of Sacramento, California, and Carol Rose of Gainesville, Texas, were among the first women to compete in NCHA events. These female cutting pioneers began competing in 1964 when the NCHA introduced the non-professional division in all major events.
In the late 1960's, Fern Sawyer and Mary Harbinson Hensley were elected as the first women to serve on the NCHA executive committee.
Carol Rose became the first female NCHA World Champion in 1967. She was the non-professional world champion in 1967, 68, 69 and 1975.
Sheila Welch of Rotan, Texas, 1980 non-pro World Champion, and Helen Groves of Baird, Texas, have also been long-time successful non-pro competitors. Interestingly, Groves grew up on the famous King Ranch in south Texas where cutting is still a non-replaceable function of the daily ranching operation.
In her more than 15 years as an NCHA non-pro competitor, Californian Sandy Bonelli has won more than $2 million in career earnings, which makes her the number three all-time non-pro money winner (men and women). In overall NCHA standings (all divisions), she ranks as number 14 on the career earnings rankings.
Susanne Thompson of Crosville, TN is a practicing psychologist who competes successfully as a NCHA non-professional rider in NCHA majors.
Catherine "Doc" Holladay of Huron, Ohio, is also an experienced and winning non-pro cutter. Holladay is also an M.D. and practicing psychiatrist.
Kelle Earnheart, a 15 year-old from Hernando, Mississippi, competed against men and women of all ages at last year's Summer Cutting Spectacular. Earnheart won the NCHA Non-Pro Derby to become the youngest rider to ever win a major NCHA limited age event.
Mary Ann Rapp competed in NCHA major events recently while eight months pregnant. Her husband Phil Rapp is the NCHA all-time non-pro leading money winner with $3.3 million in combined prize earnings.
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