June 26, 2011–The National Cutting Horse Association held its annual convention June 17-19 at the Oklahoma City Marriott. New officers were elected, and Hall of Fame inductees were recognized at the event.
Three new executive board members were installed at convention. Keith Deaville, Covington, La., will serve as NCHA President for the next year. Deaville is taking over the position following Chris Benedict, Weatherford, Texas, who was the 2010-2011 President.
President-elect Ernie Beutenmiller, Jr., Union, Mo., is next in line for the presidency and will take the position at the 2012 convention.
Barbara Brooks, Nashville, Tenn., was recently elected as vice president by a vote of membership.
The open At-Large position was filled in a run-off election between Don Bussey, Guin, Ala., Craig Morris, Weatherford, Texas, and Phil Rapp, Weatherford, Texas. By majority vote, Morris accepted the three-year term at the General Membership meeting, and Bussey returned for a one-year At-Large term.
Two regional representatives were elected to serve the next three years – Region II selected Jerry Louie, of Chico, Calif., and Region III selected Seth Kirchner, of Clarinda, Iowa.
Members Hall of Fame
The NCHA Hall of Fame was created to honor those who consistently exhibit high moral character, good sportsmanship, fairness, extraordinary commitment to the cutting horses in the NCHA, and an exemplary contribution of time, effort and interest in the NCHA and its basic endeavors.
New inductees to the NCHA Members Hall of Fame were honored at a reception Saturday night. Inductees for 2011 comprised Don Bussey, of Guin, Ala.; Wayne Hodges, of Weatherford, Texas.; Pat Jacobs, of Burleson, Texas; and Lisa Johnson, of Clayton, N.C.
Don Bussey
Don first developed an interest in cutting after visiting a friend in Oklahoma who rode cutting horses in the early 1970s. He had spent years in the horse business showing western pleasure horses, and he participated in rodeos in high school. But the challenges of cutting attracted him to the sport. After trying his hand at it, he knew that was where he wanted to be.
Don became an NCHA Director in the 1980s and President of the association in 2004. He also served as the president of the North Alabama Cutting Horse Association for several years where he worked to promote fun activities for the affiliate?s membership, including an Amateur Cutting Tournament and a team cutting during NCHA Days where each team consisted of an Open, Non-Pro, Amateur, and Youth rider who competed against each other for prizes. He continues to ride, breed and show cutting horses and he said recently, “Win or lose, I still get a thrill when I walk across that time line. I can’t think of anything I?d rather do than cut.?
Wayne Hodges
For cutting veteran Wayne Hodges, the sport and its equipment have come a long way in the 50 years he has been riding to the herd. Wayne’s passion for the sport and the people in the business has not only kept him involved shows, but has also led him to become a corporate sponsor for the NCHA. Through his company, Wayne Hodges Trailer Sales & Outlaw Conversions, he has sponsored numerous events and has tried to encourage people starting their careers.
Wayne didn’t grow up cutting, and wasn?t raised with horses. But in high school he got involved and has been cutting actively since about 1961, beginning in California. The Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association still fills a large part of his heart. Through the years, he has enjoyed helping other people get started in cutting. He has trained his own horses and hauled with good friends. Wayne says he’s an NCHA corporate sponsor because he wants to be, because cutting has been good to him.
Pat Jacobs
As a young man, Pat broke colts, did day work on nearby ranches, and practiced roping. But when he saw Buster Welch ride Marion’s Girl at a county fair in Kansas, he took a new direction. Until that day, he said he thought cutting was for old men and guys who couldn’t rope. But after that show, he wanted to cut. So, he trained his best roping horse to cut which resulted in a train wreck the first time he showed him. He learned more from a trainer named Jack Ray after that.
In his early years, Pat spent more time showing than judging. He got a reputation for speaking his mind about ways to improve the sport. After a show, Pat and the others would kick around ways they might make things better. More often than not, Pat would be elected spokesman for the group. Pat has made a lot of contributions to NCHA, but two that he can be proudest of are the five-judge system, and the judge’s rating system, which he began calling for as far back as the 1960s. Today, NCHA is very happy that Pat Jacobs didn’t pursue a career as a roper half a century ago, and decided to concentrate on cutting instead.
Lisa Johnson
Lisa Johnson is the first person from North Carolina to be inducted into the NCHA Members Hall of Fame. She’s a good hand with horses; she broke Haidas Little Pep to ride back in the early 1980s. She supported the Augusta Futurity from its very beginning. And she served as an NCHA Director for many years. But when people talk about her, they always point out that she would be the first one to arrive at a cutting, and the last one to go. She was one the last rider in the last set of the day could always count on to hold herd.
Lisa has dedicated her entire life to horses and the cutting horse industry.
Dudley and Carolyn Schilling from Florida say, “Lisa has always shown good sportsmanship, and fairness, and has done more to promote cutting horses in the Southeast than anyone we know. She lived and breathed cutting horses and her enthusiasm infected everyone involved.? Lisa survived a tragic accident in January of 2008, and her strength on the long road to recovery has been a further inspiration to all of those she has helped along the way.
Affiliate of the Year
The Affiliate of the Year award recognizes an outstanding organization based on entries at the affiliate?s shows, innovations, awards and sponsorships, cooperation with other affiliates, and other activities.
The 2010 Affiliate of the Year award went to 3 ? Amigos Cutting Horse Association. Don Pooley was in attendance to accept an official NCHA trophy, a printer, and check for $2,500 on behalf of 3 ? Amigos.
The 2010 Reserve Affiliate of the Year was West Central Texas Cutting Horse Association. J.B. McLamb accepted a plaque on behalf of West Central Texas CHA.
AQHA Awards
Each year, AQHA recognizes the top breeding horses based on money earned by their offspring in NCHA competition during the calendar year. Each winner received an official AQHA trophy from Charlie Hemphill, AQHA Senior Director of Shows.
Just Scarlet was the 2010 leading dam. Owners David and Ro Anne Ory accepted the award.
One Time Pepto earned the 2010 leading freshman sire trophy. Owners Jeffrey and Sheri Matthews, Matthews Cutting Horses, were on site to accept the award.
High Brow Cat took his eighth leading sire award. Jack Waggoner, Waggoner Ranches, accepted the award.
Horses Hall of Fame
Cutting horses are inducted into the NCHA Hall of Fame based on their earnings or by winning at least two designated major events or World Championships. Three horses qualified in 2010. Each received an official Hall of Fame certificate.
Copaspepto, owned by Don and Kathy Boone, West Columbia, Texas; Ms Peppy Cat, owned by Lonnie and Barbara Allsup, Clovis, N.M.; and Woody Be Lucky, owned by Dan and Karen Hansen of Nampa, Idaho.
Non-Pro Hall of Fame
Non-Professionals are inducted into the NCHA Hall of Fame based on earnings of more than $500,000 or on having won a combination of designated events. Four Non-Pros were induct ed in 2010. Each received an official Hall of Fame certificate.
Michelle Anderson, Victoria, Texas; Bonnie Martin, Las Vega, Nev.; Megan Miller, Poolville, Texas; and Julie Wrigley, Weatherford, Texas.
Open Rider Hall of Fame
Open riders are inducted into the NCHA Hall of Fame based on earnings of more than $1 million or by winning a combination of designated events. Six riders were inducted in 2010. Each received an official Hall of Fame certificate.
Mark Lavender, Brenham, Texas; Mark Mills, Brookshire, Texas; Jim Mitchell, Danville, Ind.; Don Pooley, Bebe, Texas; and Matt Sargood, Millsap, Texas; and Greg Smith, Star, Idaho.
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 $40 million in prize money awarded. For more information visit www.nchacutting.com or call (817) 244-6188.
