News from JOHN DEERE / NCHA WORLD FINALS Houston, Texas

MARY JO MILNER, LINDY BURCH TAKE

JOHN DEERE / NCHA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES

Lindy Burch & Bet Yer Blue Boons, World Champion Mare

Houston, Texas Nothing takes the place of consistency, and this year's John Deere / National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) World Finals saw two competitors turn in four solid, consistent runs throughout the event to claim World Championships in their respective divisions. Mary Jo Milner, Southlake, Texas, rode Red White And Boon to the title in the Non-Professional Division, while Weatherford, Texas resident Lindy Burch and the great mare Bet Yer Blue Boons, owned by Oxbow Ranch, claimed the title in the Open Division.

This marks the third such title for Milner, however, it marks the first John Deere / NCHA World Championship Open title for Burch. This is the first time in cutting history that World Championship titles in both divisions were won by women competitors. Also of note, the two championship horses are half-brother and half-sister, both being produced by the same mare, Royal Blue Boon.

In the Non-Pro competition, Milner entered the Houston event trailing Don Boone of West Columbia, Texas by just over $10,000. However, the consistent performance by the seasoned Milner and her horse, including one go-round win and two second place finishes, earned the pair $23,845 for the four-day event, clinching the title. Boone and his talented mount, Bayou Shorty, placed in only one go-round, taking the Reserve World Championship Non-Professional title with earnings for the year of $66,018.

The Open championship race was too close to call throughout the event. Burch and Bet Yer Blue Boons qualified for the John Deere / NCHA World Finals in the number one spot, with earnings of $57,817, just ahead of Kay Floyd's Don't Hava Cow, ridden by Glenn Blankenship, who had amassed a total of $55,453. While both horses earned a paycheck in each of the four go-rounds, Burch and Bet Yer Blue Boons won two go-rounds and had the high cumulative score, earning an additional $27,435 during the

event. Bet Yer Blue Boons, who passed career NCHA earnings of $300,000 while competing in Houston this week, took Burch to the title with total earnings for the year of $85,252. Blankenship and Don't Hava Cow finished their title campaign with $74,427 for the Reserve Open World Championship title.

While not claiming a World Championship title, perhaps the most exciting performance of the week was turned in by Debbie Patterson in the Non-Professional division, riding her 17-year-old gelding Gun Smokes Wimpy. Patterson, of Weatherford, Texas won three go-rounds of the competition with scores of 225, 226, and 230. In the third go-round, in the midst of another top run, the pair lost a cow, yet still scored a 210. In total, Patterson earned $25,640 for the event, the most won by any single competitor in the Non-Professional division. Patterson and Gun Smokes Wimpy finished third in the John Deere / NCHA World Finals standings, with total earnings of $55,788 for the year.

The John Deere / NCHA World Finals, held in conjunction with the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, featured the top fifteen Non-Professional riders, and the top fifteen Open riders and horses, based on total NCHA earnings through the 2000 point year, in head to head competition to determine the NCHA World Champion in each category. This year's event featured a total purse of $256,000, with $200,000 in added money. A total of $25,640 was awarded in each go-round, in addition to an equal amount paid for a non-working go-round based on total cumulative scores. Because of the additional added money and purse distribution, this year's World Finals event was one of the most hotly contested in recent years.

For complete final standings and more information, visit the National Cutting Horse Association website at www.nchacutting.com, or call NCHA in Fort Worth at 817-244-6188