Tom McCutcheon and Smartest Chic Olena. Riding Smartest Chic Olena, a son of Smart Chic Olena owned by Terry Owens of nearby Houston, McCutcheon scored a 223.5 to win the clean-slate finals. For McCutcheon, the win was especially sweet. Not only was it the first major title for a trainer who has, in his words, "been in the bridesmaid spot a lot", Tom is also the chairman of the National Reining Breeders Classic Board, and one of its founders.

2001 was the first year of maturity for the stallion incentive program that was created in late 1997. With over 220 stallions and more than 5,000 foals enrolled, the program is an overwhelming success.

Saltgrass Steak House

NRBC SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Saturday, April 13

- Horses Move In to Stalls

Sunday April 14 Monday April 15 Tuesday April 16

Open Riding Paid Warm Ups

Wednesday, April 17

Coliseum Arena

8 AM First Go of Open NRBC Classic Pattern 9

(Ring Open at Completion)

Mansion Arena

1:00 PM $1,000 Novice Horse Non Pro I Pattern 1

Rookie I Pattern 8

6:00 PM Welcome party

Thursday, April 18

Coliseum Arena

9 AM First Go of Non Pro NRBC Classic Pattern 9

Including $10,000 Prime Time

(Following Classic) Paid Warm-ups for USET/$10,000 Open

5 PM Open Finalist Draw Reception- Calcutta

Mansion Arena

11 AM $500 Limited Open I Pattern 3

$2,000 Novice Open Pattern 8

Friday, April 19

Coliseum Arena

Noon Lunch Upstairs

Draw for Non Pro Classic Finals

Draw for Limited & Int. Open Finals Until 1 PM

Arena Open for Classic Finalists & USET

2 PM $5,000 Non Pro I Run concurrently with

$2,000 Int. Non Pro I and Prime Time Pattern 10

6 PM USET Futures Reining Qualifier Pattern 7

7:30 PM Opening Ceremonies

Followed by USET Open Reining Pattern 6

"This means so much. It's been a great show," McCutcheon commented. He took $60,773.36 of the show's total payout of $630,000 plus, also winning the Intervet United States Equestrian Team Open Reining Qualifier held the night before, on Smart Starbuck, owned by Furniss Quarter Horses and Ed and Nancy Pickett.

Mansion Arena

8 AM $500 Lim. Open II run concurrently with $1,000 Int. Open I Pattern 4

$200 Lim Non Pro I and Prime Time Pattern 3

$1000 Novice Non Pro II Pattern 8

April 20 Saturday

Coliseum Arena

10 AM NRHA Town Talk Meeting (upstairs)

Until 1 PM Arena Open -Classic finalists and $10,000 Open entries only

2 PM Classic Int. & Lim. Open Finals Pattern 5

7 PM Classic Open Finals (top 20) Pattern 5

Victory Party with Brian Black on Arena Floor after Finals

Mansion Arena

7 AM $200 Lim. Non Pro II and Prime Time Pattern 9

Not before 11 AM $2,000 Added Youth Pattern 2

$1,000 Non Pro II run concurrently with

$500 Int. Non Pro II Pattern 6

April 21 Sunday

Coliseum Arena

Until 9 am Ring open for Open, Non Pro, and Prime Time

Classic Finalists only

9 AM USET Young Rider Pattern 6

10 AM $10,000 Added Open I concurrently with $2,000 Int. Open II Pattern 4

11 AM Sponsor/Finalist Brunch

1 PM Non Pro and Prime Time Classic Finals Pattern 5 Mansion Arena

9 AM Rookie II Pattern 6 (Ring Open after Rookie Class)

Saltgrass Steak House National Reining

Breeders Classic Returns to Katy, Texas

Spectators at the Saltgrass Steak House National Reining Breeders Classic, will be treated to an exciting five days of horse show competition April 17-21 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas.

The Saltgrass Steak House National Reining Breeders Classic is the premiere showcase for 4-and 5-year-old reining horses. With its purse in excess of half a million dollars and a first place check of $50,000 to the winner, the event is the largest added money reining in the world.

At last year's Classic, the hometown favorite, Smartest Chic Olena, earned the Saltgrass Steak House NRBC Championship and $50,000 for owner Terry Owens of Houston, as rider Tom McCutcheon rode him to best an international field of entries.

Not all the action during Saltgrass Steak House NRBC week takes place center-stage in the Great Southwest Coliseum Arena, however. Other classes occur concurrently at the facility's Mansion Arena. The event also boasts a western trade show offering a variety of shopping opportunities with vendors displaying a range of wares from artwork to tack, western clothing to jewelry.

The first round of competition begins on Wednesday morning, April 17, at 8 am, with the qualifying round for the Classic Open division.

On Friday night, the highlight event is the Intervet/United States Equestrian Team Reining Championship qualifying event. Reining, the only western riding event recognized by the international governing body for equestrian competition, will be a part of this year's World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, and the Katy event is part of the qualifying process for USA team selection.

Saturday evening showcases the Saltgrass Steak House National Reining Breeders Classic Open Finals at 7 pm, where the top qualifiers will vie for the $50,000 first place check. Following the finals is the Quarter Horse News Victory Party featuring Country Recording Artist Brian Black that will take place on the arena floor.

The National Reining Breeders Classic is the most successful stallion incentive program in reining history. In just four years, the NRBC has grown to include over 220 subscribed stallions and over 6,700 enrolled foals, and the payout at the 2001 Saltgrass Steak House National Reining Breeders Classic was over $630,000. For information on the NRBC, visit the web site at www.nrbc.com or call 580-759-3939.