AQHA-NCHA Weekend Set For May 31-June 2

The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) is proud to sponsor the National Cutting Horse Association’s (NCHA) largest event of the year, AQHA-NCHA Weekend, May 31 – June 2 in 25 cities throughout the United States and Canada.

AQHA-NCHA Weekend is cutting’s biggest celebration of its weekend participants, and this year, all of the shows are dual-approved. Points earned in designated classes will count toward qualification for the youth, amateur, Select amateur and open divisions at the AQHA world championship shows.

“A large percentage of the horses that compete in NCHA are American Quarter Horses, and this nationwide weekend of cutting is a great opportunity to spotlight the crossover between NCHA and AQHA,” said Tom Persechino, AQHA executive director of competition and breed integrity.

“We are excited for our partnership with NCHA, and the large number of horses and riders who will qualify for AQHA world championship shows during AQHA-NCHA Weekend.”

Cutters at an NCHA Weekend event in Brenham, Texas.As most cutters know, the AQHA world shows offer big prize money, so AQHA-NCHA Weekend is a great opportunity to earn qualifying points and take a run at great purses. The amateur cutting finals for the 2013 Bank of America Amateur World Championship Show should reach more than $55,000 and the junior and senior cutting finals during the 2013 AQHA Open World Championship Show offers more than $100,000 combined, with 100 percent of entry fees paid back.

AQHA classes will be offered at least one day at each of the AQHA-NCHA Weekend shows and will usually be held as a class-within-a-class of the corresponding NCHA class. NCHA members who also have an individual AQHA membership and show an American Quarter Horse under its AQHA registered name will be eligible to earn AQHA points toward qualification for the 2013 AQHA World Show in November, as well as the 2014 Built Ford Tough AQHYA and 2014 Adequan Select world championship shows.

World Show Qualification

Qualification points for the AQHA world shows will work as follows:

• AQHA points earned in the NCHA open class will count toward qualification for the 2013 AQHA Open World in AQHA’s senior division (horses 6 years and older).

• The AQHA junior class, for horses 5 years and younger, will be offered within the NCHA $10,000 Novice horse class, and those points will count toward junior cutting at the 2013 AQHA Open World.

• AQHA points earned in the NCHA non-pro class will count toward qualification for the 2013 Bank of America Amateur World or for the 2014 Adequan Select World.

• AQHA points earned in the NCHA youth class will count toward qualification for the 2014 Ford Youth World.

• To qualify for the 2013 AQHA World Show’s amateur cutting, exhibitors must have at least three points. To qualify for the 2013 AQHA World Show’s junior or senior cutting, exhibitors must have 4.5 points.

With 25 locations during the May 31 – June 2 weekend, AQHA-NCHA Weekend is a great opportunity for cutters of all skill levels to earn AQHA points.