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NCHA Memberships to Increase in 2019

The cost of memberships to the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) will go up starting in 2019. It is the third industry association to up fees in recent years.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based association said in a letter to members that the increases were necessary due to a nearly 20 percent increase in the cost of doing business. Officials also anticipate more increases in fees and taxes levied by the city of Fort Worth at the association’s Triple Crown events held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center.

Starting in 2019, annual membership will increase as follows:

* Non-competitors — $65 (includes a printed Chatter subscription and non-competitor card)

* Competing members — $80 (includes online Chatter subscription only, as well as a trainer, non-pro or amateur participation status card and a printed NCHA rulebook)

* Premier membership — $140 (includes printed version of the Chatter, as well as a trainer, non-pro or amateur participation status card and a printed NCHA rulebook)

“On the cost side, the Executive Committee is in the process of analyzing and streamlining all NCHA office operations and staff to insure [sic] that the day-to-day business of the Association is being run as efficiently and as cost effectively as possible,” the NCHA said in its letter to members. “Significant cost savings will be realized in these areas.”

The letter did not address whether any changes would be made to youth or lifetime memberships. An official from the NCHA did not immediately provide details of those two memberships.

The NCHA is the third industry group to raise fees in recent years, joining the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) and American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) in increasing the cost of membership.

Like the NCHA, the NRHA’s increases go into effect in 2019. The AQHA fee hike went into effect on Jan. 1, 2018.

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