The National Cutting Horse Association’s Western National Championships, presented by the 6666 Ranch, concluded May 9.

The Golden Spike Event Center in Ogden, Utah, housed more than 500 contestants and 900 entries vying for a piece of the purse worth approximately $414,000.

Contestants qualified for the Western National Championships by competing in weekend shows across the United States and Canada during 2009. The top ten qualifiers in each of the 12 NCHA classes from each area and each affiliate were eligible to compete.

The AQHA/NCHA Affiliate Challenge winner with 1,630 points was the Alberta Cutting Horse Association. They received a check for $7,500. The Affiliate Challenge reserve champion, who earned a $5,000 check, was the Western States Cutting Horse Association with 1,595 points.

$10,000 Novice

Bonnie Johnson, Paso Robles, Calif., and Smart Lil Vidalia marked 222 points to win the $10,000 Novice Western National Championship. Johnson took home a check in excess of $4,000 for the win. Smart Lil Vidalia is owned by George Hearst, also of Paso Robles, Calif.

This was 9-year-old Smart Lil Vidalia’s first major NCHA win and Johnson’s third championship win this year.

Brian Anderson, Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Pinkys Little Sue claimed the reserve championship for Frank Vandersloot, Idaho Falls, Idaho, with 218 points. Anderson was also co-champion of the 2008 Western Open aboard Pinkys Little Sue’s full brother, Quite A Boon.

“I was pretty tickled with the way she performed today,” said Anderson

$3,000 Novice

Gavin Jordan, Wilton, Calif., and Tomcat Chex earned the $3,000 Novice championship with 221 points. Tomcat Chex, an 8-year-old son of Highbrow Cat, is owned by Jalinda Covey, Dixon, Calif. He was also the $3,000 Novice world champion last year under Jordan and the $5,000 Novice reserve world champion with Covey.

“I know this horse pretty well,” said Jordan. “I can cut quicker cows on him because he gets better as he goes along with a quicker one.”

Call Me Smurf and Guy Heintz, Alberta, Canada, took the reserve championship with a 220, after an adjustment from the original 218. The 6-year-old gelding by Jose Boon is owned by Neil Shanks, Alberta, Canada.

Open

Kenny Ingalls, Lexington, Nev., and Ms Travalin Mylena, a 6-year-old by Mylanta Lena, marked 220 points to win the Western National Championship for Mike and Brenda Ferrel, Chadron, Nev.

“I was a little slow cutting my third cow,” said Ingalls. “I knew I had a nice run, and I didn’t want to screw it up. I thought somebody would move the 220, but the cattle got tough there at the end and wouldn’t let those guys show their horses.”

Chubby Turner, Weatherford, Texas, and Explicit Lyrics, owned by Swiss native Daniel Jaeggi, claimed the reserve title with 218 points.

Turner and Explicit Lyrics, a 6-year-old mare by CD Olena, were also finalists in the $3,000 Novice and $10,000 Novice divisions.

Junior Youth

Carly Christianson, of Alberta, Canada, scored 217 points on Bob Playin, a 7-year-old by Bobs Freckles, to win the Junior Youth division. Carly is the 12-year-old daughter of trainer Loren Christianson.

Gracie Paul, Wilbur, Wash., and Somebodys Cupcake, by Somebody Smart, placed as reserve with 215 points.

“It was exciting and nerve wracking, but as soon as I got in the herd, I settled right down,” said Gracie.

Senior Youth

Wyatt Nuttall and his older sister Fallon, both of Red Lodge, Mont., claimed the Senior Youth championship and reserve championship, respectively. Wyatt marked 218 points on Attractive Wipeout, and Fallon rode Shortys Royal Blue for 216 points.

“We’re always head-to-head, but this was one of the few times I’ve beaten her,” said Wyatt about his 218-point victory on Attractive Wipeout, by CD Olena.

Fallon won the Senior Youth title at the 2007 Western Nationals. This year she marked a 216 on Shortys Royal Blue, by Bet On Me 498. The two have been competing and celebrating with each other all their lives, and Fallon was proud to see Wyatt finish at the top.

“I was rooting for my brother to be honest,” said Fallon. “It was his year to win it.”

$10,000 Amateur

Youth riders took first and second in the $10,000 Amateur. Roger Brandt III, 15, of Amarillo, Texas, aboard Silverstar Rio marked 222 points to win the championship. Colton Strain, 14, of Black Forest, Colo., took the reserve with 217 points on Cuttin Smart.

“I drew last in the first go-round, and I did well in there, so I figured I could do good in any of the holes,” said Brandt, who drew in the middle of the first set in the finals.

Brandt has been showing for four years and is currently ranked second in the NCHA World Championship $15,000 Amateur Competition and third in the Senior Youth.

Strain had a late draw in the second set of the finals, but was confident going in after marking a 210 in the go-round.

“He made the Open finals, so I knew he could do it,” said Strain. “I just let him do the work.”

$2,000 Limited Rider

Another youth rider took home the win in the $2,000 Limited Rider division. Gracie Paul, Wilbur, Wash., took home a check for more than $5,000 and claimed the championship on Somebodys Cupcake with 220 points. The pair also took reserve in the Junior Youth division.

Gracie’s father and trainer, John Paul, has been working with the 9-year-old mare for six years. He also rode Somebodys Cupcake as a finalist in the $3,000 Novice. However, Gracie has only been riding this horse since January.

Sonya Leanos, Sedro Woolley, Wash., took the reserve with 216.5 points on Rey To Go, by Dual Rey. The pair took third in the finals last year, and they also placed sixth in the $10,000 Amateur finals.

“You get better and better at it, but it’s always challenging,” said Leanos. “I’m a very competitive person, and the ups and downs get you hooked and wanting to keep doing it.”

$5,000 Novice/Non Pro

It was no surprise that Kay Pugh, Walla Walla, Wash., and Cat With A Hat, by High Brow Cat, won the $5,000 Novice/Non Pro division with a 219 after also winning the go-round with 217 points.

“I learned from the first go-round not to get too committed and to see what would let me drive it out and wanted to stay there,” said Pugh, who earned almost $5,800 for the win. “This horse has a lot of get-back and draw, so that’s part of our deal always, to really drive out, but it was especially critical in this pen.”

Dana Haefner, American Canyon, Calif., and Guaranteeya Julestar came in reserve with 217 points. The pair also followed Pugh in the go-round with 216 points. Haefner rode the 7-year-old Soula Jule Star son as NCHA world champion last year in the $5,000 Novice/Non Pro, and her husband showed him as the reserve world champion in the $3,000 Novice.

$20,000 Non Pro

Brianna Edgmon, Black Canyon, Ariz., and Zack Benny, by Zack T Wood, claimed the $5,000 Novice/Non Pro championship with 223 points.

Zack Benny was also a finalist in the 2006 NCHA Open Gelding Stakes. Edgmon’s trainer Scott Raftery, Green Valley, Ariz., showed the gelding as a $3,000 Novice finalist last year at the Western Finals as well as this year in the Open division.

The reserve title went to Charlene Rossoll, Santa Ynez, Calif., and 7-year-old Lucky Number Sleven with 219 points.

“I’m usually on the muscle and a little bit nervous,” said Rossoll. “But here for the first time I was not nervous, and it seemed easy.”

$15,000 Novice/Non Pro

Kate Banuelos, Las Vegas, Nev., and Bettin On Chex took the $15,000 Novice/Non Pro with 222 points and a check for more than $6,000. Constance Jaeggi, of Switzerland, earned the reserve with 218 points astride Explicit Lyrics.

Banuelos also placed as reserve in the Non Pro with Bettin On Chex, a 7-year-old by Bet On Me 498. The gelding was born and raised on Paula Gaughan’s, Kate’s mother, ranch and given to Kate as a 4-year-old.

Jaeggi and Explicit Lyrics also took reserve in the $15,000 Novice/Non Pro at Eastern Nationals. Explicit Lyrics came in reserve in the Open and was a finalist in the $3,000 Novice division, both times under Chubby Turner, Weatherford, Texas. Jaeggi marked a 218 in the go-round and was the sixth horse out in the finals.

“I cut the last cow for 30 seconds,” said Jaeggi. “It was exhausting. I never wanted to hear the buzzer ring so badly. It seemed to last forever.”

Jaeggi and Explicit Lyrics were also Amateur finalists at the 2010 Super Stakes.

$50,000 Amateur

Roger Booth, Acton, Calif., and Magnalight marked 219 points to win the $50,000 Amateur division. Neil Shanks, Alberta, Canada, came in reserve on Call Me Smurf with 218 points.

“We skated through the go-round with a 213, but I found some more gears to him that worked real well in the finals,” said Booth of the 16-year-old Magnalight, out of Grays Starlight. Magnalight was also a 1998 Super Stakes finalist and has earned almost $200,000.

Call Me Smurf, a 6-year-old gelding out of Jose Boon, was also reserve champion of the $3,000 Novice under trainer Guy Heintz, Alberta, Canada. Shanks said his victory is also attributed to having good help.

“I get the glory, and those guys do all the work,” he said.

Non Pro

Kathleen Strain, White River, S.D., and Sneakin Sam, by Sneakin Lena, took the Non Pro championship with 219 points. Kate Banuelos, Las Vegas, Nev., and Bettin With Chex came in reserve with 216.5 points.

Strain and Sneakin Sam are veterans of the Western Nationals, having competed 11 times between 2004 and 2010. The pair earned the Non Pro reserve championship in 2008 and came in third in the Open finals in 2006.

“He loves to cut,” said Strain of the 13-year-old Sneakin Sam that she and her husband raised. “That’s what so special about him. Today, in both of my runs, he shook all over. He can’t wait to go.”

Banuelos won the $15,000 Novice/Non Pro divison the day before the Non Pro on Bettin With Chex and is always pleased with the gelding’s performance.

“He’s great for me every time,” she said.

NCHA holds two National Championships each spring, one each at a location in the eastern and western United States. The top ten qualifiers in each of the 12 NCHA classes from each area and each affiliate are eligible to compete. To encourage local participation, eligible contestants may compete at either or both contests.

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 $43 million in prize money awarded. For more information visit www.nchacutting.com or call (817) 244-6188.