AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE FOUNDATION PLACES 30TH HISTORICAL MARKER

Site of first National Cutting Horse Association-sanctioned event to be commemorated April 15

America's Horse, March 27, 2008 – The American Quarter Horse Foundation Historical Marker Program dedicates its 30^th marker at a special reception commemorating the first National Cutting Horse Association-sanctioned event. The dedication takes place at 4 p.m. on April 15 during a ceremony at the Rodeo Heritage Museum in Dublin, Texas.

“Our partnership with NCHA is long-standing, and we’re pleased that the 30^th marker commemorates this milestone event,” said AQHA President Ken Mumy. “American Quarter Horses have long been the breed of choice by cutting participants and it’s exciting to honor this discipline.”

The first NCHA-sanctioned contest was held September 10, 1946, on the grounds of the Rodeo Heritage Museum in Dublin. Twenty-one contestants each paid a $10 entry fee while NCHA offered $200 in added money. Riding his American Quarter Horse Snooks, Jimmy Maddox took first place.

The first NCHA-sanctioned cutting paved the way for the discipline to become an official American Quarter Horse Association event. The success of the show also was a positive sign that the fledgling NCHA would not only succeed but flourish. Today, more than 17,000 NCHA members, the vast majority of whom are riding American Quarter Horses, compete in 2,200 shows worldwide for more than $44 million in prize money.

As Strategic Marketing Partners, AQHA and NCHA work to promote the American Quarter Horse and the western discipline of cutting.

Be Part of Preserving History

American Quarter Horse Historical Markers commemorate people and events historically important to the development of the American Quarter Horse breed or the American Quarter Horse Association. With the dedication of the marker commemorating the first NCHA-sanctioned cutting, the program boasts 30 permanent historical markers throughout the United States and Canada. The program is administered by the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum and is a project of the American Quarter Horse Foundation.

The Foundation welcomes applications for future historical marker sites that will perpetuate and promote the history of the American Quarter Horse, helping current and future generations understand and experience the breed’s rich history. The Foundation encourages applications for locations anywhere in the world, as long as they meet the program’s criteria.

Visit www.aqha.com/foundation for program guidelines and an application, or call (806) 378-5181.