Welcome to the Wyoming Cutting Horse Association

WESTERN NATIONALS, Reno, NV - The draw for this event has already taken place and the show begins Sunday April 29th! Click here for details.

Wishing all our Wyoming CHA Members competing in Reno the Very Best of Luck!!! We'll all be rooting for you and looking forward to seeing lots of photographs!

Hot off the presses -Show Details for Area 4 NCHA Days, Dillon, Montana - just issued!! Click here for details. Remember that this year NCHA Days will also incorporate AQHA Classes with results counting towards AQHA World Show Qualification - see NCHA and/or AQHA web sites for more details.

Show Dates: June 1, 2 and 3, 2012. Entries by: Monday, May 28th, 2012. Early entry (406) 369-2024 or tnelson@usadig.com or online entry at www.montanacha.com required.
Host Motels: Best Western Paradise Inn (406) 683-4214; Super 8 (406) 683-4288 Rooms booking fast, make your reservations early!
Judge: Kelly Graham, Texas AAAA
Show Approval: NCHA, Montana CHA, Wyoming CHA, Idaho CHA, and Boise Valley CHA

TRAINER’S TIPS – NO. 2
Aaron Ralston
Cow Horse Productions, Aspen, CO

Why compete?

"Some losin's is right, some winnings wrong", Paul Zarzyski Bob Dylan ‘Bronc song’

By Testing ourselves against ourselves in unfamiliar circumstances we add a self monitor that allows us to check our progress. I work all my horses on a mechanical cow. This is a wonderful training device that allows me to predict situations while I teach my horse to stop, back up, roll back, move out, focus, etc... The mechanical cow consists of a flag attached to a cord hung on pulleys driven by a motor that is controlled by a remote held by the rider. When I push the button the flag moves, then my horse should make the corresponding move to the right or left. When I release the button the flag stops, therefore my horse should stop. When horse, rider, and flag are in sync there is an invisible leash connecting the three in unison as they perform a series of stops, 180 degree turns, accelerating, and decelerating in a varied sequence. I cannot tell you how many championships I have won in my own back yard! I'm a legend in my own mind! However, by simply handing my remote to someone else to operate for me, I lose most of my snap. Without knowing, by running the remote, I am setting myself up to win every time. No matter how hard I try not to, I am sending signals to my horse that say "we're getting ready to stop", or "I'm going to push the button now". Subconsciously it is very difficult to judge the level of difficulty or responsibility we put on ourselves and our horses. Therefore, what we think is enough may just be the beginning.

What is competition?

Competition does not have to be a horse show or a race against another horse. Simply, competition should be a set of standards against which one guides themselves by. The standards therefore have great influence on your perceived results. Choose them carefully. It is not about the blue ribbon; instead it is about evaluating the direction of our work and establishing deadlines for its attainment. Our standards may be too easy, such as always holding the remote myself and never allowing my horse to assume full responsibility. I will always compete, as I need to be challenged and held to an honest evaluation of my progress. I don't have to win the blue ribbon, but I need to know if I'm as good as I think I am!

For more information on Aaron’s Training methods, his horses etc. or any questions you may have for Aaron you can go to his web site at www.cowhorseproductions.com or he can be contacted by email at theride@cowhorseproductions.com.  He can also be contacted by telephone on 970-274-4346 or by mail at Aaron Ralston, Cow Horse Productions, 309 AABC, Suite D, Aspen, CO 81611. You can also catch Aaron’s TV program on RFD TV.

Click here to view more Trainer Tips

Attention all Wyoming Cutters - I am trying to build up a library of Members’ Profiles which I will publish here on the web site. I think it would be wonderful if all our members, past, present and future can have their stories, histories and achievements recorded for posterity – don’t you agree?  So I would be extremely grateful if you would complete the following Questionnaire and return it to me along with any photographs – email would be great but if not please mail them to me and I will try to ensure your photographs are returned to you once I have been able to copy them.  Don’t be bashful or modest, I for one would love to get to know more about our members and I am sure we all would enjoy reading each other’s stories – so please do submit your profile!!!  Thanks in advance!!

Click here for Questionnaire

Important Information for Wyoming CHA Youth Cutters

The Board of the Wyoming Cutting Horse Association is pleased of announce that they will be taking applications for Two Youth Scholarship Awards for the 2012 Show Year.  The amounts of each award will be announced after the next Board meeting.  However, now is the time to start your preparations and if you are:

1.    a Senior in High School intending to attend a college of further education

2.    a Member in good standing of the Wyoming CHA for 2012

3.    a Member in good standing of the NCHA for 2012

4.    competing at Wyoming CHA approved events in 2012

5.    Please make a formal application to the Board giving details of your achievements, interests, hobbies, successes at various horse events, particularly cutting, horsemanship skills, memberships of equine based associations etc. and your expectations & plans for your further education.

The Board will consider all applications received and after deliberations will announce the successful recipients at the 2012 Year End Awards Banquet in Casper in September.  For further details please contact Anne Enright, WCHA Secretary.

Become a WCHA Member Now!!!!!

Those of you who have not yet paid your dues for 2012 please do not miss out on your Complimentary copy of the Wrangler – complete your 2012 application now.

A Huge Thank You goes out to all our 2012 Members who completed their Membership Applications and paid their dues by March 31^st – we had a great response, so thank you one and all!  Your names will go into the draw each month for FIVE months for a chance to win a $20 Gift Certificate from Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Stores. The first draw will be held in May.

REMEMBER: Your show results only count towards Year End AFTER your Membership Dues have been received – so don’t miss out!!

Click here to download the 2012 Form

Or Email Anne Enright at wcha.secretary@hotmail.com  or call and leave a message on (307) 514 2181 to request a form by mail.

Mail Completed Forms to:      Anne Enright, WCHA Secretary,
8415 Powderhouse Road
Cheyenne, WY 82009

Thanks for Supporting Your Wyoming Cutting Horse Association!!

Important Information for Wyoming CHA Youth Cutters

The Board of the Wyoming Cutting Horse Association is pleased of announce that they will be taking applications for Two Youth Scholarship Awards for the 2012 Show Year.  The amounts of each award will be announced after the next Board meeting.  However, now is the time to start your preparations and if you are:

1.    a Senior in High School intending to attend a college of further education

2.    a Member in good standing of the Wyoming CHA for 2012

3.    a Member in good standing of the NCHA for 2012

4.    competing at Wyoming CHA approved events in 2012

5.    Please make a formal application to the Board giving details of your achievements, interests, hobbies, successes at various horse events, particularly cutting, horsemanship skills, memberships of equine based associations etc. and your expectations & plans for your further education.

Click here to read 2012 WCHA General Membership Meeting from January 28, 2012

To view 2011 Year End Results, click here. The Wyoming Cutting Horse Association would like to thank everyone who put on shows this year and everyone who participated in those shows! We appreciate your support of our Association. We are now organizing and looking forward to the 2012 show season!

Wyoming Cutting Horse Association Fund Raiser 2011
Trip for Two to Ireland!

from left to right is: Cathy Stalcup, former President, Tom Stalcup Current Vice President, Jack Enright, trip organizer holding the winning ticket, Todd Adolf, President of WSCHA, James Johnson and Jerry Rankin Board Members.

CONGRATULATIONS JIM SPELL!!    Jim Spell is the winner of our trip for two to Ireland fundraiser!  The drawing took place at the Seven Bar Ranch Cutting in Saratoga, Wyoming on July 10^th.  Members of the WCHA Board of Directors were present when the winning ticket was drawn by Todd Adolf, President of the Western States Cutting Horse Association.  The winner was then contacted by phone by jack Enright, Trip organizer and former President of the WCHA.  Jim and his wife were absolutely delighted to hear of their good fortune and plan to take their trip to Ireland next spring! Jack Enright would like to thank all those who supported the WCHA by buying tickets and hopes they will support future fund raising activities- including another chance to win a Trip for Two to Ireland in 2012. 

Become a Wcha sponsor

As in the past, the success of our organization has largely been due to the contributions of our sponsors who have gone out of their way to lend financial support.  We hope that as in the past, this year too you would support the WCHA.....click here to read more