NCHA News

Five men and women have been selected to be inducted into the NCHA Members Hall of Fame. They will be honored at the 2017 NCHA Convention, to be held June 2-4 at the Hilton DFW Lakes in Grapevine, Texas.

The inductees are Barbra Schulte, Leon Harrel, Billy Martin, Nina Lundgren and Keith Deaville.

Barbra Schulte of Brenham, Texas, is a world-renowned author and clinician. She served as NCHA Vice President in 1994-1995, and has represented NCHA on Good Morning America, Outdoor Life Network and RFD-TV. At 13, she became the youngest female semi-finalist in the NCHA Futurity.

In addition to winning the NCHA Derby and Super Stakes Classic, she has been inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame, and was recognized as AQHA’s Female Equestrian of the Year. She’s given clinics for cutters across the United States, and in Canada, Australia and Europe.

Leon Harrel of Springtown, Texas, has been an NCHA member since 1964, and has been an NCHA director for more than 50 years. He served as NCHA President in 1981, and is a two-time NCHA Futurity Champion and an NCHA World Champion. His cutting clinics have been popular around the world since 1970, and he’s helped recruit more than 60 new members to the National Cutting Horse Association each year.

Billy Martin of Millsap, Texas, has been a director for the Augusta Futurity for three decades. He has served as President of the East Coast CHA and Pennsylvania CHA and as an Area 19 Director for the NCHA for many years. He has donated many awards for youth, improving riders and Non-Pros over the years. He is in the NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame and has won the NCHA Non-Pro Derby.

Nina Lundgren of Eltopia, Washington, is a lifetime member of NCHA  who is known for creating and producing special events to attract new cutters and encourage existing cutters to stay hooked into the sport. Her signature events include the Wild Women of the West Weekend where women learn about cutting and share their challenges; the annual  Cutting Campout; the Climb Aboard a Cutter Contest; the Thankful to be Cutting event the weekend before Thanksgiving; and numerous clinics.

Keith Deaville of Covington, Louisiana, is a former NCHA President who has given tireless support to cutting  in the Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama region. He has been a staunch advocate for NCHA’s grassroots cutters while serving on the NCHA Executive Committee, Judges Rules Committee and Open Show Committee. He has introduced countless new members to the sport, as well as bringing lapsed members back into the association.

The NCHA Hall of Fame Banquet  will be held at 6 p.m. on June 3 to recognize the Members Hall of Fame inductees, as well as Open Riders, Non-Pros and Horses that had qualified for their respective Halls of Fame in 2016. Admission to the banquet is free.

Each year the NCHA's Directors, Standing Committees and members meet at the NCHA Convention to keep abreast of developments in the Association, and pave the way for the future. For more information on this year's Convention, contact Pam Robison (probison@nchacutting.com) or call (817) 244-6188.

Click here to register for the NCHA Convention.