NCHA News

To NCHA Members, 

Today is the first of hopefully very few weekly updates I will be bringing you. There is no question the Corona Virus has wreaked havoc on our lives as we know it. The news continues to get worse as we all try and work through this. It has had life-changing consequences on all of us. The NCHA wants you to know that we are working through this situation in the best manner possible. Our office is working remotely, and we continue to provide service to our members. There is no certain date on when we will resume regular operations, but as of today, we are continuing to plan for the Summer Spectacular.

The big question is for the Kit Kat Sugar Super Stakes. At this moment, we are in discussion of a possible cancellation. There are many factors involved here. I should have confirmation this week. If, in fact, we are forced to cancel and not postpone this event, our accounting department is standing at ready to issue refunds immediately. Again, this is all the information I have now and will update you as soon as we have a formal direction on how this will proceed. 

To our Owners, Non-Pro and Amateurs, I would like to ask you please consider not doing anything drastic. I fully understand the expense of maintaining horses and although downtime does not always seem productive, removing your horses from training could be a catastrophic decision in many ways. Your trainers depend on that income to survive. By pulling a horse or horses out of training, this could set off a domino effect that could wind up costing you more money in the long run. Every month your horse sits in the pasture is one more month it will be before they are fit to hit the show pen once we can return to normal life. It runs the risk of increased vet bills and the frustration of you and your horse not being prepared when it’s time to ride to the herd. I urge you to use this time to ask your trainers to work on things to make your horses better prepared for the show pen, so you are ready when the time comes. While I am not advocating for social interaction at this point, it is a great time to work on your skills as well. With no immediate show schedule, this is a great opportunity to utilize your time at the barn to better your horses and yourself.

To our Trainers, I understand that we have never experienced this type of situation before. As with your customers, utilize this time to build your skills both personally and with your horses. Look for innovative ideas to provide in your areas to help your Non-Pro and Amateur clients. Invest in your future by finally pursuing your judges’ card. Take the time to fix that leaky water pipe or busted gate at the ranch. Finally, clean out and organize the trailer or tack room.  You can still maintain your business, help your clients, and grow as a trainer, all while maintaining social distancing. 

To the Sponsors, you are NCHA’s lifeblood and we could not do all the things we do without your support. The interruption in our schedule has caused a ripple effect across all aspects of the NCHA. I assure you we will work with you to assist in driving business. The NCHA’s sponsorship department is here to help, so if you have any communications that need to go to our members, please let us know. I ask our members to please now more than ever if you are able, support the people that support you.

I wish I could tell you when this all will end. One prediction I will make is that cutting will come roaring back. I am optimistic that we will be hitting the show pen soon. Regardless if you’re a weekender or LAE rider, this is a valuable time to make yourself and your horses better. Being able to take your time with young horses is a must. That is something we have at this moment, and I believe we will see some of the best futurity horses ever this year. No one wishes we could be showing right now more than me. This is a challenging situation that we have never had to deal with before. Make the most of it. Follow the guidelines and stay safe. The sooner we stop the spread, the sooner we are back to doing what we love. Take the time to improve yourself, support each other and be patient. It will pass…  

My best wishes to you,

Jay Winborn

NCHA Executive Director

#nchastrong