The NCHA Triple Crown comprises three major cutting horse aged events beginning with the NCHA Futurity for 3-year-olds, followed by the NCHA Derby for 4-year-olds, and NCHA Super Stakes for 5-year-olds. All three events are held at the Will Rogers Coliseum in Ft. Worth, Texas. The culmination of prize money for all three events in 2008 was in excess of $10 Million, surpassing that of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.
There have been only 3 NCHA Open Division Triple Crown winners and 1 NCHA NonPro Division Triple Crown winner since the inception of the NCHA in 1946:
- Smart Little Lena ridden by Bill Freeman (1982-1983) Open Division
- Docs Okie Quixote ridden by Joe Heim (1983-1984) Open Division
- Chiquita Pistol ridden by Tag Rice (2002-2003) Open Division
- Watch Me Whip ridden by Armando Costa Neto (2015-2016) NonPro Division
References
- "Cutting Horses Have Own Version of Triple Crown". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. August 7, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
- "Rodeo Insider: Cutting horses' Triple Crown starts this week at Will Rogers". Ft. Worth Star Telegram. November 17, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
- Hoffman, Brett (September 6, 2010). "Rodeo: Cutting Horse Champ Smart Little Lena Dies". Amarillo Globe News. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
- "Smart Little Lena Euthanized". Quarter Horse News. 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
- ^ Hoffman, Brett (August 9, 2016). "Hoffman: Neto Pulls Off Triple Crown of Cutting Horse Victories". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved August 30, 2016.