The National Cutting Horse Association recently announced that Shania Cee, a 4-year-old mare, has won the title of Horse of the Year.
Instituted in 1993, the NCHA's Horse of the Year award recognizes the best limited aged horse for the preceding 12 months. Think of it as the NCHA's award for MVP of the year.
Although a number of outstanding horses were up for the award, none was better than Shania Cee, a diminutive palomino by Peppys Boy 895 and out of Lynx Melody by Doc's Lynx. Ridden by Shannon Hall of Minco, Okla., and owned by Billy Cogdell of Tulia, Texas, Shania Cee started off by winning the 1999 NCHA Futurity and its $200,000 first place prize. From there, she either won or was reserve champion at every event she was entered in 2000, save for one, the NCHA Derby in July. Shania Cee's total money won from her futurity debut to the her last win at the Polo Ranch cutting in August, a period of only nine months, was an astounding $332,541.
The NCHA Horse of the Year guidelines state that to be eligible, a horse has to fulfill two of five requirements. Shania Cee fulfilled all five requirements. The horse had to be a champion or reserve champion at a minimum of one NCHA major event. Shania Cee did that twice. The horse had to be a finalist at an NCHA sanctioned limited aged event three times. Shania Cee did that and what's more, won two of the events and was reserve champion of the third. That feat also fulfilled the third requirement, which is to have been a winner of at least two NCHA sanctioned shows. She easily made the top ten money earners list and for the final requirement, "exhibited consistent winning style and performances throughout the year." The electrifying little mare did that in spades.
Other horse of the year winners include Little Badger Dulce, Hicapoo, CD Olena, Meradas Little Sue, Not Quite An Acre, Shakin Flo and Playin Stylish.
