On May 1, 1946 the National Cutting Horse Association was formed by a group of cowboys and ranchers with the main goals of promoting cutting competition, standardizing contest rules, and preserving the cutting horse’s western heritage. NCHA held its first cutting in Dublin, Texas, in September 1946.
In 1955, 300 NCHA events were held with total purses of $190,000. The ensuing decades have afforded tremendous growth for the NCHA and today, more than 2,200 shows are held annually with total prize money exceeding $36 million.