Stephenville, TX - February 19, 2005 - The NRCHA welcomed future scribes to its first-ever scribe seminar, Saturday morning, February 19 during the Bayer Legend™ National Reined Cow Horse Association Celebration of Champions.

A scribe sits with each judge during rein and cow work, marking and totaling the score sheet from the judge's verbal instruction.That way the judge's eyes never leave the arena action.

NRCHA Judges’ Assistant Tracey Hatakeyama, Atascadero, California, conducted the seminar, designed to ease the fears of first-time scribes.

“The main thing is to give people the confidence to be able to scribe. That seems to be a major issue,” Hatakeyama commented. “A lot of them think that they need to know what the penalties are in addition, when all they have to do is write what the judges say. They’re scribing; they’re not actually judging.”

The seminar focused on marking the score sheets correctly. Clearly marked sheets eliminate exhibitors’ confusion and tells an accurate story of what actually took place during the run.

“I think it made the participants feel a little more comfortable. When they actually go to scribe they’ll know they’re doing it correctly and they’re not out in left field,” Hatakeyama noted.

The NRCHA hopes this initial seminar will start a trend. The association anticipates developing literature that will inform scribes and potential scribes of their duties.

“We think this is a great first step in recognizing the importance of scribes to successful judging,” Cheryl Magoteaux of Pro Management said about the new focus on scribes. “Many shows across the country depend on volunteers for scribes. Often, people would like to volunteer but have held back because they were unsure of exactly what they would do. We felt that if these seminars could give people a chance to learn the process, then they would be more comfortable volunteering. The second issue is that a knowledgeable, effective scribe makes the job much easier for judges.”

The National Reined Cow Horse Association, the 56-year-old governing body of cow horse competition, is responsible for promoting the sport, insuring high standards of competition and educating members and the public about the history and tradition of the cow horse. Through the support of a Corporate Partner family that includes Bayer Corporation, Bob's Custom Saddles, Cinch, Inc., Classic Equine, EQ Solutions, MD Barns, Platinum Performance, Inc., Nutrena, Skyline Gold and Silversmiths, Sundowner Trailers, National Ropers Supply, Quarter Horse News & Western Horseman magazine, the Reno Hilton, Dan Gamel's RV Centers, Farnam products Vetrolin Liniment and Farnam dewormers IverCare, ComboCare, LiquiCare P and Continuex, Fort Dodge West Nile Innovator, Rios of Mercedes, Great American Insurance Company and the Silver Legacy, the association works to keep the vaquero tradition alive in today’s equine industry. For information on the National Reined Cow Horse Association, call 580-759-4949 or visit the NRCHA Official Web Site at www.nrcha.com.