Country Music Stars Take to a Different Stage at the NCHA Futurity

They have recently wrapped up a 12 month tour together across Australia and now James Blundell and Sophie Clabburn of the Sunny Cowgirls will be reunited in a different kind of arena. 

The country music stars will come together in the cutting horse arena in a special Celebrity Cutting event as part of the National Cutting Horse Association’s (NCHA) 40^th Futurity celebrations. 

But friendship will be put to the side as they ride against each other and four other stars and do their best to win $3,000 for their chosen charity, courtesy of the NCHA.

Blundell will be doing his bit for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Clabburn will be supporting Aussie Helpers, an organisation which helps to fight poverty in the bush.

“The Royal Flying Doctor Service do such a great job for people in rural Australia and I hope to do them proud in the Celebrity Cutting Event,” Blundell said.

“I rate my chances as average. I’ve got experience with horses but the sport of cutting is a totally different story,” Blundell joked.

Clabburn was raised on a farm and continues to live and work on the land between tours.

“When I’m home on my property, I spend quite a bit of time with my horses so I’m comfortable around them but this is a whole new challenge and one that I’m really looking forward to,” Clabburn said.

“It’s great to be returning to Tamworth outside of the Country Music Festival and being part of the 40^th Futurity celebrations.

“Some of my friends are involved in cutting and they’ve given me some pointers so hopefully these tips can get me over the line and the winner’s cheque for Aussie Helpers,” Clabburn said.

Joining Blundell and Clabburn in the cutting horse arena will be Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson, radio personality Emm Hall, retired Rugby League player Ian Hindmarsh and Australian movie, television and theatre star Colin Friels.

Normal cutting rules will be in place for the Celebrity Cutting Event and the stars will be awarded a score between 60 and 80 points, depending on their ability to ‘cut’ a cow from the herd and prevent it from returning to the herd.

The stars will be riding experienced cutting horses and will receive coaching from professional trainers prior to the event.

Some celebrities have even begun preparing for the event which will take place in front of a packed crowd at Tamworth’s Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC).

It will be an action-packed evening with the Celebrity Cutting Event kicking off at 6pm on Friday 7 June, followed by the ever-popular Bull Ride and Rodeo.

Tickets are available from Destination Tamworth or can be purchased at the door.

The 2013 NCHA Imax Gold Tamarang Futurity takes place at AELEC from 30 May – 9 June.

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