Congratulations to the 2025 NCHA Upper Midwest Circuit Winners!

EVENT NAME:  2025 Owatonna Cutting Series Championship Show and NCHA Days

EVENT DATE: May 16th - 18th 2025 (Official NCHA Days 17th, 18th)

VENUE: Steele County Fairgrounds, Owatonna, Minnesota

Awards Photos - Click Here

The 2025 Owatonna Cutting Series Championship Show and NCHA Days event in Owatonna, Minnesota was a fantastic weekend of celebration. There were 92 entries on Friday, and a total of 198 entries over Saturday and Sunday. After each class on Friday, there was a prize drawing offering various gift items. NCHA Days awarded prizes for Champion, Reserve Champion, and 3rd Place. Prizes included custom imprinted Director's chairs, Polar Camel high endurance ion-plated tumblers, and gift cards. The Minnesota CHA provided pizza dinners on Friday and Saturday, courtesy of Jimmy John’s and Dominos.

The weekend was full of milestone moments. FAYMISS (Hottish x Miss Priss Pepto), together with JP Bell, Jack Bell, and Jenna Bell, crossed the $100,000 combined NCHA lifetime earnings threshold — a remarkable achievement for the connections. Saturday's Rookie competition saw Brettyn Grover and Travis Grover's HES BUCKIN SMART earn a landmark first score of 72, while Sunday's Youth event delivered the same thrill for Kinzi Parsons and Shawna Parsons' PHARREL, who also notched their debut 72-point run.

Special thanks to the National Cutting Horse Association for their generous sponsorship of the custom Gist Silversmiths Buckles and $500 of added money for each class. Thanks to NCHA Judge, Collbran Blue Larsen, for serving at our show, and to NCHA Videographer, Noah Edwards Cutting Videos, for his ongoing dedication. 

Huge thanks to Brooke Drassal-Creighton for her tremendous efforts in organizing the show. She handled various tasks such as working with sponsors, coordinating with show vendors, arranging awards and prize drawings, and ensuring that award members were ready for their photos.

We would also like to thank our onsite local community vendors for their valuable contribution to our show by providing their specialized products and services: Anita Janssen of Janssen Performance Horses LLC, Wyn Lauren Rood of Cow Horse Western Clothing, Pam Scofield – equine merchant, Wild Threads / Wild Threads Photography by Addie, and The Lunch Box MN for serving delicious food for breakfast, lunch, and supper!

Thank you to our sponsors: Owatonna Motor Company, Brooke Drassal Equine Bodywork LLC, Kristi Jo Block Realtor, Janssen Performance Horses LLC, Montana Rose Equine Therapy, and RCK Images Photography LLC.

A huge thank you to everyone who made this show a success! We're deeply grateful to the Steele County Fairgrounds, our attendees, and the dedicated volunteers who kept everything running smoothly — including our show secretary/announcer, trainers, lopers, cattle and turn-back helpers, arena assistants, and photographers. Thank you for everything!

2025 NCHA DAYS Circuit Championship GIST Buckle Award Winners

$35,000 NON-PRO

$15,000 LIMITED AMATEUR

$2,000 LIMITED RIDER

YOUTH - SENIOR

YOUTH - JUNIOR

2025 NCHA Circuit Championship Prize Award Winners - LAE

5/6 OPEN

5/6 NON-PRO

4 YEAR OLD OPEN

2025 NCHA Circuit Championship Prize Award Winners 

OPEN

NON-PRO

$50,000 AMATEUR

$25,000 NOVICE NON-PRO

$1,000 LIMITED RIDER

YOUTH

$5,000 NOVICE HORSE

$5,000 NOVICE HORSE NON-PRO

$35,000 NON-PRO

$15,000 AMATEUR

$2,000 LIMITED RIDER

ROOKIE

2-HANDED RANCH