NHC Rundown: Crystal Andaur, Sean Turner and Mark Wilgard Double-Qualify for 2022 NHC

Each week, the NTRA will provide a rundown of those who have qualified for the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) from the previous weekend. Double-qualifiers Crystal Andaur, Sean Turner, and Mark Wilgard, and single-qualifiers Vincent Achilarre, Chris Cupples and Wayne Tam, comprise a total of six players gaining entries for the 2022 NHC. These players qualified through Friday and Saturday tournaments on Horseplayers.com and a Sunday tournament on Horsetourneys.com.

The NHC is the most important tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. The 2021 NHC is slated to take place in the Bally’s Events Center from Aug. 27-29 with the 2022 NHC set for Jan. 28-30 at Bally’s.

Last weekend’s qualifiers, and their respective contest sites, are as follows:

Crystal Andaur of League City, TX, has double-qualified for the 2022 NHC. Last Friday, she won the won the First Chance/Last Chance entry at Bally’s; came in second for the Friday Feature $15,000, and scored the feature $1,000, where she placed first with total winnings of $118.90 versus her qualifying entry on Horseplayers for $96.40. She made the most of her victories on three races at Los Alamitos and had solid selections at Gulfstream Park.

Crystal got interested in racing through her husband, Kris, who was the NHC 2020 Rookie of the Year and will be playing in next month’s Championships in Las Vegas. Kris is from South Florida and comes from a family of horse trainers. “So they all grew up at the race tracks,” said Cyrstal Andaur. “His aunts and uncles have been horseplayers for a decade now. However, once he started racing, I did it as a way to spend time together. Turned out, I wasn’t horrible. As a Texas girl, l who grew up with four brothers, I am a bit competitive, to say the least, as is his family. So I have definitely been more focused this year on stepping up my game.”

Vincent Achilarre of Convent Station, NJ, has qualified for his eighth NHC.

Chris Cupples of Puryear, TN, has qualified for his third NHC. Cupples, who started playing the races at Indiana Grand, has been involved in Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racing “all my life.” He has also been involved in Barrel Racing as an owner and competitor.

Sean Turner of Middletown, MD, has double-qualified for the 2022 NHC and marks the seventh time he has earned a spot in the Championships.

Mark Wilgard of Melville, NY, has double-qualified for the 2022 NHC, and for his third overall Championship.

Wayne Tam of Randolph, MA, has qualified for his third NHC.