NHC Contest play is completely different than many other contests that you may be familar with. The trick is to pick winners. If you are new to contest play, you have the ability to learn from some of the most talented and successful horseplayers in the game.

Fill out the form below and we will connect you with a mentor.

  • In order to provide you with the best mentor for your goals, please let us know what type of mentoring you would like help on. ie: online play, how to place bets, racetracks on east coast, etc).

Testimonials

Thank you for putting me in contact with John.

He spent well over an hour sharing his knowledge and expertise on the tournament scene.  He was able to give ideas how to build my knowledge and ways to improve my expertise.  Along with a nice gentleman and very giving of his time.

Our discussion has given me more confidence e and game plan to more comfortable in the tournament format and will increase my time and financial commitment.

Greg L. , Mentor: John Fisher

Meet the Mentors

Matthew Ache

Matthew (TX) is President of an Electronics company and has qualified for the NHC every year since he started playing contest in 2015.  Matthew has finished in the money twice and dual qualified every year but one.

Ray Arsenault

Ray Arsenault (Canada) – 2017 NHC Champion, fan favorite from Canada, specializes ontrack

David Barnier

David (CA) finished 32nd the NHC in 2020, his second year on the NTRA Tour.  He has participated in online tournaments every weekend for the past two years and continues to learn and appreciate the nuances of tournament play.  He had Country House in the 2019 Derby and remains committed to never complaining about an adverse DQ again.

Stanley Bavlish

Stanley Bavlish (MD) – 2007 NHC Champion, 2022 NHC Hall of Fame Inductee

Albion J. Benton

Albion Benton (NH) – attended first NHC in 2020 where he was the Day 1 leader. He ended his inaugural NHC in 16th place with $19,000. Benton placed 3rd at NHC2022 and cashed $150,000

Robin Buser

Robin Buser (NJ) – lawyer from NJ, online and ontrack expert, qualified 9 times

Scott Carson

Scott Carson (NY) – finished 5th at NHC2018, operator of PublicHandicapper.com, 11 year qualifier, east coast expert

Tyler Chaney

Tyler (TX) qualified for the first time in 2020. A realtor, from Texas has played Horseplayers.com and Horsetourneys.com exclusively so far. He usually plays Friday $75 contests.

Scott Coles

Scott (IL) is the 2019 Horseplayer of the Year and NHC2020 Champion.

Joseph Costello

2021 Tour Champion Joseph (Kevin) Costello has qualified all 6 years he has been on the Tour. He has finished in the top 40 four times, including a 4th place finish in 2016. Kevin is a former Aerospace Engineer with a Masters in uncertainty analysis and has played the horses for 30 years since Unbridled won the 1990 KY Derby. Kevin considers Hawthorne and Del Mar as his home tracks with him and his wife, Kathleen, splitting time between Chicago and San Diego. After making some measurable improvements to live cash tournament play in 2021, Kevin is happy to share his experiences from the journey of being a primarily $2 win/place competitor to what he hopes is now an equally adept competitor across all formats of play.

Dennis Decauwer

Dennis Decauwer (CA) – Vice Chairman of NHC Players Committee; 2023 Hall of Fame inductee; 2009 NHC 2nd place finisher earning $150,000

Ed Deicke

Ed (NY/FL) first qualified in 2018 by way of a 9th place finish at the 2017 BCBC. Ed tries to participate in as many tournaments as he can and now keeps a journal so he can analyze successful strategies.

Monte Engler

Monte Engler (NY) – has won his way to the NHC multiple times by finishing in the top 150 of the NHC Tour Leaderboard without qualifying ontrack or online

Nicholas Fazzolari

John Fisher (NJ) – long time Tour Member. Has qualified 7 times and cashed twice. Plays both online and on track contests at all price points.

John Fisher

John Fisher (FL) – fan favorite from Leesburg, FL, retired Boeing engineer, 11 year qualifier

Ross Gallo

Ross Gallo (FL) – NHC Players’ Committee, dad and brother play – family affair, 12 time qualifier

Dino Herrera

Dino (AZ) has qualified for the NHC 7 times and finished in the top 10% in 2019.

William Holmes

William (Ontario) is a 8 time qualifier who has exclusively played NHC Contests online since 2018.

Bill Holobowski

Bill (NJ) is a 3 time qualifier who plays mostly online and at Monmouth Park.

Ken Jordan

Ken (NJ) is a 12 time qualifier who has cashed 4 times including a 2nd place finish in 2015.

Chris Larmey

Chris Larmey (WA) – Class of 2018 NHC Hall of Fame Inductee, NHC Players’ Committee Chairman, 16 year qualifier, can follow his tweets @derby1592

Alan Levitt

Alan Levitt (MD) – 13 time qualifier (3 time Double Qualifier) to the NHC. Has cashed 3 times including a top 10 finish in 2012.

Ellen Patrick Leavell

Ellen Patrick (TX) – 2016 Treasure Island Last Chance Tournament winner (first female to win it), excellent online and ontrack player from Dallas, TX

Christy Moore

Christy Moore (IN) – 5 time qualifier to the NHC, she had 2 entries finish in the top 10% in the 2019 NHC and finished 3rd in the 2019 NHC Tour.

Chris Podratz

Chris (CA) is a Registered Nurse Administrator and an 11 time NHC Qualifier. Chris has finished 3 times in the money at the NHC with his best showing in 2012 when he finished 11th.

Paul Shurman

Paul Shurman (NY) – 2011 NHC Tour Champion, Players’ Committee, NHC Hall of Fame Inductee, 17 year qualifier

Vic Stauffer

Vic Stauffer (CA) – 3 time NHC Qualifier

Trey Stiles

Trey (TX) is an attorney and a 20 year NHC Qualifier and a Class of 2019 NHC Hall of Fame Inductee. You can follow him on Twitter @ride_that_pony

Evan Trommer

Evan (FL) is an avid online and live money contest player. Both his sons also play in contests as well. The Trommer’s participate in horse racing at all levels from breeding to racing horses. After spending 10 years in Lexington KY, the Trommer’s now live in Sarasota Florida.

Hal Wafer

Hal Wafer (AZ) – NHC Players’ Committee, enjoys playing with friends on-track

Judy Wagner

Judy Wagner (LA) – NTRA Board of Directors, member of the Louisiana Racing Commission, NHC Players’ Committee, NHC Hall of Fame, 2nd place finisher 2009 NHC Tour, NHC Champion 2001.

Paul Weizer

Paul (MA) is a university professor and a 16 time NHC Qualifier. Live money, on track contest player who has qualified at Keeneland multiple times. 2nd place finisher at 2014 BCBC.

Brett Wiener

Brett (NV) – Decade Qualifier, 4th place NHC Tour 2020

Mike Yurczyk

Mike (MN) is a 5 time NHC Qualifier and has cashed 4 out of the 5 years he has been to the NHC.