NHC Rundown: Past Champions Bavlish, Littlemore Qualify For NHC 2022

Each week, the NTRA will provide a rundown of those who have qualified for the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) the previous weekend. Twenty-eight NHC Tour members earned 2022 NHC berths last weekend through contests on Horseplayers.com, Horsetourneys.com, and at Monmouth Park.

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 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:

Horseplayers Friday, 6/11/2021

Chris Littlemore of Whitby, ON, was the 2018 NHC Champion, winning $800,000 and honored at the 2019 Eclipse Awards as Horseplayer of the Year. In 2019, he was a Final Table participant.

Shawn Turner of Middletown, MD, has qualified for his seventh NHC.

Horseplayers Saturday, 6/12/21

Sarah Wiener of Las Vegas, NV, has qualified for her eighth NHC. “I love traveling to the horse contests and meeting such great people that I now call friends,” say Wiener.

Dave Wang of Las Vegas, NV, put himself in a qualifying position when Hey Padre won last Sunday’s 10^th race at Gulfstream Park, paying $30.40. Wang is related to NHC royalty, as his aunt, Sally Goodall, was recently inducted into the NHC Hall of Fame. Wang has now qualified for his fourth NHC.

Monmouth Park Pick Your Prize Saturday, 6/12/21

Ken Seeman of Wantagh, NJ, has four top 20 finishes in the NHC, finishing 12^th, 14^th and 11^th in three of his first five cracks in the Championship. In 2019, he finished 20^th and cashed for $17,250. He has now qualified 14 times for the NHC.

Ed Deicke of Lido Beach, NY has double qualified for the 2022 NHC. He finished 20^th in last year’s Championship and cashed for $16,500. Ed volunteers his time to serve as an NHC Tour mentor.

John Kaiser of Krotz Springs, LA, has qualified for his seventh NHC.

Thomas O’Connor of Rochester, MI, has qualified for his sixth NHC. He finished 45^th in 2017 and cashed for $10,480.

Kevin Engelhard of Franklin Park, NJ, has qualified for his 14^th NHC. He first participated in the 2005 Championship.

Sean Nolan of Alexandria, VA, has had an excellent NHC history with a second-place finish in 2001 for $30,000, a 10th-place spot in 2012, 20^th in 2016, and 17^th in 2020.

Terrence Cook of Townson, MD, has qualified for his third NHC. He finished 23^rd in 2018 and cashed for $16,800.

Rich Nilsen of Tarpon Springs, FL, an NHC Players’ Committee member, has qualified for his 18^th NHC. Starting back in 2001 with his first NHC, Nilsen had eighth-place finishes in 2002 and in 2011.

Greg Gass of Zionsville, IN, has qualified for his second NHC.

Jeff Bussan of New Canaan, CT, has qualified for his sixth NHC.

Stanley Bavlish of Fredrick, MD, was the 2007 NHC Champion. He is an NHC Hall of Fame Nominee, NHC Mentor, and an NHC Players’ Committee member.

Monmouth Park Sunday, 6/13/21

Nick Fazzolari of Colt’s Neck, NJ, an NHC Mentor, has qualified for his ninth NHC. He finished 33^rd in 2020 and cashed for $13,500.

Greg Knepper of West Lawn, PA, has qualified for his 11^th NHC.

Dave Conover of Manahawkin, NJ, has qualified for his 10^th NHC.

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