Cowboys and cowgirls will take a pause from their regular line of work today to play a Western version of chess.

In what is believed to be a first in the cutting-horse industry, competitors will choose their own draw position today in advance of Thursday night's Western Horseman Cup finals (6:30 p.m.) at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center. The competition is a non-official event of the Augusta Futurity.

"It's a great deal," said 2003 Augusta Futurity Open champion Tag Rice, who will be riding famed mare Chiquita Pistol in the event. "It's interesting how they're doing that draw and stuff. We've never had a cutting like that before."

During the first cattle change after noon today, Augusta Futurity officials will hold a lottery in which cutters will pick randomly-numbered ping-pong balls. The cutter with the No. 1 ball doesn't ride first, but instead selects his or her position in the draw.

Therein lies the intrigue, along with the strategy. With $50,000 on the line for the Open champion and $30,000 for the Non-Pro winner, where will riders who receive the first choices decide to run?

"Probably pretty early in the second bunch somewhere would be my ideal pick," said 2003 Augusta Futurity Classic Open champion Matt Gaines. "I'm not sure exactly what spot. I hadn't really thought about it."

Said Darren Simpkins: "Here at this pen you've got to put yourself early. If I had a choice, second or third. I think the early spots here are going to fill up fairly quick."

A cattle change will divide the 15-horse Non-Pro division to sets of eight and seven. The 17-horse Open division will be split into sets of nine and eight.

Clint Allen said riding early in the second bunch would be ideal. Allen doesn't want to ride first in the first bunch because he's worried about not getting the most out of his run.

"You can mark a good run, but the judges tend to hold back early," he said.

Open cutters who draw No. 16 and No. 17 as well as the Non-Pro competitors who pick No. 14 and No. 15 will probably be saddled with the last two positions in each bunch.

Regardless, every rider in the finals will earn a paycheck.

"It's a good deal for all of us that qualified," Gaines said. "Everybody knows they're going to win something. It's kind of like you know you've already made the finals."