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Cutting is a western-style equestrian competition in which a horse and rider work together before a judge or panel of judges to demonstrate the horse's athleticism and ability to handle cattle. Modern competition utilizes a 2+1⁄2 minute performance, called a "run." Each contestant is assisted by four helpers: two are designated as turnback riders, who help to keep cattle from running off to the back of the arena, the other two are designated as herd holders to keep the cattle bunched together and prevent potential strays from escaping into the work area. Cutting cattle are typically young steers and heifers that customarily range in size from 400 to 650 lb. They usually are of Angus or Hereford lineage though may be a mix of crossbred beef cattle, including Charolais or Brahman lineage.
A cutting horse is a stock horse, typically an American Quarter Horse, bred and trained for cutting, a modern equestrian competition requiring a horse and rider to separate a single cow from a herd of cattle and prevent it from getting back to the herd. One of the desired qualities in a cutting horse is "cow sense," described as an innate ability to read a cow, eye to eye, in anticipation of each move. The cutting horse has its roots in the historic cattle ranching industry, where horses with specialized cattle-handling skills were crucial for the work of the cowboy.
Doc O'Lena (1967–1993) was a Quarter Horse stallion, a champion cutting horse and a sire of champion cutting horses. He was inducted into both the AQHA and NCHA Halls of Fame, as was his dam Poco Lena. He was the 1970 NCHA Futurity Open Champion, followed by his full brother, Dry Doc, who won the title in 1971. As a sire, Doc O'Lena earned recognition as the first futurity champion to sire a futurity champion when Lenaette won the title in 1975. He also sired Smart Little Lena, the first horse to win the NCHA Triple Crown.
Peppy San (1959–1989), a Quarter Horse stallion, has the distinction of the being the first National Cutting Horse Association World Champion to sire an NCHA World Champion.
Cutter Bill (1955–1982) was a Quarter Horse stallion and the 1962 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Open World Champion cutting horse with record earnings for the year. He also won the 1962 American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Honor Roll cutting horse award which made him the first horse to have won both the NCHA and AQHA awards in the same year. Cutter Bill was owned by the flamboyant Texas millionaire Rex Cauble who in 1962 decided to campaign Cutter Bill with Sonny Perry in the saddle showing him. In order for Cutter Bill to compete in as many shows as possible that year, Cauble flew Cutter Bill and three other horses on his private jet to various shows.
The National Cutting Horse Association is a non-profit equestrian organization headquartered in the US. Their primary purpose is to promote and sponsor cutting events. The association was founded in 1946 at the Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show. The first NCHA sponsored cutting horse competition was held that same year in Dublin, Texas.
The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote the reining horse.
Peppy San Badger (1974–2005) was an American Quarter Horse stallion who won the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity in 1977 and the NCHA Derby in 1978. He was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Association's Hall of Fame in 2008.
Dual Peppy is a 1992 sorrel stallion registered with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). He is sired by Peppy San Badger, and out of the mare Miss Dual Doc by Doc's Remedy. Dual Peppy qualified for the AQHA World Show during the 1997-1998 show season, and earned the title "1998 AQHA Reserve World Champion Senior Cutting Horse". In 1998-1999, he competed as a novice horse in National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) events and earned the title "NCHA World Champion $10,000 Novice Cutting Horse." Dual Peppy, bred by the late Greg Ward, is the second of four full brothers in the Dual Pep line, which also includes Dual Pep, Mister Dual Pep and Dually Pep, all of whom have been successful horses in their own right. Ward broke, trained and showed Dual Peppy until he was sold in January 1998 to Rick and Sherry Brunzell of the Dual Peppy Partnership located in Colorado.
Smart Little Lena was an AQHA registered Quarter Horse, an NCHA Triple Crown Champion cutting horse, and sire of champion cutting horses. He was inducted into both the AQHA Hall of Fame and NCHA Horse Hall of Fame. He was sired by NCHA Futurity Champion Doc O'Lena and out of the mare Smart Peppy by Peppy San, who was the first NCHA World Champion to sire an NCHA World Champion.
The NCHA World Championship Futurity, hosted by the National Cutting Horse Association and founded in 1962, is the debut event for 3-year-old cutting horses, and the first jewel in the NCHA Triple Crown, which also includes the annual NCHA Super Stakes held in April, and the NCHA Derby held during the NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular. The Futurity is held at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, which has been the venue for the Futurity since its inaugural event in 1962. The total Futurity purse in 2014 was $3.8 Million. Phil Hanson of Weatherford, Texas riding Classy CD Cat won the Open Championship and $200,000 in prize money plus other prizes that included a custom western saddle, a Jim Reno bronze trophy, boots, a leather recliner, and a gold buckle.
The NCHA Derby is the final jewel in the National Cutting Horse Association's Triple Crown; the first being the NCHA World Championship Futurity followed by the NCHA Super Stakes. The NCHA Derby is open to 4-year-old horses of all breeds, and offers two divisions: the Open and Non-Professional. The Derby is held as one of the main events during the NCHA Summer Spectacular at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas.
Matlock Rose, born Berry Matlock Rose (1924–2008), was a professional horse trainer for over 60 years. He established a reputation as an all-around cowboy and trainer of champions. Rose was often described as stonefaced, a man of few words, but long held the respect of his peers. He was referred to as a trainers' trainer, and considered a legend. He trained multiple AQHA world champions, five NCHA world champions, was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2001, as well as both the NCHA Rider Hall of Fame and the NCHA Members Hall of Fame. The first famous cutting horse he trained was Jesse James and many other great horses followed but he was best known for training Peppy San and Peponita.
A futurity for horses is a competition, usually limited to younger horses, which offers significant prize money to winners, generated in part from fees paid to nominate, maintain eligibility, and enter the final competition. In most cases, a horse will only compete against other horses of the same age.
The NCHA Triple Crown comprises three major cutting horse aged events beginning with the NCHA Futurity for 3-year-olds, followed by the NCHA Derby for 4-year-olds, and NCHA Super Stakes for 5-year-olds. All three events are held at the Will Rogers Coliseum in Ft. Worth, Texas. The culmination of prize money for all three events in 2008 was in excess of $10 Million, surpassing that of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.
Joe Heim is a horse trainer and clinician residing in Thackersville, Oklahoma. He trains primarily Quarter Horses in various disciplines of western riding, including reining and cutting. He was inducted into the NCHA Rider Hall of Fame and is most notable for training and showing Docs Okie Quixote to win the 1983—1984 NCHA Triple Crown which included winning the 1983 NCHA Futurity, 1984 NCHA Derby and 1985 NCHA Super Stakes. Docs Okie Quixote was a 1980 AQHA stallion sired by Doc Quixote and out of the mare Jimmette Too by Johnny Tivio. He sired only one crop of foals before he died in 1985. His Triple Crown earnings totaled US$335,095.00, and his NCHA Lifetime Earnings totaled US$599,109.00.
Buster Welch, born near Sterling City, Texas, is a cutting horse trainer and inductee into the NCHA Members Hall of Fame, American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame, National Cutting Horse Association Riders Hall of Fame and Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. Buster was chosen as the recipient of the 2012 National Golden Spur Award for his "outstanding contributions to the ranching and livestock industry".
The NCHA Horse Hall of Fame was established by the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) to recognize the accomplishments of outstanding cutting horses based on their lifetime earnings in NCHA approved championship cutting horse competition. Initially, when a horse had won $35,000 in NCHA Open Championship competition, a Gold certificate was issued to the owner of the horse, and a plaque in recognition of that achievement was mounted on a designated wall inside NCHA headquarters. As purses and divisions grew over the years, the following amendments were made to the earnings requirement for a horse to qualify:
National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Rider Hall of Fame was created and perpetuated to honor outstanding riders who have demonstrated their ability to exhibit the athletic prowess and inherent cow sense of the cutting horses they have shown competitively in NCHA sponsored or approved contests. The updated criteria established in 2016 includes:
Kay Floyd (1948—2015) was an American horse breeder who was the first woman ever to win two NCHA Futurity championships, albeit in the Non-Pro division. She also earned the title of 1988 NCHA Non-Pro World Champion, and in 1991 was inducted into the NCHA Rider Hall of Fame - Non-Pro Division. Floyd owned the stallion, Freckles Playboy (1973-2003), sired by Jewel’s Leo Bars by Sugar Bars out of Gay Jay by Rey Jay, and bred by Marion Flynt. As of 2013, Freckles Playboy ranked 3rd on NCHA's list of all-time leading sires and maternal grandsire sires of champion cutting and performance Quarter Horses with offspring that have earned $24.56 million in NCHA competition. Among his champion offspring were Playfulena, the mare Floyd rode to win the 1987 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity, and Playboys Madera, the mare she rode to earn the title of 1988 NCHA Non-Pro World Champion.
References
- ↑ "NCHA News". Super Stakes. National Cutting Horse Association. April 2015. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
