C.W. Tate Cutting Horses
Cell (940) 867-3741 Home (940) 928-7088
Bellevue - Bowie
Texas
Cutting: What it's all about.
Meet the hardest stopping, quickest turning, fastest thinking horses in the world.
THE CHALLENGE:
To quietly ride your horse into the herd...purposely select a single cow...gently guide it to the center of the arena...quickly drop your rein and...securely sit down as your horse starts, stops, and sweeps...deftly matching the cow move for move to prevent it from returning to the herd.
The art of cutting was born of necessity on the cattle drives and working ranches of the late 1800s. Individual cattle had to be isolated or cut from large herds for branding, medical treatment, or for sorting and grouping purposes. Cowboys found that certain horses had a talent for entering the herd of cattle and driving a cow out without disturbing the rest. Any commotion would upset the herd, causing them to move unnecessarily. An anxious or nervous cow would lose weight and thus money for the owner at sale time. A horse that had a reputation for cutting out a cow and holding it with quick stops and instant turns, on a loose rein, earned the title of "cutting horse.: Once an animal proved itself as a cutting horse, it was seldom used for any other task and the cowboy who owned such amount was the envy of the outfit.
By the latter part of the century, cutting evolved as a sport as cowboys held impromptu contests to determine who had the best cutting horse. The first organized cutting for money was held in Haskell, Texas, in 1898. A 22-year-old gelding named Hub carried rider Sam Graves to a first-place prize of $150.
Cutting earned recognition as a true equine sport in the early 1900s. Cutting events became popular at rodeos and cowboy gatherings throughout the Southwest. As interest grew, so did the number of entries in cutting horse contests and the amount of purse money offered at each event. As the sport expanded to other regions, it became apparent to cutting enthusiasts that the future success of the sport depended on a standardized set of rules and guidelines. This led to the formation of the National Cutting Horse Association in 1946, Currently headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.
Although they came from different backgrounds, cutting enthusiasts share a feeling of the Old West, a craving for excitement, and a heartfelt love of a good working horse.
FROM THE JUDGE' POINT OF VIEW...
Like skating or gymnastics, cutting is judged by a panel of experts who rate the equine athlete's performance in points. Each rating ranges from a low of 60 to the highest score of 80, with 70 being average. In the contest arena, the cutting horse comes alive in classic test of intelligence, training, breeding, courage, and skill. The cutting horse and rider must work as a team to demonstrate their cattle-handling skills. The contest begins as the pair approaches the herd quietly, deliberately, and without hesitation. They have two and a half minutes to complete their work.
MAKING THE CUT...
Horse and rider must concentrate on moving into the herd and separating one animal without provoking a disturbance. Performance is judged, in part, by the activity of the cow, so the animal is selected and singled out by choice and not at random. After the rider has made his choice, neither horse nor rider may change cows without penalty. When the cut is complete, the challenge begins.
WORK BEGINS ON A LOOSE REIN...
Once the cow is isolated near the center of the arena, the rider loosens the rein to allow the horse freedom to demonstrate its cutting skill and "cow sense." Controlling the cow with speed, agility, balance, and motion, the horse matches the cow move for move to prevent its return to the herd. A true cutting horse reacts instantly to the cow's movement without the need for direction. Any reining aids by the rider results in points lost.
QUITTING THE COW...
Although the time limit generally allows three cows to be cut, the time spent with each cow is left to the rider's discretion. The rider can quit the cow without penalty when it has obviously stopped or turned away from the horse. If the cow is lost under any circumstances, a five-point penalty is assessed. Even a good performance can end with a low score if a cow escapes the horse's control.
THE SCORE IS SETTLED...
Contestants in national events are scored by a five-judge panel. Smaller events require fewer judges. Performances are evaluated on the basis of several key points: 1. the challenge made by the cows worked; 2. the horse's reactions; and 3. errors in judgment made by the horse or rider during the competition. In national competition, the high and low scores are discarded and the middle three added together to obtain the final score.