Cutting (sport)

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 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 . They usually are of Angus or Hereford lineage though may be a mix of crossbred beef cattle, including Charolais or Brahman lineage.

A contestant is required to make at least two cuts from the herd, one of which must be a cut from deep inside the herd while the other(s) can be peeled from the edges. Once the selected cow has been driven clear of the herd, the contestant commits the horse by dropping the rein hand to feed slack and give the horse its head. At that point, it is almost entirely up to the horse except for allowable leg cues from the rider to prevent the cow from returning to the herd; a job the best horses do with relish, savvy, and style. Judges score a run on a scale from 60 to 80, with 70 being an average score.

Cutting dates back to a time when ranchers in the American West hired cowboys to work herds of cattle out on the open range. Certain horses specialized in sorting and separating individual cattle from the herd when needed.

Cutting moved from the open range to modern arena competition, often held indoors. Some sanctioned events at the national and international level offer added million dollar purses.

Cutting horse competition is primarily governed by the rules and regulations established by the National Cutting Horse Association, with affiliates in Australia and Europe. Other events may be governed by different sets of rules, such as those of the American Cutting Horse Association, or limited to a single horse breed and sanctioned by a breed association. The NCHA may approve independent events upon request, provided the classes offered meet the qualifications and adhere to the rules established by the NCHA.

Description

A cutting horse is said to possess an innate ability to anticipate or ''read'' a cow's intended moves; an ability commonly referred to as having ''cow sense'' or ''cow smarts''. Competitive cutting horses are well-trained and conditioned athletes with skills honed to constrain the movement of a cow and prevent it from returning to the herd. Such horses are able to stop and turn instantaneously, in sync with a cow's every move. The harder a cow tries to get back the herd, the more instinct, skill and athleticism are required of the horse to stay head to head with the cow, and the higher the competition score. A common analogy is a basketball point guard holding off a defender. American Quarter Horses and other horse breeds with Quarter Horse ancestry, such as American Paint Horses are the most popular choices for the sport, although other breeds with stock horse type are also used, particularly in breed-specific competition.

History

The sport evolved from tasks performed by horses on cattle ranches in the American West. Ranch horses worked herds of cattle and often had to separate specific individuals from the herd for branding and various treatments such as vaccinating, castrating and deworming. Early cutting competitions were held among local ranchers and cowboys to determine who had the best cutting horse. In 1898, the first cutting horse competition known to be advertised to the public was held in Haskell, Texas. On March 14, 1908, the Old North Side Coliseum, now known as the ''Cowtown Coliseum'' in Fort Worth, Texas, hosted the first indoor cutting horse contest which grew into the Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show. In 1918, the Fort Worth Stock Show hosted the world's first indoor rodeo, and added a cutting horse exhibition in 1919, held in connection with the rodeo. With the growth of cutting horse contests, a group of cutting horse owners decided to establish a universal set of rules and regulations, and founded the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) in 1946.

Cattle

A variety of cattle breeds are used for cutting horse competition but the preferred types are young steers and heifers ranging in size from . The most popular breeds among cutters include Angus, Hereford, or crossbreeds of those types, as well as other breeds of beef cattle, such as Charolais and Brahman, or various crosses of those breeds. The ability of a competitor to pick the best cows to show their horse is a highly developed skill that will either make or break a run. When possible, cutters will watch other competitors show to see how the cattle react, and which cows make the best candidates. When selecting a cow from the herd, riders may use characteristics or markings to identify an individual animal to select an animal offering the horse its best opportunity for a good run. The cow selected by a rider needs to challenge but not overwhelm the horse.

Competition rules

The National Cutting Horse Association

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