Cutting is an
equestrianEquestrianism refers to the skill of riding or driving horses. This broad description includes both use of horses for practical, working purposes as well as recreational activities and competitive sports.-Overview of equestrian activities:...
event in the
western ridingWestern riding is a style of horseback riding which evolved from the ranching and warfare traditions brought to the Americas by the Spanish Conquistadors, and both equipment and riding style evolved to meet the working needs of the cowboy in the American West...
style where a horse and rider are judged on their ability to separate a single animal away from a cattle herd and keep it away for a short period of time.
The horses involved are typically Quarter horses, although many other
stock horseA Stock horse is a horse that has a phenotype suitable for working with livestock, particularly cattle. Such horses are riding horsescharacterized by agility, quickness, and powerful hindquarters...
breeds may be used. A cutting horse is an athletic and willing animal that is trained to instinctively keep a cow from returning to the herd.
In the event, the horse and rider select and separate a cow (typically a steer or heifer) out of a small group.
Cutting is an
equestrianEquestrianism refers to the skill of riding or driving horses. This broad description includes both use of horses for practical, working purposes as well as recreational activities and competitive sports.-Overview of equestrian activities:...
event in the
western ridingWestern riding is a style of horseback riding which evolved from the ranching and warfare traditions brought to the Americas by the Spanish Conquistadors, and both equipment and riding style evolved to meet the working needs of the cowboy in the American West...
style where a horse and rider are judged on their ability to separate a single animal away from a cattle herd and keep it away for a short period of time.
Description
The horses involved are typically Quarter horses, although many other
stock horseA Stock horse is a horse that has a phenotype suitable for working with livestock, particularly cattle. Such horses are riding horsescharacterized by agility, quickness, and powerful hindquarters...
breeds may be used. A cutting horse is an athletic and willing animal that is trained to instinctively keep a cow from returning to the herd.
In the event, the horse and rider select and separate a cow (typically a steer or heifer) out of a small group. The cow then tries to return to its herd; the rider loosens the reins ("puts his hand down" in the parlance) and leaves it entirely to the horse to keep the cow separated, a job the best horses do with relish, savvy, and style. A contestant has 2 ½ minutes to show the horse; typically three cows are cut during a run, although working only two cows is acceptable. A judge awards points to the cutter based on a scale that ranges from 60 to 80, with 70 being considered average.
History
The sport originated from cattle ranches in the American West, where it was the cutting horse's job to separate cattle from the herd for vaccinating, castrating, and sorting. Eventually competitions arose between the best cutting horses and riders in the area. Rules were added, and in 1946 the
National Cutting Horse AssociationThe National Cutting Horse Association is an equestrian organization in the United States that promotes and stages cutting events. It was founded in 1946 at the Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show, and put on its first competition that same year at Dublin, Texas.It is currently...
(NCHA) was formed, which today is the governing body of the sport.
Cutting is one of the fastest growing equine sports in the world. In 2006, the contestants at the United States NCHA Futurity competed for more than $3.7 million—over a hundred times the offering of the first year. Total purses at NCHA-approved shows now exceed $39 million annually, not including prize money distributed at Australian Cutting Horse Association, American Cutting Horse Association, single-
breedHorse breed is a broad term with no clear consensus as to definition, but most commonly refers to selectively bred populations of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a very broad sense to define landrace animals, or...
shows, or European and Canadian events.
In Australia
In 1972 the NCHA was formed in Australia and is an affiliate of the American National Cutting Horse Association. The showcase of Australian cutting is the NCHA Futurity which is held every May or June at the
Australian Equine and Livestock Events CentreThe Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre has two indoor arenas, stabling, plus an education and training complex located on the New England Highway approximately 5 kilometres south of the Tamworth Central Business District in the suburb of Hillvue.The centre, designed by architects...
(AELEC),
Tamworth, New South WalesTamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Peel River, Tamworth with an urban population of 42,501 people is the major regional centre for southern New England and in the local government area of Tamworth Regional Council. The city provides services...
. During the 36th cutting futurity held in 2009
AUDAud might refer to*Australian dollar *American University in Dubai *Doctor of Audiology *Auðr, the son of Nótt and Naglfari in Norse mythology*Aud the Deep-Minded , the wife of Olaf the White of Dublin, "King" of Ireland...
$540,000 in prize money was distributed during the 11 days of competition.
External links