Cutting The sport of cutting had it's origins on southwestern cattle ranches in the 1880's. In the days prior to the introduction of barbed wire, vast cattle ranches used horses and cowboys to round up their cattle. Individual cattle often had to be separated from the rest of the herd for branding, sickness or sales. Certain horses were more instinctive and quick in response to a cow's attempts to return to the herd. As cowboys recognized this talent, the cutting horse was born. The horse and rider had to be athletic, cow savvy and possess a high degree of stamina.

Over the years, with the advent of fencing and other forms of livestock confinement the need has lessened somewhat for the trained cutting horse. However, his skills have found a new purpose. Today cutting is one of the world's fastest-growing equine sports. It offers tremendous excitement and drama for horse, rider, and spectators alike.

The challenge is to select a single calf from the herd and gently guide it into the center of the arena. Then, with no visible cues from the rider, the horse exhibits athleticism and style as he controls a cow and prevents its return to the herd. In competition the horse and rider are allowed two minutes and thirty seconds to show a professional judge how well he/she can do their job. In the contest arena the art of cutting comes alive in a classic test of intelligence, training, breeding, and skill. The cutting horse and rider work together as a team in demonstrating their cattle-handling skills.

First time visitors to a cutting horse show are amazed not only by the athleticism of this animal, but his inbred desire to do his job without human intervention. A five-judge panel scores contestants in National events. Smaller events require one or two judges. Performance is evaluated on the basis of several points:

• degree of difficulty presented by the "cow"
• precision of "herdwork"
• style of the horse's "coverage"

Although fun to watch, the best seat in the house is aboard a highly trained cutting horse. There has never been a better time to visit a show and witness not only a glimpse of western Americana but an athletic contest involving two creatures whose collective histories are so intertwined in our own.