Cutting horse competition hits Redmond Sept. 8

Published 10:34 am Friday, August 26, 2022

The Cascades Futurity and Aged cutting-horse competition will arrive at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds and Expo Center from September 8-18, where cowboys and cowgirls attempt to work cattle and claim their part of more than $500,000 in prize money.

Spectators can watch the finesse of both rider and horse as they team up to attempt to trap the cow in the center of the show pen. This necessary skill continues today on ranches worldwide when crews need to separate cattle from a herd to doctor or vaccinate.

During the era of the open range, cattle from different outfits would often drift apart, so in the spring and fall, neighboring ranchers joined for a roundup to sort out their brands.

Ranchers and their remudas (horses that ranch hands chose to mount daily) accomplished the task of separating the cattle. Each cowboy had several horses in their remuda, each well-trained and suited for specific jobs. A steady mount was needed to patrol the herd during the night, and during the morning, a spirited bronc would be used to quickly travel to the far reaches of the roundup.

The cutting horse was the elite member of the remuda — a horse that pricked its ears toward a cow, watched it travel, wary of its every move, instinctively knowing how to handle the cow. These abilities were nurtured and prized among cowboys because it made separating branded cattle easier.

“It was worth the trip to brush country just to sit above Ol’ Gotch and feel his shoulders roll, watch his ears work and head drop low when he looked an old steer in the eye,” said cowboy humorist Will Rogers after his visit to a South Texas ranch during the 1920s.

Cattle are herd animals so they will instinctively return to the group if separated. With that in mind, a horse and rider team quietly ride into the herd, select and “cut” or separate one cow at a time from the group. Once the cow has been cut, the rider is no longer allowed to use their reins. Trained cutting horses are required to think on their own and anticipate the cow’s moves. The competition is judged on difficulty, finesse and how well the horse anticipates and reacts to the cow. This is the only equine competition where the horse is required to think for itself.

The first advertised cutting contest was held at the 1898 Cowboy Reunion in Haskell, Texas. Ranch hands competed against each other to see who could separate and isolate the cattle the fastest and cleanest. This soon turned in to an official timed competition with rules to show the finesse of the cow horse.

From cutting’s roots in Haskell to Australia each year there are thousands of cutting events attracting riders aged eight to eighty competing in levels separated by the age of the horse or the amount of money the horse or rider have won.

Cascades Futurity and Aged Event is Oregon’s only National Cutting Horse Association event where competitors of all divisions compete for over $500,000 in prizes. This brings competition from more than ten states. For Hall of Fame riders competing in this sport, it’s a way of life and a living.

The event also offers a Western Heritage Vendor Expo featuring the 1904 Mercantile. Western-based vendors, food, and a saloon will also be on site..

There are many cutting events around the world, but few are produced by a staff of women like Cascades Futurity.

The event was started in 2018 by Bend resident and owner of Clarke Butte Ranch, Julie Clarke. Clarke and her team handle cattle contracts, marketing and advertising, set-up, and tear down, development, styling and running a concierge booth.

Come sit ringside at the 5th annual Cascades Futurity and Aged Event and enjoy watching the best horses and riders in the industry against local cattle.

The event runs from Thursday, Sept. 8 through Sunday, Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.cascadesfuturity.com, email info@cascadesfuturity.com or call 503-501-6498.