Cutting is one of the world's fastest growing western sports and attracts men and women from across the nation and around the world. In competition a single cow is “cut” from the herd and then must be prevented from getting past the horse and returning to the herd.
The sport originated on cattle ranches 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 and eventually evolved into the form known today. More than just a sport, however, cutting is still an essential part of modern cattle ranching.
Quarter horses are the most common breed used but good cutters can be any horse which demonstrates speed, savvy and "cow sense" - the ability to anticipate what moves a cow is going to make as it tries to break free.
In competition, a cow is selected out of a small herd. When it tries to return to its herd; the rider loosens the reins and leaves it entirely to the horse to keep the cow separated from the rest. A run is typically 2 1/2 minutes in length and during that period, they may cut as many as three cows. A judge awards points to the cutter based on a scale that ranges from 60 to 80, with 70 being considered average. Penalties are assessed for scattering the herd, attempting to guide the horse with the reins, quitting a cow, or allowing it to escape back to the herd.
The competition at the L. A. County Fair was put on by the Riverside County Cutting Horse Association. A local group who participates in and organizes cutting competitions in Southern California.
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