Roping again

Started roping again the other day. Me and Brady spent an hour or so sorting through the heiffers and catching a few in the snow and cold. It took a good while though before my hand started acting something resembling normal, lets just say there was a whole lot of re-coiling the rope going on ;) After a bit the feeling started coming back some and we landed a fair share of loops. Didn't try anything fancy but a couple of houliahans and a scoop-loop found its mark. I did have `em in the trap though so that surely kept the procentage up!
Me and Brady a while back

Kick The Cat's been off for a few day's. We vaccinated a bunch of them and she got a little temp. Also decided to pull her shoes as she's not handling spikes very well. Will get back after it tonight.

Looking at some stud prospects again, and it's driving Annelie nuts! I can't blame her really, we're not exacly a wealthy bunch but still, it's fun to look. Have a couple of prospects lined up but might have to sell a filly to bring the deal home!

Tunica Futurity is up and running and also, so is The Worlds Greatest Horseman & The Cirkle Y Cowhorse Derby. In the 4yo Tunica Futurity most of last Decembers Futurity Semi finalists and Finalists meet again. Only the Champion and res Champion, Oh Miss Caroline & Jewel Bars Cat missing from what I can tell of the draws. 1st go tomorrow Wednesday. In the 5/6 yo it took a 211 for the 49 qualifying horses to advance to today's 2nd go. Matt Miller and Holly Is Smooth won the goaround scoring a 221.
Cinca de Maya & Wes Galyean in Tunica

Cirkel Y Derby result:

Shawn Hays & CGS Starscommand won the derby scoring a composite 445,5. A great fencework netted a 151 by the 2 judges and led him past Lyn Anderson's 444 combined score. Lyn had an outstanding fencework herself on Tuckers Smart Cat bringing the house down with a 152, good enough for a reserve championship.

Mercuria World Series of Cutting

Finals in the first leg of the Mercuria World Series last night. Stayed up `til 3am watching the live webcast. Tough, tough going! Laredo Montana and Kaitlyn Larsen won an exciting Non Pro finals scoring 224. Smooth Asa Zee and Oh Cay Felix 2nd and 3rd respectively. Great horses in the Non Pro. Sister CD, Woody Be Lucky were some of the others.
Laredo Montana

Non Pro finals

Dont Look Twice & Phil Rapp were at it again in the open! Slappin the cows and competition silly, they again marked a whopping 231! The Cats Merada son George C Merada finishing 2nd with a strong 225.

Dont Look Twice

Open finals

Reason for staying up late, Ed Dufurrena and his 2 finalists, Miss Ella Rey & Auspicious Cat had it tough in the finals. Ella got a rough start with her first cow and never really recovered. A 216 is not nearly close to her ability. Auspicious Cat were last to enter the herd of tough and very sticky cows. Ed really wanted it and he cut hard and with a purpose. Looked pretty good until his 3rd and final cow put a tricky move on him in the waining seconds of the run. "Ozzy" lost that one and thus the chance for a bigger check. He's still one of the better looking HBC studs out there and I'm still tooting his horn big time!

Ozzy

Augusta Futurity

The action in Augusta, Georgia is in full swing and after the 4yo opens go, Lee Francois & Sigala Rey took the lead with a 220 score. It took a 213.5 to advance and a couple of finalist from the Futurity made it, Cat Belou, Time To Hangem and Casey Catt. The one I'm pinning my hopes on is Hottish & Lloyd Cox though. The duo scored a 218 and if Lloyd's got him right and Hottish doesn't over do it, he's in for a good ride in Saturday's finals.

Sigala Rey

4yo go

In the 5/6 year old open it took a 216 to advance to Friday's finals.

5/6 yo go

The first leg of the Mercuria World Series was also held last night. Intention Del Rey & Lloyd Cox showed the way to the finals Thursday with a 223.5 score. My new hero Ed Dufurrena managed to get both his great rides, Miss Ella Rey & Auspicious Cat through to the finals scoring a 221.5 with Ella and a 220.5 with Champions Cup winner "Ozzy". They are up against some pretty decent pony's in the finals though!

Scores World Series go.

Auspicious Cat.

Kick The Cat is still going as good as can be expected. We're still just setting the foundation, going really slow and trying to be correct. She's really starting to take a hold of the cow though and she can stop & sling around pretty good.

Cat video

A little vid of 3yo Kick The Cat. Sorry, smart phone quality in a poorly lit arena....

January 18

Misserable conditions here now. I don't know what happened to the winter this year? Pitch black without any snow. Around 0°C (35°F) ground covered with a layer of ice that makes you risk your neck just leading the horses out to pasture in the mornings. Early starts and late nights as of late, or as alway's I should say. Only time for working one or maybe two head of horses during weekday's. That's the main reason for letting Brady go. I wanted to keep him around to help out with turnback and herdholder duties when working the youngsters, still do but the time just isn't there. Plus, he´s one heck of a working horse when it comes to sorting and roping cattle wich I'll surely miss.
With Kick The Cats progress and talent on a cow, the loss of Brady might not sting as bad. She's extremely cowy and athletic, just gotta keep her from getting too hot. So far so good, but you feel her patience wining at times and you have to reinforce the wait in her. When she puts her feet right and uses her body correctly, she stops hard, draws and whips around those turns. She also seeks out and try to force the action if things are to stationary. Will make for an eye appealing horse I think as long as we keep her somewhat under control ;)

Next up on the cutting scene is the Augusta Futurity Jan 21-28 with the Classic and the first round of the Worlds Series of Cutting 2012. Draws close today so hopefully we'll know who's entered tomorrow.

Chippin away

Kick The Cat
We keep working every other day or so, me and Cat. Mostly drywork and finishing with a couple of minutes on the flag. She has been excellent as of late and I'm very pleased with her progress. Working with the Arabian mare aswell and the riding part is going great. Sensitive and very intelligent. She has some other issues though with trust, touching etc. that has popped up recently. Looks like Brady's been sold but he will remain here another month or so until the deal is finalized.

The Abilene Spectacular finishes up today with the Non Pro Finals in the 4yo and 5/6yo respectively.

Megan Miller
Megan Miller & Carolenas Hot shared first with Darren Blanton & Short N Smooth after the two go-rounds scoring 433,5. A combined 424 was needed to make the finals.

Kade Smith
Non-Pro Futurity winner Kade Smith & Lean This Rey placed 3rd going in with a 432.

Paint R.I.P.

Boyd Rices great turnback gelding, 13 year old Deltas Colour or "Paint" was killed in an traffic accident heading home from Abilene yesterday. Paint earned his stripes as a dual threat in the show pen both as a cutter and a cowhorse before being "retired" to turnback duty. 6th place in the 2002 NRCHA Open Snafflebit Futurity, Oklahoma Early Bird Cutting Futurity Champion etc and $57,797 earned combined. He did pave the way for a great number of cutters on their way to fame and championships buckles as a turnback horse, and he will be missed.

Jae Bar One Time & Michael Cooper

After winning the Futurity go-rounds and placing 3rd in the Finals, Jae Bar One Time & Michael Cooper won their first major Limited age event, the Abilene Spectacular last night. Scoring a 222 he won it fairly easily over another futurity finalist, Cinca de Maya & Wes Galyean, 219,5. The 4yo gelding (One Time Pepto-Jae Bars Fancy Cat) bred by Crystal Creek Ranch, is owned by James Hooper and added another $20.000 to the $104.000 he won at the futurity.

Jae Bar One Time

Cinca de Maya

Scoreboard Abilene Spectacular 4yo

Abilene Spectacular

Matt Gaines dominates in Abilene so far. He got all four of his 4year olds to the second go later today. Smooth N Catacular is tied 3rd with a 218.5.
Smooth N Catacular
Leading the pack in is Mackie Hursh on Smart An Sweet with a 221 over Jae Bar One Time with a 219.
Jae Bar One Time

Matt sure was busy last night also getting all 5! of his rides to the 2nd go in the 5/6 year old open. He is in a three way tie for 1st aboard Little Pepto Cat scoring 221.
Matt has had a busy couple day's.

On the homefront we've got a couple of day's off here. Kick The Cat hurt her leg somewhat, probably got kicked by one of the other fillies. Nothing major but I'll let her be for a couple of day's to be safe. Will work with the little arab though and Brady needs a tune up along with some client lessons and working Annelies filly and the 2yo Polly, so I guess I'm not totally off....;)

Back to work

Well, it's back to work after the holiday's. Got a whole bunch done with the horses and I'm more than pleased with them. This little gal is Polly or La Flor del Viento as she's registered, just turned 2 and she's a great little filly. She's tough as nails though and I actually had to lay her down the other day after she tried to bite my head off! I was reaching under her belly for the blanket girth, (something we only do twice a day!), when she just lashed out and took a bite. Fortunately she didn´t get a hold and I only got a bump as a result. I got her haltered and got hold of a front leg, laid her down and sat on her for 10 minutes or so. She was a darling when I let her back up though. She's been saddled a couple of times and is really smart and easy to handle, like all of her mamas babies have been.

Polly

Kick The Cat has been hard at work on the cutting machine and the cows. She's coming along as planned and is calming down too. She's been alittle high strung, anxious and nerveous but the last couple of day's she's been great.


Kick The Cat


She really takes to cowwork and we'll se how far we can go.

Today the Abilene Spectacular kicks off. Most horses from last months NCHA Futurity finals are entered. Missing are Champion Oh Miss Caroline & Res.Champ Jewel Bars Cat. Some of my favorites include Bill Riddle & Heza High Stylin Cat, Cinca de Maya & Wes Galyean, Jae Bar One Time & Michael Cooper and Hottish with Lloyd Cox in the saddle. The latter is a personal favorite with a ton of potential. He just gotta clean up alittle and not overreact as much, wich puts him out of possition at times. I believe he's one of the most athletic horses in the field though.

Heza Stylin Cat

Cinca de Maya

Jae Bar One Time

Hottish