A Cat Named Slash & Monty Buntin

Cutters Take the Stage at APHA World Championship Show

Paint cutting horses took center stage on Friday, Sept. 29, at the American Paint Horse Association (APHA) World Championship Show. In the Senior Cutting, A Cat Named Slash and Monty Buntin rode from the first draw to mark a 219, and the score held through the rest of the class for the World Championship.

It was the third year in a row for Buntin to win the title.

“It’s been a good show for us,” Buntin said. “It’s been pretty fun.”

A Cat Named Slash (High Brow Cat x Badabing Badaboon x Peptoboonsmal) was bred by Iron Rose Ranch and belongs to Melinda and Donald Montano, of Bakersfield, California.

“We didn’t really have a feel for what the cows were going to be like so I cut some cattle that I thought were quieter and they sure were,” Buntin said. “They were soft and the cows weren’t moving around a lot. But I was really clean and my horse was good. After showing, next time I think I would have cut some scarier cattle. We marked a 219 and we were fortunate that it held up because there were some better cows in there than what we cut.”

Melinda showed the gelding in the Amateur Cutting, and the duo marked a 214 to place third.

The Reserve Championship went to JR Whiskey Lullaby and Todd Bimat. The mare (Athena Puddy Cat x Puppy Breath x Smart N Slick) was bred by Jacqueline Streeter and is owned by Angelia Jensen.

Junior Cutting

Patty Cat Patty Cat & Tosten Peterson

Patty Cat Patty Cat (PT) carried Tosten Peterson to a 217, winning the APHA Junior Cutting World Championship. The mare (WR This Cats Smart x Dolls Diamond Lil [PT] x Like A Diamond [PT]) is a homebred belonging to Christine Lytle. The day before, Lytle’s horse Spooks Blue Eyed Gun and Trapper Rodgers won the Junior Working Cow Horse World Championship.

“The first cow I cut, I kind of liked,” Peterson said of his run with “Patty Cats.” “It wasn’t on the top list, and it was OK. The second and third cow she started zinging around pretty good. It had some degree of difficulty and she was right. It just built it all really good.”

CKS One Smooth Cat and Johnny Bates’ 216 received the Reserve World Championship. Craig and Karen Steele’s homebred mare is by Smooth As A Cat and out of the Lani Kai mare Morena One.

Amateur Cutting

Susan Morrison & Ima Pinta Playgirl

After the Amateur Cutting class was over, there was a tie for the highest score – a 216 – between Susan Morrison and Ima Pinta Playgirl and Angelia Jensen and JR Whiskey Lullaby. Then, the announcer came on the loudspeaker and stated that Morrison’s score had been adjusted. The new total was a 217.5.

“I was nervous for a minute and then it was good!” Morrison said of listening to her adjusted score. “It feels amazing. This has been a long journey and a long time coming.”

Ima Pinta Playgirl (Taris Peppy Playboy x Prissy But Smart x Smart Lil Paradign) is an 8-year-old mare that was bred by Twisted L Ranch.

“I bought her from Mark and Brenda Lanning. She’s by their stud, who’s what I think is the best cross – Playboy [Freckles Playboy] and Little Peppy [Peppy San Badger]. She’s just been a good, solid mare.”

Jensen and JR Whiskey Lullaby received the Amateur Cutting Reserve World Championship, adding to their pile of loot from the APHA World Show.

 

For complete coverage of the APHA World Championship Show, subscribe to Quarter Horse News.