Horse running
Services are pending for long-time cutter Keith Barnett, of Brenham, Texas. • Photo by Hart Photos.

Cutting Horse Trainer Keith Barnett Passes Away

A long-time member of the cutting community has died.

Trainer, owner and breeder Keith Barnett died this week. He was 76.

Barnett, of Brenham, Texas, rode the winners of more than $1.5 million during his cutting career. He also bred the earners of $54,000 and, together with his wife, Paula, owned the winners of nearly $400,000, according to Equi-Stat.

A member of the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Riders Hall of Fame, Barnett served the industry in several capacities over several decades. At the time of his death, he was an NCHA director for Texas South.

He had a long and distinguished career in the show pen dating back to the 1960s.

Barnett rode multiple NCHA World Champions over the years. Additionally, in 1990 he was NCHA Open Reserve World Champion with Short Doc (Sonofadoc x Chiquita Boss x Spanish Boss). Barnett and the horse had been third in the year-end Open World Championship standings in 1988.  

In 1968, Barnett was National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity Open Reserve Champion with Little Joe Jones (Little Joe x Fickle Fortune x Red Jones(TB). Two years later he claimed the Co-Reserve Championship with Bill’s Highness (Cutter Bill x Silver Highness x Silver King).

He was third in the NCHA Futurity Open in 1983 with Colonel Flip, a son of Colonel Freckles out of Noche Corta (by El Pobre).

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 28, at Brenham Fireman’s Training Center, 1101 Hwy 290 West, Brenham, Texas. 

Click here to read the full obituary from Brenham Memorial Chapel, which is handling Barnett’s arrangements.

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