Cowboys N Hippies (Catty Hawk x Snow Rey Me x Dual Rey) and Mike Rutherford were named Champions of the 4-Year-Old Amateur Finals at the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) NRR Cat King Cole Super Stakes.
Bred by Paul Smith, Rutherford’s wife gifted the sorrel gelding to him for Christmas as a 2-year-old. This year, the pair has already won championships at the Abilene Spectacular Cutting, the IKE Derby & Classic and now the Super Stakes.
“He’s been an absolutely great show horse, and I just can’t wait to show him again,” Rutherford said. “That’s why we do this.”
Draw three in the second set of cattle, Rutherford gave the son of EquiStat $3 million sire Catty Hawk, a pat on the way in, almost as if saying it was time show off his talent and athleticism. Which he did, earning a score of 218. Rutherford and Cowboys N Hippies garnered $15,598 in the class, as well as payouts in the gelding and senior sub-classes.
“The first cow, I opted off because that first one just kind of got ahead of me a little bit; but then I came back and cut the second one right there in the middle of the pen, and it turned out to be a really nice cow,” Rutherford recalled of his winning run. “Then on the third, we cut it on the outside, and it all worked out.”
The reserve champion title went to Julie Clarke and Von A White (Stevie Rey Von x This Kittys Smart x WR This Cats Smart), who followed Rutherford into the herd and garnered $12,962 in the class. The red roan mare was bred and is owned by the Clarke Butte Ranch of Bend, Oregon.
Jim Haworth and Star of Valor (Metallic Cat x Playguns Star x Playgun) took third place with a score of 213, garnering $12,449 for their efforts. Haworth acquired the red roan gelding in 2022 from leading cutting trainer Cara Brewer.
