Age: 72
From: Verbena, AL
Phone: (251) 979-2338
Sam Shepard
Money Won
$2,427,483Titles/Finals
- NCHA Futurity Finalist x8
- Multiple Aged Event Finalist
- Southern Futurity Champion x4
- 2009 Zane Schulte Memorial Award
- 2001 NCHA Classic Summer Spectacular Champion
- 2000 World’s Greatest Cowboy Augusta
Top Three Horses Trained
- Desire Some Freckles
- Docs Lone Oak
- Playin Witha Cat
How I got started: I didn’t grow up with horses and never heard of cutting until I was in my 20’s. A friend bought a cutting horse to breed some mares to. I rode him and was hooked. After getting out of college I showed as a Non Pro for years. In the early 80’s, people wanted me to train for them so I turned pro whilst I was still director of a secondary vocational school for 2 or 3 years. In 1987 I went training full time and made my first Futurity finals and never looked back. I was 41 when I made my first futurity finals.
Biggest mistake I’ve made in cutting: Not starting at a younger age.
Biggest myth about cutting: The thing I always get when I tell people I’m going to a cutting is that they associate it to a rodeo.
Favorite quote: “The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.” – Winston Churchill
Most memorable moment in cutting: My son Austin winning the Futurity on High Brow CD. My grandson Cade winning the 2015 Non Pro Derby.
Training philosophy: Training through repetition works best. Just putting horses in a position where they can do it over and over again with positive reinforcement is the way they learn best.
