Chet Martin
Reined cow horse and reining trainer, Chet Martin grew up in the saddle on the family ranch.
Martin’s dad got him his first pony when he was 5 and they always went to horse sales and bought any Quarter Horse that was in foal. Together, they would retrain the broodmares and start the foals when they were old enough and sell them. Martin said his training was a “kind of baptism by fire”.
At around age 10, Martin went to a colt starting clinic where he improved his technique. Martin always dreamed of showing horses, but didn’t really get the chance to growing up in a conservative Mennonite family.
Karl Jenkins isn’t a stranger to hard work. Jenkins spent 46 years building a successful Chevrolet Dealership in Wapakoneta, Ohio which didn’t allow too much time for indulging his passion for horses. However, after retiring 3 years ago, Karl could pursue cutting horses to the full extent.
From Overbook, Oklahoma, James Payne has been operating his ranch and training for the public out of his own facility since 2008. After a long line of training reining horses for Dick Piper, he eventually fell in love with the cutting industry with the help of the Pipers and the spectacular horse Playgun!
Eight-million-dollar trainer Matt Gaines is a big believer in coaching. It’s why he and other leading trainers go to each other’s ranches to work horses: to learn from each other and pick up on things they may not be seeing or feeling themselves.
Money Won: $2,202,721
Being judged is always emotional, even when you choose to be judged in the name of competition. Subjective sports are often rife with controversy, because let’s face it, everyone has an opinion. Cutting is no exception.
✔ does not add or subtract any points, ✔+ adds ½ point, + adds 1 point, ✔- subtracts ½ point, and, – subtracts 1 point
From northern Queensland, Australia, Cody Lamont has quickly made a name for himself in cutting. Growing up in the saddle, Lamont roamed his family’s cattle stations on the back of a horse. As a young man, Lamont had a passion for rodeo where he competed as a roper.