Member Spotlight

Member Spotlight: Doug Sapergia – Calgary, AB, Canada

August 14th, 2023 by Karen Quigao

Photo by Krystina Kowalik

Raised on a cattle ranch in Saskatchewan, Canada, Doug Sapergia has always been surrounded by horses and cattle and after 47 years in the farrier business, has many friends and customers in the cutting industry.

Living south of Calgary, Alberta, in the heart of horse country, and showing reined cow horses for a number of years, Sapergia decided he wanted to try his hand at cutting.

“I have always wanted to cut but never really had the opportunity until the last few years. I ride with Doug Reinhardt and Brad Pedersen, but have so much help from all of the different trainers in Alberta, I just can’t thank them enough.”

“We are very fortunate to have a group of trainers that will always stop and give you advice and help you out,” Sapergia said.

“My biggest struggle is staying balanced on a cow and work to correct that in lessons and on the flag,” said Sapergia.

What does he love the most about CHTO?

“I love CHTO because the videos are all relevant and they have a wide variety of topics to watch. I really like to watch the overhead views, where you can see how the cattle roll and can really see the position of the horse.”

 


Member Spotlight – Eric Van Boekel – Mount Elgin, ON, Canada

October 7th, 2021 by Simone Cobb

Eric and Katherine Van Boekel

Eric Van Boekel was originally a team penner. There was just something about that feeling when a horse gets a hold of a cow. He then started riding with Randy Chartier in 2003 and ventured into the cutting horse scene.

The obvious next step for Van Boekel was to buy his own cutting horse. He tried to do both sports together but it started to get complicated because one sport was offensive and one was defensive. He picked cutting.

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Member Spotlight – Roberta Rollins – Belle, MO

July 24th, 2020 by Simone Cobb

Roberta receiving her Reserve Champion $5000 AM buckle at The Bonanza

Roberta Rollins began her riding career with Western Pleasure Futurity horses. She and her trainer, Jaime Bissell, went to Tom Lyons’ ranch in 1994 where Rollins got a taste of cutting. After a 3 day crash course in the sport, she purchased Doc’s Lord Monty and attended her first cutting show.

“I was terrified at the thought of showing in cutting, when my background was a slow lope around the pen on a pleasure futurity horse,” Rollins remembered.

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Member Spotlight: Dustin Grams – Rolly View, AL, Canada

January 13th, 2020 by Simone Cobb

Dustin, Shannon & Brooklynn Grams

Dustin Grams has experience showing and training in the cutting and reined cow horse disciplines. For the past 3-4 years, he has focused on the cow horse side of the business after a local cow horse club got started and created a lot of interest in the sport.

Grams has been training horses for 34 years. In his 20s, he started 2 year olds and got his first introduction to cutting and cow horses. A lot of horses he started ended up at the Bar H.

Grams began showing in the cutting pen about 10 years ago. He and his family have shown throughout Canada and the United States. Grams is proud to say his wife, Shannon, qualified for the NRCHA World Show the past few years.

The last few years Grams has had to slow down training horses due to some heart issues but is now back at it. When Grams was sick, Shannon was able to ride the aged event horses and keep them going. Dustin said he is so thankful for her stepping up and carrying on.

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Trainer’s Corner – Tatum Rice

December 11th, 2019 by Simone Cobb

TOTAL EARNINGS: $2,327,291

How did you get into cutting? “I’ve been in cutting forever. My entire life my dad [Boyd Rice] trained cutting horses and his dad [Sonny Rice] did also. My dad’s mom’s dad was the first one that got into cutting.”

Who did you work for? “I was with my dad until I was 17 and then I worked with [cousin] Tag Rice and Ronnie Rice for a long time after that. I was with Tag from 2004- 2009. I left Tag’s in 2009 and went to work at Carl Smith’s place in 2010 and 2011. When I married Kylie, we built our place and started here in May of 2012”

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Member Spotlight – Cody Patterson – Blanco, Texas

December 11th, 2019 by Simone Cobb
Cody Patterson

Cody Patterson Photo By: Emily Sgarrella

Cody Patterson started off with humble beginnings in the horse business cleaning stalls for Phil Hanson Sr, from California (Futurity Champion Phil Hanson in Texas is his son). At the time, Hanson trained cutters but he also trained cow horses and made the Snaffle Bit Futurity finals a few times. Patterson always gravitated to the cow horse side of the performance horse world, appreciating the versatility of the sport.

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Member Spotlight – Karl Jenkins

July 5th, 2019 by Simone Cobb

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.

“It’s nice being retired. The days go by fast, but it sure is great being able to spend that time with my horses all day,” said Jenkins.

Jenkins has been in the saddle ever since he was 10 years old, running barrels and poles. In college, he got his first taste of cutting.

“Shorty Freeman let me turn back for him, and I was hooked,” Jenkins said. In his late 50’s, Jenkins purchased a very special horse, a daughter to Freckles Play Boy, Betty’s Little Freckles rose to the top time and time and time again. The duo never placed below second in any show they competed.
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Member Spotlight- Aaron Ralston

June 4th, 2019 by Simone Cobb
Aaron Ralston

Aaron Ralston

Aaron Ralston is an accomplished reined cow horse trainer with an extensive list of achievements in multiple disciplines. Ralston grew up on a cattle ranch in Colorado where he learned the traditions of the working ranch cowhand. He has competed in team roping, and bronc riding, and trained under NRHA Futurity Champion, Doug Milholland.

In 2002, Ralston began his own journey building Ralston Ranch with his wife Meg. Now, they dedicate their time to training Reined Cow Horses. Ralston’s search for knowledge has led him to compete in the “Worlds Greatest Horseman” for the past 4 years.

“My personal goal is to continue to compete in the “Worlds Greatest Horseman 10 years in a row. I get the opportunity to surround myself with horseman that are better than me. The hope is; that I can come out of this extremely knowledgeable and to pass that on.” Ralston said.

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Member Spotlight: Cody Lamont

June 4th, 2019 by Simone Cobb

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.

In 2009, Lamont landed a job with the great Al Dunning. And so his intrigue for cutting horses was born.

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