How I got started: I started at 10 cleaning stalls. At 14, I was breaking colts for five bucks a ride. In the summers, I went to Gerry Hansma’s, loping and riding two year olds. After high school I worked for him full time. I bought my first horse, a yearling for $3,000 and showed it. Gerry really got me started. At 19, I moved to Texas and worked for Casey Green. Alice Walton hired me to train some two year olds. Alice really got behind me and things took off from there.
Biggest mistake I’ve made in cutting: The biggest mistake I made in cutting, and any person can make, is letting your anxiety get to you and letting your fear control the outcome of a run.
Biggest myth about cutting: The biggest myth is the “uncontrollable variables.” I make sure I don’t blame the uncontrollable variables when a run doesn’t work out. When things don’t go right, you have to watch the video and make sure you’re being realistic. Even if it was a cow’s fault, I always look at the videos to see if that cow ever indicated that it was going to do what it did. Then I try to see if I misread my horse or miscommunicated somehow.
Favorite quote: “Being happy is a choice that is contagious.”
“You are the author of your own life story so make it something you would like to read.”
“Life is short but it’s the longest thing you ever do.” – Darcy Smith
Most memorable moment in cutting: Getting to show at the Futurity on Rose Rey. The best feeling I’ve ever had in my whole life was walking to the herd in Fort Worth. I spent so much time watching cutting videos growing up. I always dreamed one day I’d be able to do that. It felt so good to have achieved that.
Training Philosophy: Making the right things easy and the wrong things hard. I always try and teach a horse to stop as hard and move as quickly as I can. Just don’t force it.
