Total Earnings: $3,181,574
Todd Bimat learned about cutting from his dad. And at 17 years old, he went to work for Leon Harrell for a summer. He always wanted to be a cutting horse trainer and his love for the sport continued to grow as he gained experience. At 18 he went to college briefly but then an opportunity opened up when Harrell’s full time help got hurt. Bimat said he threw all of his stuff in his truck, headed to Harrell’s and never looked back.
Bimat later worked for Chubby Turner, where he learned a lot about showmanship. He also worked for Phil Rapp and his father at Rapp Ranch in Napa, CA as well as the Hanley Ranch. In 1991, Bimat went out on his own in California and then moved to Texas. Bimat now spends much of his time on the West Coast to hit the open classes with a lot of added money. He rents a place in Arizona as a West Coast base.
What is your training philosophy?
“I want the horse to do [their job]. I want them to be as comfortable as they can be. They need to do it the right way so they can compete but it has to be their idea…”
What is your most memorable moment in the sport?
“I won the 5/6 Super Stakes in 1997 and [in 2000] I won the Super Stakes ⅚ on a five year old named Style O Bar.”
What inspires you to work hard at this sport everyday?
“I enjoy it. I enjoy being around people and I enjoy the cuttings. I really love competing…I won’t be able to do this for a whole lot longer so might as well enjoy it. Enjoy the moment. It keeps me fired up and keeps me going. We are all limited on time.”
Bimat said he would love to win the NCHA Futurity, he would also like to be Open World Champion. He wants to hit the $4 million in earnings and just continue to cut as much as he can.
On the rare occasions, when Bimat is not on a horse or at a cutting, he enjoys a game of golf. He also enjoys brandings and roping when he has the time.