Cutting horse show underway at Taylor Co. Expo Center

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) — If you’re like me, then you’re also one of those people out of the loop when someone mentions horse cutting. Coleta Rosson, Secretary Show Producer at the Taylor County Expo Center, takes us back to the origins.   

“This sport was originated on a ranch with cowboys trying to sort out maybe a sick, less-desirable animal that they either need to doctor or take to market,” she said.  

Now, it’s grown to an event that ranchers and cowboys across the nation attend.

“As in any sport or any group of people, it became a competition, ‘Who has the best horse?’” she said.  

So how does it exactly work?  

“They’re are allowed two and half minutes per competitor, and they will sort out the one cow and keep it away from the herd without visibly cuing their horse,” she said.  

Horse trainer Jery Palmer said for a lot of cowboys, this is the big leagues, and there’s nothing like it.   

“It’s the thrill of riding down there putting your hand in a horse and doing it all by yourself, that’s the main part of it,” he said.  

If you’ve never been part of this world, Rochelle Johnson, Executive Vice President of the Expo Center, says it doesn’t mean you’re not benefiting.  

“They’re numbers indicate that this drives about $371,000 into our economy every year. So that’s a really good number,” she said.  

An event that most people outside of Texas rarely see.   

“It’s not something that you see every day, it’s not rodeo by any stretch of the imagination. So, cutting horses are really powerful and it’s fun to watch,” she said.