A beautiful facility (Silver Spring Ranch in Bellevue) along with fine cattle, 300 entries and $8,000 in local sponsor support added up to a first-class cutting horse event Thursday through Saturday, June 8-10.
And some locals captured first-place prize money including Hazel Thorne and Tom Buck of Picabo, and Caitlin Enright of Ketchum. Local results accompany this article.
The three-day show was the first of three cuttings to be held at the Silver Spring Ranch venue this summer. The three cuttings comprise a newly created Idaho Cutting Horse Association circuit series with awards for champion and reserve in all classes. Other cuttings are July 6-8 and Aug. 3-5.
The following local businesses provided added money that was such a big draw:
Wells Fargo Bank of Ketchum, Sawtooth Tack & Feed of Bellevue, DryNest Animal Bedding, Sawtooth Equine Service, Hamilton Jewelers, Sawtooth Wood Products, Les Schwab Tire Center of Hailey, Full Moon Steakhouse of Bellevue, Roger Wilkinson, Professional Farrier and Sid Erikson, DVM.
The cost of cattle for the Junior and Senior Youth classes was generously covered by Ranchers Supply of Picabo, Sutton & Sons Auto Center of Hailey and Sawtooth Equine.
Cutting is an enduring link with the Old West based on actual ranch work where cowboys single out one cow for branding or doctoring. The sport demands trust, agility and intelligence on the part of both horse and rider. Results:
First places—Hazel Thorne $50,000 Amateur; Caitlin Enright $10,000 Novice Non Pro; Tom Buck $2,000 Ltd. Rider.
Second places—Pam Lumley of Mackay $20,000 Non Pro.
Third places—Caitlin Enright $50,000 Amateur; Lita West of Bellevue $3,000 Novice Non Pro; Corneil Therrien of Ketchum $10,000 Amateur; Pam Lumley $20,000 Non Pro; Tracy Olsen of Bellevue $3,000 Novice Non Pro; and Dolly Thacker of Bellevue $2,000 Ltd. Rider.
Other local riders—Just out of the money but making strong showings were Lane Hutchings, Nancy Enright, Cindy Mann, Erica Hutchings, Austin Keys, Richard Neustaedter, Sandra Figge and Leann Ferris.
