Spaniards used horses to herd cattle centuries ago, and American cowboys, mounted on the descendants of the conquistador’s horses, turned herd work into art. The embodiment of that art in the Keystone State is the Pennsylvania Cutting Horse Association (PCHA).
The PCHA is a non-profit association formed to promote interest in cutting. Cutting, a working skill in the ranch industry, is using a horse to separate a cow from a herd for purposes of branding, cas-trating or marking and shipping cattle that has been sold. The skill of cutting is hard-earned over time, with practice and training for both horse and rider. Riders learn discipline, teamwork and control of both self and horse.
The first show in the PCHA show season is the NCHA Challenger series, which will be held April 15, beginning at 9 am, at Open Gate Ranch in New Ringgold, PA. The show will feature an Open class, $5,000 Novice class, Non Pro class, $35,000 Non Pro class, Youth class, $2,000 Rider class, $500 Rider class and Herdwork.
On May 7 and 8 the PCHA Spring Series will be held at Mountain Springs Arena in Shartlesville, PA. Shows start Saturday at 9 am and Sunday at 8 am. A work session will be held Friday May 6; advance registration is appreciated. Added money classes for this show include: Open, Non Pro, $5,000 Novice, $5,000 Novice Non Pro, $25,000 Novice, $50,000 Amateur, and $25,000 Novice Non Pro. Buckle classes include: Youth, $35,000 Non Pro, $15,000 Amateur, $2,000 Rider, $900 Rider, and Herd Class.
Both shows are approved by both the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) and the Pennsylvania Cutting Horse Association (PCHA) To learn more visit www.pchacutting.com.