Cutting Horse Futurity

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Running September 24 - September 29, 2024 the Calgary Stampede Cutting Horse Futurity presented by Wrangler has up to $150,000 in prize money and awards up for grabs in both the Futurity and Aurora Finals.

In a cutting horse competition, each horse and rider is faced with a herd of cattle and two and a half minutes on the clock. Working together, they must select a single cow to move out of; or ‘cut’, from of the herd. Once the cow has been selected and removed from the herd the rider drops their reins, saying to the horse, "It's up to you - take it from here!" The pair must then demonstrate their ability, as a team, to keep the cow from returning to the herd. The horse uses great strength and agility as it mimics the movements of the cow, always staying one hoof ahead. Once the cow has lost interest and looks away, the team may re-enter the herd for a fresh cow to cut.

Years of careful training are invested into each cutting horse. Their natural instincts to herd cattle, or what we like to call “cow sense”, are fine-tuned to allow them to become true athletes of the arena and the stars of our show.

This show is a NCHA Sanctioned Event.

• Futurity (3 Year olds) - $42,000 in Added Money

• Derby (4 Year olds) - $28,000 in Added Money

• Classic/Challenge (5 & 6 Year olds) - $28,000 in Added Money

• Compete in the state of the art, temperature-controlled venue: The Nutrien Western Event Centre

• 3 Judge show – NCHA Self Adjusted Monitor System

• Temperature controlled, indoor practice pen

• 70% advance to the second go and 25% advance to the finals, with exception of the Futurity

• All Open Three-Year Old Futurity horses compete in three go rounds. Aggregate of all three rounds will determine the Open Futurity Champion and Open Futurity Reserve Champion. The Top 10 in the Aggregate will receive finalist awards.

CCHA Finals & Aurora Circuit Finals

The CCHA Finals & Aurora Circuit Finals will be held in conjunction with Calgary Stampede Cutting Horse Futurity. Total added money is $16,000.

All cutting horse competitors who show at CCHA and Aurora Circuit Approved shows are eligible to show in the finals.

These finals will be conducted as a show within a show. Each entry will allow the competitor to show both in the CCHA Finals and the Aurora Finals. This show is an approved NCHA World Championship show.

The CCHA Finals will carry the competitor’s earnings from the year into the Finals. Finals points will be added to the total year points to determine the Champion. The competitor with the most points will win the Championship.

Each 'Go' is considered its own weekend show and prize money will be paid out for each go. The Aurora Circuit Finals will be conducted as a sudden-death finals, so the winner of the show with the most points after two go rounds will win the Championship, giving competitors the opportunity to win two championships for one entry fee.