All About Cutting

All About Cutting welcomes your "Letters to the Editor" with your opinions on any subject pertaining to cutting. However, no bad language will be printed. It is not necessary to identify yourself.

Dear Editor
It was interesting to read about possible Ethic Reform issues of the National Cutting Association in the Quarter Horse News back in 2009. I have pondered over the article reasonably prior to the writing about Ethics in the National Cutting Horse Association.

I participated in all classes of NCHA including the age events starting back in the late 1960's until the mid 1980’s. I had the give it up because of physical problems. However, what has always been a concern of mine is the ethics of the association, but more of a concern is the ethics toward NCHA allowing drug use in the horses.

At no time, that I am aware, has this issue been brought to the attention of the owners, sponsors, and trainers or to the public that just enjoy the sport. How many young horses have died because of drug use at the Futurity or other aged events? How many horses have been crippled by their owners or by the trainers because of drug use?
I question, do the Sponsors of NCHA allow drug use at there business? Do they close their eyes to the use of drugs on horses for the events they sponsor, and not for their own businesses and employees? I believe Fort Worth and their city employees would be included. Can they show up at work under the influence of drugs?

Why do AQHA, the State Racing Commissions and other well-known Equine Associations have a "no-drug use" policy and NCHA does not? Does NCHA have a drug policy for their employees?

How much are the total purses of the Aged Events, World Championship and Weekend shows? A horse could have received your share of the purse that was drug induced by its owner or trainer vs. your horse that was drug-free and was competing strictly on its normal ability and agility. There went a lot of money, but with current NCHA regulations, we will never know if drugs were involved.

I have always been amazed that when you open to the Table of Contents of “The Chatter," in small bold print, it says that NCHA is a proud member of the American Humane Society and the American Horse Council (AHC). Does the AHC ignore the use of drugs of their membership? Would that not be a good question to ask?

It is like everything else, you can get NCHA to have a drug policy in place and someone will find a way to cover it up. A drug policy would be good and if developed, it would be a long time coming. If you have ethics and ethical training for NCHA, it can part of the training to have a "no-drug" policy at all NCHA events - with testing. That way, we can see the ability and agility of a horse and not that of greed and abuse.

I wonder what are the guidelines of insurance companies are that insure these horses when the horses are injured and put down, and breathe their last breath as the result of the drug’s use in which NCHA allows?

The NCHA Code of Ethics: It could be a thick book. Could it include a Leadership Development Program as provided by the AHC?

Dear Editor
I would like to talk about the subject of "tipping the help." I have heard trainers tell cutters - especially the newcomers at the aged events - how they should tip the help, especially if they get a check in the run.

These are the reciprocally crooked parasites who use none of their own money to get there, stay there, play there or come home. And they also command a portion of the check should the owner's horse win one, while it costs them nothing if they lose all week long. So now the horse owner finally gets a check and he not only has to fork over part of it to his trainer in those trainer/rider classes, but now also "has to" tip the help if he gets a check in the owner/rider classes. Where does it stop????

The cartel has more gall than I have seen in a long time. They have the incredible nerve to tell the horse owner he is not finished spending money on the trainer community quite yet. Fees upon fees upon fees, and then percentages of checks and tips if they help someone. It is beyond disgusting. And they threaten you with banishment if you don't comply. "You won't be very well liked" or "it will be hard for you to get help in the future" etc. etc. Extortion. This is the kind of stuff that needs to be addressed and dealt with at the NCHA committee level.

You can go to certain private places of business and you will see signs "no tipping." In other words, they don't want the customers to be uncomfortable or unsure of what to do in the way of gratuities. So they clear it up quickly with the sign. No one is walking on egg shells. And they pay the help well enough to where the help is happy. How about a "no tipping" sign at the cuttings?? If the trainer doesn't want to help because he doesn't get a tip, then fine.

They talk about cutting camaraderie being one of the great aspects of cutting. Or did they confuse camaraderie with currency?

These are the dimensions to cutting as it exists today that run people off from the sport. They take the fun out of the sport. They alienate the membership and the backbone of the NCHA. And no one is talking about it. It's time for a cleanup once again!!

Recently I received a letter from Craig Morris, a cutting horse trainer, who was responding to my an article that I wrote and published on this site on March 2, 2009 titled "Is the NCHA Executive Committee Balanced? The article was regarding the fact that currently trainers hold 58 percent of the seats on the NCHA Executive Committee, with half of the members coming from the Southeast, six being non-pros - while no amateurs or businessmen or women are included.

Feel free to respond to this letter by e-mailing your response to me at glory@glorykurtz.com. If you prefer, I will not use your name.

March 6, 2009
I like many other trainers have been sitting idly by for the last year while many Amateurs, Non Pros and now the Media goes on a trainer bashing frenzy. I will attempt to write a rebuttal to your article "The unbalanced make up of the Executive Committee" that is not full of stereo typical assumptions and is free from the hurt and anger that most trainers have felt from the latest round of trainer and trainer family bashing.

Let me start by asking you a question. Who do most ask for advise when purchasing a horse? Who do most ask for advise on what stallions to breed their mares to? Who do most ask for advise about what shows they should show in or what class their horse would be most competitive in? Who do most ask for advise about whether or not their horse is good enough to even warrant training? The burning question that needs to be asked is, who is the person that most Non Pros and Amateurs go to for guidance or to answer questions they have about their horse? The Trainer.....the person who possess the EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE and EXPERTISE to help you make the most prudent decisions about your animal. Opps! Almost let my emotions get into the text.

This same person is also the person who has made their living and provided for their families by running a " HORSE TRAINING BUSINESS". This business also requires that you wear many hats. Horse trainer, investment advisor, vet, bookkeeper, cattle man, business manager, counselor, coach, truck driver, just to name a few. Most of the trainers that I have been aquatinted with over the past twenty five years in this industry are very intelligent, fairly well educated people who have a real passion and love for horses. They also posses that same passion and love for the industry that has helped to provide for their family's throughout the years. Most are at least second generation cutters while many many more are invested three and four generations deep to this great sport. They are not millionaires or captains of industry but they are professional horsemen who are knowledgeable about horses, the horse business and the sport that they compete in.

For you or anyone else to insinuate that we lack the intelligence, education, training or general wisdom to make decisions regarding what is best for the entire industry "that we have grown up in" is ridiculous. I do agree that guidance from CPA's, lawyers and other professionals are needed and gladly accepted. NCHA has an accountant on staff as well as an attorney on retainer who are at the disposal of the EC. I also agree that we need representation for all the members but to say that this cannot be accomplished with a majority of the EC being made up by trainers is not at all true.

Remember that we make a living by catering to all members of the cutting horse business and by maintaining a healthy diverse organization. Not all trainers compete in aged events, not all in weekends, some have amateurs and Non Pros and some do not. The mix of trainers that we currently have on the EC is definitely a cross section of the entire industry and do attempt represent the entire membership. Cutting is still HORSE BUSINESS and can be run by HORSEMEN.

I attempted to write this to you on "letters to the editor" but the links were not working. I hope this finds it way to your column.

Thank you,
Craig Morris
Professional Cutting Horse Trainer

(Following is response from the Editor)

I really appreciate your sending your letter to me and I will definitely post it. You are the first trainer who has responded to my article, other than Chubby, who sent word with a friend of mine that he was "educated."

My meaning may have been misconstrued, as I certainly did not intend that my statements should have been taken that trainers were uneducated. If so, what I really meant to say is that most trainers do not have the kind of education and experience to run a multi-million-dollar non-profit association. It’s definitely different from running a training operation. Doctors are well educated, but not many doctors have the education to run a large company.

With that in mind, yes, you are all very educated in what you do for a living - and most trainers do a very good job of it. I realize your job is all encompassing and you have to wear many hats to be successful. We all know that some trainers are successful - and some aren't. I'm certainly not lumping all trainers together, anymore than you can lump all customers or members of the NCHA together.

We all know that football players and coaches are very knowledgeable about football; however, I don't think they would be considered "educated" to run the NFL. The same goes for other sports, such as basketball, hockey, and even the PBR. In today’s specialized world, it takes a very “specialized” education or experience to take care of promotion, legal issues, contracts, financial investments, budgets, employees, etc, that go along with running a multi-million-dollar association. Each one of the above sports is run by businessmen.

However, when it comes to rules, that's something that trainers know a lot about and certainly they should have a major voice in the decision making.

What I was trying to convey was that the NCHA is no longer just a small association - it's the same as a multi-million-dollar company that its stockholders depend on to do the right thing for their investment.

Yes, you are correct - trainers are definitely professional horsemen who are knowledgeable about horses, the horse business and the sport that they compete in. Without the trainers, the sport of cutting would not be professional. However, like you said, trainers make their living and provide for their families by running a training business, but all this is made possible by the cutting horse industry and members of the NCHA.

In contrast, amateurs, non-pros and owners put money INTO the industry by buying the horses, paying the trainers and basically financing the association through membership fees, entry fees, and gambling their money by putting on shows. With their numbers greatly outnumbering the trainers, it wouldn't be possible for trainers to make a living without them. Don’t you think they should be equally represented in the decision-making body of the association? All facets and niche groups within this business need to try to work together. They all need each other to make this industry successful. I don't think its "us" and "them."

I'm sure your response will put a spark in other people who would like to express their opinions. I completely see your side of this argument - just like I see some of the non-pros’, amateurs’ and owners’ side of the argume