Cutting
The Discipline

What Is Cutting?

Cutting is a western discipline in which a horse and rider work together to separate, or 'cut,' individual cattle from a herd. Once the rider drops their rein hand — committing the horse to work alone — the horse must control the cow using its athleticism, speed, and natural cow instinct for the remainder of the run.

How Judging Works

Cutting runs last 2.5 minutes and are scored by a panel of judges on a 0–80 scale, with 70 as the base score. Judges evaluate four primary factors: the degree of difficulty of cattle worked, the degree of control the horse demonstrates, the horse's athleticism and quickness, and how effectively the horse and rider use their allotted time.

Key Elements of Competition

Element	What Judges Look For
Cattle Selection	The rider chooses which cow to separate from the herd — working higher-difficulty, more active cattle earns more credit when controlled effectively.
The Cut	The process of separating a single cow from the herd without disturbing the remaining cattle. A clean, efficient cut that settles the herd preserves run time for scoring.
Working the Cow	Once the rein hand is dropped, the horse works the cow alone. Athleticism, quickness, and anticipation of the cow's movements earn the highest scores.
Degree of Difficulty	Judges credit riders who select and commit to difficult cattle. Safe cuts on slow-moving cattle have a lower scoring ceiling than aggressive cuts on athletic cattle.
Time Management	2.5 minutes rewards horses that can work multiple cuts efficiently, demonstrating versatility across different cattle.

Scoring Reference

Mark / Level	Meaning
High Scores	74–80+ — Exceptional athleticism, difficult cattle, complete control
Good Scores	72–74 — Strong cow work with minor hesitations or less difficult cattle
Average	70–72 — Correct and competent but unremarkable cattle selection or horse effort
Below Average	Below 70 — Penalties for interference, losing cattle, or other rule violations

Fantasy Value — Why This Discipline Matters

At The Run For A Million

Cutting competition at The Run For A Million features premier NCHA-affiliated open competition, with scores determining fantasy point allocation based on final class placing. Learn more about the event →