Cutting in Venezuela

If someone says "Venezuela," what is the first thing you think of? Coffee beans? The annual vaccine you give your horse against Venezuelan equine encephalitis? Cutting probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Venezuela, but that could soon change. Venezuela is home to an enthusiastic group of cutters who recently started NCHA's newest affiliate, the Venezuelan Cutting Horse Association.

Venezuela's growing horse industry

Located on the coast in the northern part of South America, Venezuela, at first glance, may not appear to be a hotbed of horse activities. But look closer and you'll find an avid group of horsemen raising everything from Venezuela's native criollo horses, which are commonly used as ranch horses, to Quarter Horses, Paints, Appaloosas, Arabians and Thoroughbreds. In fact, in 1971, a Venezuelan horse named Cañonero came within a few lengths of winning Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown, having won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before finishing fourth in the Belmont.

Today, team penning is big business in Venezuela, where horseman regularly import cow-bred horses from the States. Equally as enthusiastic as the team penners are cutters, including David Taurel.

"The last four years we've been trying to get a group going for the cutting, and it's just for the last year it's been working," explained Taurel.

Last year, Taurel hosted clinics by both John and Punk Carter. Building on the growing enthusiasm for the sport of cutting, Taurel helped organize the Venezuelan CHA, which became an NCHA affiliate on March 26, 2007. Not willing to stop there, Taurel organized the association's first cutting horse show on March 2.

"This is the first time that we have anything that's really internationally approved," said Taurel. "We've been an affiliate of AQHA for over 20 years and never had an AQHA-approved show because we couldn't get everybody together. And we've got them together now.

"We have a board of directors that includes people from every region in the country. We got everybody involved."

Punk Carter, Russell McCord and Agnes and Terry Adams all traveled to Venezuela for the inaugural VCHA show. Carter gave free clinics in the days leading up to the show, including tuning up horses and riders, while Agnes Adams taught the art of being an NCHA secretary. McCord gave a judge's seminar and test, ending up with nine judges approved for Venezuela. Five classes were offered during the Sunday show, with 153 entries cutting for nearly 14 hours. There is no doubt the show, which was featured on ESPN Venezuela, was a rousing success.

Cutting—Venezuelan style

Carter, McCord and Taurel all marveled at the dedication and eagerness of the cutters in attendance, but perhaps the biggest surprise was the competitor's attitudes.

"Everyone was happy. They were high-fiving each other going down there to show and they were high-fiving each other coming out, whether they marked a 60 or a 70," said Carter. "They put fun back in cutting. That's something we've lost, I think. The enthusiasm was just unbelievable. I've never seen so many people that really wanted to do something, and were having so much fun doing it."

It isn't just the cutters who are happy, either. The spectators can be a rowdy bunch, explained Ana Rodriguez. Originally from Venezuela, Rodriguez is a business major at the University of North Texas in Denton. For the past two years, she has ridden under Carter's tutelage and is currently showing in amateur aged events.

"Everyone here is so quiet!" said Rodriguez. "When we watch a cutting, we're cheering and laughing and being loud. You can always tell where the Venezuelans are, because we're the loudest group at the cutting."

While Rodriguez doesn't plan on training cutting horses professionally, she wants to improve her skills and knowledge of the industry so she can compete at the highest levels, whether it is in the United States or Venezuela.

"Something that the people in Venezuela used to think about cutting horses is, OK, I have a cutting horse, I just need to ride him and he's going to do everything like a machine, which is not true. You need to know a little bit," added Rodriguez. "I don't like when I just do good, I want to do perfect. I want to pressure myself to do it good."

That attitude is a prevalent one among Venezuelans, who are not only upgrading their knowledge of the industry, but also their stock. Instead of buying a horse based on appearance alone, many Venezuelan horsemen are beginning to select well-bred breeding stock with proven performance records to improve their herds.

"We have a strong foreign market if we would just promote it right," said Carter. "There's Smart Little Lenas, there's High Brow Cats, there's Peptoboonsmals. You name it, there's one of them over there, and some really good horses. And the people are just craving to do good."

"It's hard, because we're learning and trying to teach other people," said Taurel, who has already booked two more approved shows in Venezuela.

"But we're getting there," he promised with a smile.