Andy Christensen purchased his very first horse when he was in the 7th grade. He paid $1000 for the nice palomino gelding named Corky. As he entered high school, he moved up to an 18-year-old mare that had roped a ton of steers. Off he went on the rodeo trail.

Andy continued his education at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho, where he roped with the college rodeo team.

After serving an LDS mission in Fresno, CA, Andy returned home and bought two nice horses from Vance Ward in Idaho. He then tried his hand at buying and selling horses. “I made some really nice horses- I’d buy ‘em kind of cheap, ride ‘em a while and then sell ‘em for more money. When I sold one for $12,000, I was pretty excited!”, Andy recalls.

Inspired by his good friend, Cory Shelman, Andy decided to try his hand in the show pen. He started in the NRHA and rode with a few trainers in Utah while he worked construction.

In March 2005, he realized that he would be much happier in a career working with horses, instead of construction, so he called the Buffalo Ranch in Farmington, Utah to see if Todd Adolph could use some help. “ They hired me as an assistant trainer and it’s all history from there”, Andy says. “ I’ve got a pretty nice job, riding really nice cutting horses. Working with Greg Smith and his family is a lot of fun, too. I couldn’t ask for any better!”

Andy has had a fantastic show season this year– He was the $2,000 Limited Rider Champion of the 2007 ICHA/UCHA Mountain West Saddle Series, and he placed 4th in the Open in that series, as well. Andy was also the $2,000 Limited Rider Champion of the 2007 Idaho Championship Series.

Andy and his wife, Brandy, live in Syracuse, Utah. They have a daughter named Ashlyn and are expecting a new baby in early November.

Photo Credit: Laurie Errington
www.scootemnshootem.photoreflect.com

“MOUSE FEATHERS” 1999 ICHA Uncola Champion, ICHA Aged Event
2003 $50,000 Amateur Champion, Western Nationals

Mouse Feathers, aka “Mousie” is a horse who stands out in the herd!
This 13 year old gelding, out of a Welsh Pony mare and a Paint stud, is a gritty cow pony. His owner, Lorie Greenwell of Paul, Idaho says, “The tougher the cow the better he is!”

Here is a horse who reallllly gets cow fresh!

Lorie and Mousie have been together for almost ten years. Her uncle, Bert Greenwell, got him going and started showing him as a three year old. However, Bert and Mousie were not a fit. So Mousie moved in with Lorie. During his four year old year Lorie hauled, hung out with him and rode him outside a lot. He still, unfortunately, lacked confidence even to the point of running off in the show pen. Lorie always believed in Mousie but there were times when even she thought it wasn’t going to work. Then when Lorie’s patience hit rock bottom Mousie had a serious bout of colic. He almost died but surgery to remove an enterolith (a rock like lesion) saved his life. When Mousie recovered he was a new horse. His anxiety and running off behavior were gone. Lorie and Mousie never looked back!

Lorie knows she “will never have another horse like him”. She knows him inside and out and he understands who she is and what she expects of him. The pair doesn’t practice very much; Loried just keeps him in shape and tunes on cows or a goat before a show. Obviously the program works very well as they are hard to beat in the show pen. Apparently, Mousie is rewarded for his efforts with red licorice.

Lorie and Mousie have been showing strong this year in the $50,000 AM. We wish them well for the remainder of the season.

Richard Jordan grew up in Adrian, Oregon, riding horses while he helped his Dad and Grandpa at JR Land and Livestock in Westfall, Oregon.

One day, after an unsuccessful chucker hunt, Richard walked into his Grandpa’s house a little disappointed. Grandpa told him to saddle up his horse and help him sort cows. That day was the turning point in his life!

After having so much fun sorting cows on horseback, Richard was determined to find a career doing something he could make a good living at and really enjoy at the same time. He had never been to a cutting show, or ridden a cutting horse, but it seemed like the right thing to do. He thought that it just might fit the ticket.

He watched several cutting videos and went to work for Bobby Usher in Harper, Oregon.

In 2003, Richard married his wife, Hope, and they moved to Parma, Idaho. He became his own boss, with his own clients. He now rides 10-12 horses a day, and more than half of them are cutting horses. One of those cutting horses, Haidas Little Grey, is currently qualified for the AQHA world show in cutting.
The ultimate goal? To do just what he is doing- not have to go to a 9-5 job, and be able to spend lots of time at home with his wife and 7-month old son, Rance.

Photo Credit: Laurie Errington
www.scootemnshootem.photoreflect.com

Jim and Diane Schaeffer of Paul Idaho have been involved with performance horses for a very long time. They credit ICHA members Russ Miller, Kay Garner, Van and Kathy Greenwell for their interest in cutting and Wade Zollinger for help in their breeding program. As owners they are familiar faces at events in which their horses are entered.

Jim and Diane have two sons, Dan and Roger. The family business is farming, trucking and raising replacement dairy heifers. Their pleasure is raising and promoting performance horses. The Schaeffer horses have been champions in cutting, snaffle bit and roping events. They have worked with top trainers such as Russ Miller, Tim Denton, Lawson Haddock, Shane Prescott, Annie Reynolds, Kirk Robinson and most recently Brian Anderson. Brian has campaigned horses from the Schaeffer barn including Hanging Smart Pepper ( Smart Little Lena x Pepper Hanging x Little Devil Hanging) and Smart Hanging Pistol ( Smart Little Pistol x Pepper Hanging). These horses have claimed ICHA/UCHA and NCHA awards and placed well at the recent area work offs in Ogden, Utah.

Jim and Diane have a band of good brood mares who they selectively cross on top stallions including Smart Little Lena, Dual Pep, Smart Aristocrat, He’s a Peptospoonful, San Tule Freckles and TR Dual Ray. Their stud horse, Hanging Smart Pepper is producing some good colts also. Jim says they are” pretty, easy to train and smart, smart, smart”. Jim also has a good eye for a prospect; at the 2003 Fort Worth sale he purchased a HighBrow Cat x Smart Lucinda Lena, a weanling called “ Icing on the Cake”. He recently sold the filly to a top Texas trainer for a hefty sum, he’s got a photo copy of the check in his wallet!

Jim and Diane are obviously very proud of their horses, Jim admits he “enjoys watching good horses and good trainers.” He has gained a lot of satisfaction from an industry he has given a lot to. The Schaeffer barn is a popular host for High School cuttings and performance horse clinics. Jim and Diane are looking forward to watching their horses compete this fall at various aged events, we wish them well.

Denise Shewmaker is the kind of person I am always happy to see. She is positive, upbeat, encouraging and very handy. She can fix anything from the AC in your living quarters trailer to a piece of broken tack.

This real live cowgirl and grandmother has been a part of the ICHA (on and off) since the 1980’s. In 2005 Denise and her 4 year old gelding, “I’m Little and Smart” , were the UCHA saddle and buckle winners and the ICHA buckle winners in the $3,000 Novice Non-Pro class. They were third in the UCHA Futurity and Aged Event Derby.

Denise balances cutting, ranch work, dog training and family life. She and her husband Dan live near Kimberly, ID. Denise, however, spends a significant part of her year in central California where she and her cousin have been feeding, doctoring and calving our 300 head of mother cows for over 20 years. It is a job for an independent sort; her motto is “If you want something done –best tend to it yourself.”

Denise is also an accomplished dog trainer. She has been involved with “Stock dog” competition and demonstration, providing the annual working dog demo at the Filer Fair. Denise feels her dogs have given her insight into the art of working cattle, an obvious advantage in the cutting pen.

She breeds, raises and shows her own cutting horses. Her colts spend time on the ranch doing “real” work. Then trainer, Brian Anderson of Idaho Falls, has the responsibility of making them “show horses”.

Denise is already off to a good start this show year with a couple of good horses to haul and a 3 year old in the wings. She plans to show as much as her busy schedule will allow. All the best, Denise, for 2006!

Kevin Coiner has been the trainer at the “Cutters of Idaho” for the past five years. But now the time has come for him to move on.

Kevin is an Idaho native, growing up on the family ranch in Salmon. As a kid he rode ranch horses. Then in high school and college he was involved in team roping and rodeo.

In college Kevin majored in “ranch management”, afterward finding employment at the C2 Cattle Company in Medford, Oregon. It was there he was introduced to cutting horses; it was a fit. The next step was to work for legendary cutting horse trainer Dave McGregor. For eight years Kevin was the “everything guy”; cleaning stalls, riding colts and doing everything in between.

Kevin very much enjoys working with young horses. He is good at it: his quiet calm way puts the colts at ease. This skill translates to people also. Kevin has helped and encouraged many cutters during his term at the “Cutters”. Kevin will be sorely missed both at the barn and in the show pen but he is needed in Salmon.

Kevin’s plans include riding some colts, showing a little in Montana perhaps, giving a clinic here and there and helping his folks. In the meantime he is going to “take a week off” – something of a novelty apparently! Kevin’s hope is that “there is more to life than horses”!

All of us who have had the pleasure of knowing Kevin wish to thank him for all he has done and wish him all the best for the future.