The Cutting Edge - fall 2006

By Michael Beahm

For Tracy Barton, “cutting a cow” is much more than a vocation, or even a weekend competition. For Tracy, cutting is a work of art, and those who see him ride say he paints a masterpiece in the arena.

Tracy trains riders and cutting horses, or horses whose job is to cut a cow from the herd, and prevent the cow from returning to the herd. Since cows are “herders,” when they become separated from the safety of the herd, they get upset and will try everything to get back to the herd.

“This is where Tracy shows artistry,” said Tracy’s assistant, Aimee McCaffrey. “He reads the cow’s mind, he knows which one is offering to do a good job for him... and he is hooked into these cows and how they think.”

Tracy’s cutting horses are mostly quarter horses, which are stocky and low to the ground. Cutting horses range anywhere from 13.2 – 15.3 hands tall, but most are around 14.2-14.3.

When asked what he enjoys most about cutting, Tracy said, “I love the babies, and getting them ready for the show ring. I think molding young horses into top competitive athletes, and seeing the results in the arena is the most satisfying of all.”

Tracy’s journey in the equine industry began in high school, when he moved to Oregon to work with his Uncle, Jess Turner, who was a successful rider in the 1960s and 70s. Turner was very influential in Tracy’s passion for horses and pursuit of a career in the industry.

“My uncle used to be a tough guy, but shaped the work ethic I have today... I dedicate my life to professional showing, with my uncle on my shoulder,” Tracy said.
After graduation, Tracy’s passion for horses led him to work long days for a livestock dealer, and at a number of other jobs with successful trainers, including three and a half years with cutting horse trainer Greg Walsh in Millsap, Texas.

“One thing Greg always told me was, the day you don’t practice is the day our competition gets a day ahead, because you can bet they are practicing,” Tracy said.
After a humble beginning back in 1989, Tracy and his wife Sue now run one of the largest, most successful cutting horse training facilities on the east coast. TTB Cutting Horses includes 6 full time employees, 30 students, and 60 horses in training. The services of Tracy’s company include breeding, training, clinics and private lessons, cattle services, showing, and selling cutting prospects and finished horses.

The success Tracy has enjoyed with TTB Cutting Horses did not come easily. The first 10 years of working with cutting horses, Tracy and his wife worked alone, raising two kids. Travis and Emma, now 10 and 6, often played on a swing set next to the arena. The hard work put in during these strenuous years paid off however, and these days it shows, not only at his training facility, but also at National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) competitions, where Tracy made a name for his ability in the cutting arena.
Tracy competes in nearly 50 shows a year sponsored by the NCHA, attending a show every weekend from mid-April to November.

The NCHA produces six major events during the year: the World Championship Futurity, the World Finals, the Eastern National Championships, the Western National Championships, the Super Stakes and Super Stakes Classic, and the Summer Cutting Spectacular.

In an organization with over 16,000 members worldwide, over 1,400 approved shows and limited-age events per year, and in one of the world’s fastest growing sports, Tracy has won over $1.7 million in NCHA cutting shows throughout his career. In 2005, Tracy was the first person on the Atlantic Coast to be inducted into the NCHA Hall of Fame.
Some of Tracy’s most impressive victories include an NCHA championship in 1993, World Congress champion 28 times (an all time record), and recently winning of the four-year-old Cutting World Championship at the Paint World Show in Ft. Worth, Texas, with his horse “Ten Colors.”

Tracy’s clients have also experienced success in NCHA competitions and have earned over $3.5 million in winnings.

Tracy’s clients are mostly adults, many with a background in other types of equine events. Tracy also coaches a few kids from age 11 and up.

Gregory DePriest, a client of Tracy’s, said, “Tracy’s passion for cutting is balanced with his care for his clients. He has a natural instinct for the sport of cutting that he loves sharing with those who have a desire to be the best in this equine sport. He is a hall of fame trainer with a down to earth candor.”

Talk to Tracy and you realize his success is a reflection of his love for cutting. “It’s an art. It’s a way of life,” Tracy says. “It’s not a 9-to-5. It’s an adrenaline rush times 20. It’s the NASCAR of the equine industry.”