JUNIOR CUTTING CHAMPION

FARON HIGHTOWER AND JUST PLAYIN SMART ARE A CUT ABOVE.

BY CANDACE DOBSON, FIELD EDITOR

Faron Hightower and Just Playin Smart came to the World Show set on winning a world championship, and the pair from Texas did just that when they set the standard with a score of 221 in the finals.

“I was a little nervous because we drew early, and I couldn’t get a pattern on the cattle other than they are wild and trying to get away,” Hightower said. “My jogger, Rob, told me he felt a little fresh, but I thought he felt fine until he slung his head a little on the first cow.”

After the pair got past the first cow, Hightower cut deeper into the herd to pull out a cow that he referred to as “a little on the scary side.”

Hightower and A Rod step up to their first cow in the herd.

“I came here to win, so I knew I had to draw one I could score big on,” he said. “After the second cow, I felt a lot more comfortable and my horse felt much more settled.”

Hightower and “A Rod” pulled a smooth score of 221, but still had to sit through 11 more riders, who were stiff competition.

“It’s hard to sit and watch people like Carlos Banuelos, Al Dunning, Jody Galyean and Bobby Lewis go because you know they’re tough. I even had to help Bill Riddle on that last run,” Hightower said. “It’s always a tough competition between all of us, but we always help each other out.”

Hightower has been riding A Rod since he was 2. The pair has coveted more than $80,000 in NCHA earnings to date, and they are only getting started.

“He’s always been physical and had a lot of stop, but he hasn’t been the strongest in the past,” he said. “He’s just getting stronger and better everyday.