When Michelle Cowan of Ardmore, Oklahoma, rode into the amateur cutting finals November 8 aboard her mare Little Gray Freckles, the highest score was Don Perkins and Sun Frosty’s 210. And more than one exhibitor had a cow get by them.
“It was a little nerve-wracking; the cattle were pretty tough tonight,” Michelle said. “They were tough early on, and usually in this pen they settle down the further you are in the draw. I was glad I was 10th, which is a good place to be.
“They started to settle down some, and I just went in there and cut two cows that we had talked about, and the third cow was just kind of a chip there at the end.”
The work earned them a 222 and the world championship. The only one to come close was Hi Sierra Safari and Dean Holden of Marietta, Oklahoma, with a 217; they were 13th in the draw.
But there was a little excitement in the warm-up pen before the finals even started.
“I don’t know, I didn’t see it, but I was told that she was trotting around, and she tripped and went down,” Michelle said. “When she got back up, the young man that works for us, Cody, had his foot caught in the stirrup.
“But as soon as she got up they were able to catch her. He’s a little sore but he’s OK. Luckily I didn’t see it. I think she was a little tired, so it didn’t rattle her too much.
“My mare was just really good; she just did her job,” she added.
Little Gray Freckles is a Canadian-bred 2001 daughter of Playgun out of Texas Rolena by Texas Kicker.
“I got her from John Snobelen a couple of years ago and just started showing her in the staged events in the cutting,” Michelle said. “She’s just been very solid and easy to show.”
This is Michelle’s first AQHA world championship, but she’s no stranger to success. One of her most recent accomplishments was winning the non pro at the 2007 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity on homebred filly Wheres My Shine. She and her husband, Bill, have owned and operated Cowan Ranch in Ardmore, Oklahoma, since 1999.
“I have always kind of qualified for the (AQHA) World (Championship) Show in either the cow horse or in the cutting, and this is the first time I’ve ever made the cutting finals,” she said. “So it was kind of nice. But this has always been a good show.”
Michelle had a lot of people she wanted to thank for helping her with this win.
“James Payne trained this mare for me, and I’ve been working with him,” she said. “He wasn’t able to be here tonight, but he’s done all the work on her.”
“I want to thank all my turn-back help – Al Dunning, Randy (Butler), Ascencion (Banuelos) and Teddy (Johnson), they were all a great help,” Michelle added. “And thank my help for getting her ready even though it was kind of tough, and my husband for all his support.”
