BY CHRISTINE HAMILTON, FIELD EDITOR
 |
| Will Arthur of Turkey, North Carolina, won his second youth world championship in cutting, this time on his gelding Nurse Mate. |
Twelfth in the go, 18-year-old Will Arthur and his gelding, Nurse Mate, had a 217 to beat to win the cutting finals at the 2007 Ford AQHYA World Championship Show.
A few cattle later and the championship was his, with a score of 221.
“The cows were really good tonight, a lot better than last year and the year before,” Will said. “I was really happy with them; I don’t think they could have been much better.”
Will and “Matey” also had the highest score in the prelims with a 220.
“After my run yesterday, he felt about as good as he’s felt in a long time,” Will said.
What made him come back just as strong in the finals?
“He went back to (Ringling,) Oklahoma with (trainer) Bill Riddle,” Will said. “And he took him in the round pen and just treated him like he was colt again. He came back and he was as good as he’s been.”
Will bought Matey as a 2-year-old from breeder Linda Holmes of Longmont, Colorado. The 2002 sorrel gelding is by Smart Mate and out of High Brows Nurse by High Brow Hickory. High Brows Nurse was reserve in the National Cutting Horse Association Super Stakes in 1995, and reserve in the non pro at the NCHA Futurity in 1995. She’s also a half sister to leading cutting sire Dual Rey.
“We went up there to look at some colts, and I told my mom that I really liked him,” Will remembered. “She really liked him so we bought him. He was really bright on a cow and had a pretty stop.”
Will hails from Turkey, North Carolina, and had a good contingent from home to cheer him on including his mother, Carol Bagget, uncle, Jeffrey Matthews, girlfriend, Kristen, and leading trainer Bill Riddle.
His little sister, Kristen, got a special treat – Will let her ride with him on his victory lap.
This is a back-to-back youth world championship in cutting for Will. He won in 2006 on Cat N Colonel and was also reserve in 2005 on the same horse.
