Kaitlyn Larsen & Laredo Montana

The first-time World Series of Cutting competitor and prior career earner of $237,267 faced a field including 2009 NCHA Non-Pro World Champion Elizabeth Queen,  Lipan, Texas, 2011 NCHA Non-Pro World Champion Dan Hansen, Weatheford, Texas, and seven-time NCHA Non-Pro World Champion Mary Jo Milner, Southlake, Texas.

Laredo Montana (Light N Lena x Little Memory Maker x Peppy San Badger), a 7-year-old gelding technically owned by Kaitlyn’s father, Billy Martin, but for all intents and purposes Kaitlyn’s horse since his 6-year-old season, wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

“I was looking at the draw and thinking, ‘We’ve got to go right after Sister CD [cutting’s top-earning active horses, and the first-go leader with a dominating 227 effort]. Look at all these horses.’ I think the cutting went to who cut the best cows. I was lucky enough to cut the three best cows tonight.”

Laredo Montana carried Larsen’s then 69-year-old father Billy Martin to an NCHA Summer Spectacular Derby Non-Pro title 2 ½ years ago. The horse has developed a close bond with Larsen the past couple of years.

“He’s the kind of horse that only likes people that he knows. He’s not fond of strangers and he’s always aware of things,” Larsen said. “He’s fantastic. We have such an emotional connection that he doesn’t have with anybody else.”

Larsen narrowly missed a top 15 finish to qualify for the season-ending NCHA Non-Pro World Finals last year. The win gives her an early lead in the 2011 standings. She plans to haul for a shot at reaching this year’s World finals, and possibly winning the title.

She did not compete nearly as often as she had planned last year, Larsen said. A tragic automobile accident last April claimed the life of her fiancé, young rodeo cowboy Reagon Walker. Larsen and Laredo Montana were involved in that accident, too.

Together, the pair came back after taking a couple of months off. At their first show back, they were Classic Non-Pro Reserve Champions during last July’s NCHA Summer Spectacular limited-age cutting in Fort Worth, Texas.

“If it wasn’t for this horse, I don’t think I’d still be cutting,” Larsen said. “I’d either be doing something else or I’d still be hiding in the house. Just mentally, we have a huge connection, and emotionally. He’s great.”

Larsen competes again in Saturday night's Augusta Futurity Non-Pro finals aboard her 2008 mare Blu Light Special (LIght N Lena x Playboy Special Copy x Freckles Playboy), a horse bred by her father, Billy Martin. Martin transferred ownership of that horse to his daughter in December. He still technically owns Laredo Montana, but for all intents and purposes, she's his daughter's horse, too.

"He still belongs to dad, but I make all the calls on him," Larsen said. "He’s my horse and he will never leave me. I can promise you that."

Mary Jo Milner & Smooth Asa Zee

The horse, bred and trained by former Slate River Ranch resident trainer John Mitchell, earned $77,443 last year. Milner, a career earner of about $2.17 million as a cutting horse rider, will compete again at many any-age shows and most of the World Series events as the 2012 season proceeds.

“I love to cut,” said Milner, who earned her first Non-Pro title at the Augusta Futurity in the mid 1980s, before Larsen was born. The winner of more any-age Non-Pro World Championships than any other rider remains quite competitive, but said she doesn’t set finishing first as her goal.

“I just try to take each day and live in the now,” Milner said. “I don’t like to think of age and I don’t like to think of limitations. I just try to let things unfold.”