Cutting (Show)

[Super <3]

The crowd cheered as they waited for Griffon to start. Johnathon would ride after him.

[Trophyhorse misses kmsnead]

(Johnathon's first now, right?)

Johnathon nudged Rose's sides, and she trotted into the ring stuffed with cattle. He spotted a black steer and kicked Rose toward him. The steer watched them suspiciously, his body tensing up. As the rest of the herd scattered, Johnathon let Rose have the reins, so she could stop the calf from following his buddies. Rose flew to the right when the cow turned that way, then to the left, right, left, and back again. The steer tried to run, but Johnathon blocked him with Rose, letting her do her job. When their round was over, Johnathon smirked rudely at the other guy waiting, Griffon, he was being snobby on purpose.

[tonkatoy]

Griffon

Griffon watched the other rider, John, he was good or at least his horse was, he watched the mare more than he watched the boy. He took off his white hat, flipping his blonde hair out of his eyes and replaced the hat. Butterflies beat at his belly as he stroked Cisco's gray neck. Griffon wasn't quite sure why he was nervous at all, he had spent the last six years of his life cutting. He had never cut for a show before, he and Cisco had always worked out in the pen or in the field when Dad was branding the calves or giving meds or wormers to some of the cows. John had kept the calf from returning to the herd, now Griffon needed to do the same.
Griffon wanted to roll his eyes at the childish smirk that the other rider threw at him as the passed eachother, instead tipped his hat and let a grin spread across his face. His country manners that had been half beaten into him by his Ma, no point in stopping now. Taking a deep breath he gently squeezed his gelding's sides and jogged forward, looking for his first calf. He had two and a half minutes, he could do three calves . Bringing his quarter horse back to a walk Griffon waded into the herd of cattle eyeing each calf he saw one a reddish brown calf with a white face and chest, he reined Cisco towards him all the calves in that group moved away trying to get back to the main group. He let them trickle back always making sure his calf stayed on this side of his horse, until the white faced steer was the only one left.
He didn't feel nervous anymore this was his element the the thing he had done for a living for a good portion of his life, with a wild grin his Dad often said he got when he was working the cows, Griffon let his rein hand drop down to the horn. "Go get em' boy." he murmered to his horse and then he was off.
Griffon sat deep, keeping his heels down his legs slightly forward and Cisco lunged back and forth mirroring the calf. The white faced steer faked to the left and Cisco followed caught slightly off guard when the calf tried to run back to the right. Cisco caught on quick though spinning on a dime he cantered forward blocking the calf off and the back and forth game continued ocassionaly jogging or loping this way or that. Griffon raised up his reins calling Cisco off the steer letting it run back to the herd. "Good boy." Griffon patted Cisco on the neck. It had been a good first calf, his horse had always been one of the best cutters out on the ranch, he was glad the skill had not been lost in the confusion of the show.
Asking Cisco to walk forward and back into the sea of lowing cattle. He picked out another calf this one a creamy color, and just like before seperated it out. He lowered his hand and it began again, the dodging back and forth following the calf it was almost dance like, the calf tried to run around to the left but the dappled gelding followed, and a steady lope. The buzzer sounded he had taken more time than he had meant to on each steer but Cisco had done well.
Griffon jogged out, praising his horse with every stride, scratching and rubbing his neck. When he came out of the ring he tipped his hat to John and let his horse rest as he awaited the judge's results