Carlee McCutcheon
At only 15 years old, Carlee McCutcheon won her first grand prix at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in March 2021. It was a crowning achievement for the young rider, who comes from generations of horse-riding greats.
Carlee is the daughter of renowned Reiners Tom and Mandy McCutcheon. Tom, a National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Million Dollar Rider, trains and breeds reining horses, and Mandy, an NRHA $2 Million Dollar Rider, is the highest-earning non-pro rider. McCutcheon’s older brother, Cade, is an NRHA $1 Million Rider as well and trains alongside their dad.
Carlee is the granddaughter of Tim McQuay, a $3 Million Dollar Rider, and trainer who owned legendary reining stallions Colonels Smoking Gun, or “Gunner,” and Hollywood Dun It. Her grandmother, Colleen McQuay, grew up riding hunter/jumpers and operates the English side of McQuay Stables.
Carlee started riding at Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, Texas as a small child in the short stirrup division. Since then, as she’s progressed in her riding abilities, her love for the hunter/jumpers has grown as well.
“I love the horses and the people,” said Carlee, who rides with her grandmother. “It’s just such a great opportunity to be here as a kid with my family and great horses. I’m just really lucky.”
After Carlee attended the Pin Oak in January with her hunter/jumpers, she shifted gears into reining with ease as she prepared in the week leading up to National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC).
“Pin Oak started in January, so I haven’t ridden many reiners since then. I just have to focus as much as I can and switch over,” she said.
Of her performance in the Level 3 and 2 Non-Pro finals in NRBC, Carlee said her parents told her to go have fun, and that is exactly what she did.
“It was a lot of fun. My horse was with me every step. He’s super smart and honest, and I just trust him.”
Carlee thanked her parents and grandparents as well as her brother for all their help and support, along with Sara Willeman of Turnabout Farms for breeding her partner horse, Dun With Guns.
Though she was born into a heavily reining-focused family, Carlee chose to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps initially by pursuing the hunter/jumpers. Her mom started off riding English as well, and Carlee took to the sport naturally. Eventually, after watching the rest of her family show reining horses, Carlee decided to get into the Western discipline, too.
“Reining and hunter/jumpers are both very different, but they help me a lot with keeping a feel,” Carlee said. “Riding all different types of horses is always helpful. I definitely think they help me with each other.”
As she continues to compete in both equestrian disciplines, Carlee hopes to keep growing and moving up in both sports. In the hunter/jumpers especially, she’d like to become more consistent. She’s grateful to have the support of her family who, even if most of them do Western tack instead of English, still understands the work involved and the dedication it takes to be successful in any equestrian sport.
Sources:
- https://youtu.be/QYHVY7jofQc
- https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2021/04/09/faces-of-pin-oak-carlee-mccutcheon/
- https://www.quarterhorsenews.com/2021/04/mother-daughter-day-at-the-nrbc/
- https://readloud.net/
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