Dawn Chapman NCHA Hall of Fame 2023

Dawn Chapman & Clays Little Kit Cat

Q - How does it feel to be in the NCHA Hall of Fame?

A - Unreal!! It’s kind of like getting a college degree, something you earn that no one can take from you. It is truly something I never thought about until a fellow competitor whom I had been showing with made it into the Hall of Fame two years ago got me curious, so I looked up the requirements and thought, “Wow! This could actually happen to me!“. For a girl from Buckeye, Arizona, who started riding Shetland ponies around barrels at little gymkhanas, this is an incredible feat!

Q - How does it feel to have a horse Clays Little Kit Cat, that you own and have shown a lot, make the HOF?

John and Dawn Chapman

A - I have been blessed to have owned and shown some outstanding cutting horses over the years but there’s no other horse I’d rather see make it into the NCHA Horse Hall of Fame as much as Clays Little Kit Cat. From the moment MIke and Roper took me to Paul Hansma‘s training facility in TX to try Kit Cat in December 2014, I knew I was sitting on the most perfect example of a cutting horse. Every year we hauled him, he gave his all, resulting in championship titles, as well as increasing his lifetime earnings. Kit Cat was nearly injury free in the past nine years so his consistency in the pen definitely catapulted me into the NonPro HOF as well as help Mike to reach his current lifetime earnings of over $3million! But the coolest part of all of it is that Kit Cat and I made it into our respective Hall of Fame status together, the same year!!

Q - When did you realize to be a Champion is a team effort?

Mike Wood and Dawn Chapman

A - I started riding with MIke Wood Performance horses in 2013. MIke Wood and Roper Curtiss are the team captains in a sense. It was then that I learned how to be a part of a successful winning team. These horses are conditioned daily to reach the extreme physicality it takes to be an outstanding cutting horse. The young men and women who are employed by MWPH put in many hours at home and on the road. They are an incredible part of the team. There is also the veterinarians, therapy providers, and arriers that make up the team. As competitors, we not only go up against people from out of state, and those from Arizona, but many times our own barn mates. We encourage each other when battling our heads or trying to get through the slumps. It’s truly a family atmosphere at MWPH and teamwork is KEY!!

Q - How often do you get to ride?

A - I definitely don’t ride as often as most of my fellow competitors. I am definitely not the epitome of the competitor who rides 3 to 4 times a week. In fact, I get teased a little bit about it because sometimes, when I show up to a horse show, I haven’t been on my horse since the last Horseshow! There is reason for my madness so to speak. When I first started cutting, I had four little kids and a husband and had to choose between going to shows or practicing so I chose going to shows. I guess I just learned how to show and practice riding while showing. Believe me, it doesn’t always work, and I have to end up putting in time at the ranch to get over a slump, but overall it has worked out well.

Q - Horseshoe Park is the center of the cutting horse world in Arizona. How do you feel about the Park?

A - Horseshoe Park Equestrian Centre has been a game changer for cutting in Arizona. It is a well laid out facility that is able to accommodate a lot of haulers from out of state, lots of cattle, plenty of barns, and of course, the town of Queen Creek so close by which has all of the amenities of a big town. The staff is second to none and feel more like family.

Q - What are three tips you can offer aspiring equestrians be it in the cutting discipline or other discipline?

A - My three tips:

a) First do some research and find a trainer who is accomplished, has a good work ethic, honest, kind, and has a true love for the horse in whatever discipline you choose.

b) Second, trust your trainer to find a horse for you to start out on. It’s important to allow him or her to fit you with the right horse for success.

c) Thirdly, find balance in your life with work, kids, spouse, school, and your new hobby. It’s not always easy and sometimes if you are pursuing a goal in your horse sport, you have to let other things slide for a short time. You will figure it out!!