Mike Wood
Q - Few trainers have ever managed to deliver the outstanding results for their Limited, Novice, and Open riders in the history of the NCHA that you did in 2020. How does that make you feel? A - Whenever we have clients win or just get better and become competitive and reach their goals it makes us feel good! I love helping the Non-pros and watch them get better and learn. Q - A dream of most everyone in the show pen is to become a World Champion. This year your barn was crowned with 5 World Champions out of a possible 10 total in the NCHA. How did you pull that off? A - It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, not only from me but our whole team including Roper, our assistants, and from our clients! It takes long hours and mental strength to push for something like this.
Q - Winning a World Championship in the NCHA requires a year-round effort. Does having regular monthly cuttings at HorseShoe Park & Equestrian Centre play a part in your success?. A - We have big cuttings in Queen Creek during the winter months and it’s nice to be able to show close to home but in order to win the world or be way up in the standings, you have to do I some traveling and showing in other places. Q -This is also the FIRST time in NCHA history to have one rider win all 3 Open World Titles in the same year! Share what you do to stay focused under pressure when performing at that level of competition, and success? A - It’s difficult showing under pressure. I try to break it down and concentrate on doing my job, which is getting cut clean and being accurate on the cow. If we can do that we have a higher chance of getting through a penalty free run, and that’s the first step to having a winning run! Q - At your level of competition no “one” wins. What did your “Team” members do to enable your outstanding performance in 2020. A - Your exactly right, it takes a team to win. I couldn’t do it without Roper keeping everything and everyone organized, and being my coach when I need it. My assistants preparing the horses and taking great care of them play a big role. Also, my help in the pen, no one can cut without a team in the arena helping! Q - Winning requires matching the right person with the right horse. What do you look for in pairing up horse and riders to compete at the highest levels of competition.
A - Matching horse and rider isn’t easy but you keep in mind is the rider an aggressive rider or not, if the horse needs that aggressive rider or if a horse will move more with a mild rider. Maybe a rider needs a quicker horse or one that has a bigger stop, all things to consider when matching them. Q - How do you manage their competitive spirits in a group setting, at the ranch and the bigshows? A - Our whole barn acts like a team and cheers for each other. The cows are the competition and we all are trying to hold a tough cow. Q - What do you look for in a cutting horse prospect? A - A horse with lots of expression on a cow gives it a winning edge! I also love a horse with a big stop! Q - You have now won a World Championship in the NCHA 8 times. What are the keys to winning again, and again, and again? A - Hard work and consistency pays off in being competitive year after year. Q - What do you look for in the horses that empower them to become champions? A - And a horse with that little bit of extra look will help you win. Q - For a new person interested in competing in the NCHA, if their pretty handy on a horse how long does it take for them to be competitive in the show pen? A - A person can be competitive in the Ncha quickly with the right guidance! Q - What guidance can you share to young trainers that have the desire and drive to become themselves World Champions on improving their skill sets? A - Watch and learn from people who are winning, they have experience and knowledge and most likely would love to help an up-comer! Q - When you are at the big shows and everyone needs a little piece of you, how do you keep your head-together, and not just loose it serving so many needs day after day, and then compete yourself at the highest-level? A - Stay calm and do the best we can do, stay focused for that time! Cutting can be trying but can also be the most fun!!
Dawn Chapman
Q - You are a major patron to the horse community in Arizona, most recently as a sponsor of the new second covered arena at HorseShoe Park & Equestrian Center in Queen Creek. And, now are the naming sponsor of the main arena for your Chapman Dealerships. How do you make the time to take care of business and be competitive in show pen at the same time? A - My husband John who is co-CEO of Chapman Automotive Group with his brother Ted Chapman, they are very supportive of my career in cutting as well as making time to meet with community leaders. When there is a need to partner with local townships to support agricultural endeavors we are all very committed. Q - You won two NCHA World Championships in 2020 - that is a remarkable achievement. Can you share a few secrets to success? A - It starts with a plan, a dream. It all started in 2019 when I purchased Crispy Kreme, aka Donut, who was eligible for the $5000 Novice Class. Mike and I decided to show him lightly in 2019 and go for it in 2020. It’s a year long process, so we started planning/mapping out the schedule in Fall 2019. Our first show was in Tucson at the Pima County Fairgrounds on Jan 2! As for Little Jackson Cat, I had owned her at the time for a little over a year, and Mike wanted to show her in the Open and I would show her in the NonPro as well. Q - How did you find your two horses, Crispy Kreme and Little Jackson Cat? A - MWPH is made up of Mike Wood and Roper Curtis. They are both incredibly knowledgeable of horses all over the Nation competing in the major NCHA aged events. They watch horses and keep track of their progress throughout the year. When horses are aging out of these events, they start narrowing it down to horses they believe will make the transition to weekend cutting horses. It’s not always easy for horses to do this. It’s tough weekending because they compete every day of a 3,4, or 5 day show, and in my case, I also show them so it’s twice a day! Whole new world. Roper specifically has a knack for not only seeing those potential winners but also choosing horses for their different clients. Both LJC aka Jackie and Donut were found this way. Q - What makes Crispy Kreme and Little Jackson Cat special? A - Firstly, Jackie is truly one in a million. Her talent comes from a great foundation of training, but mostly her inherent cow sense. You can’t train that into the great ones. For Mike to be competitive in the Open, which is the highest level of this sport, he has to show the best horse with that extra something that separates them from the pack. It is very uncommon for an Open horse to compete in the NonPro as well. We did that very thing with this special mare all year. That is what made this year’s accomplishment so very unique! Mike finished first in the World and I finished 5th in my division. And let me tell you, Jackie was the only horse that showed in both divisions in the final 4 go-rounds in Fort Worth! Donut was a really nice aged event horse that Mike and Roper watched before I purchased him. He was primarily shown by an Amateur through the aged events. Super cowy, really cool style. The Year started out a bit rough with Donut and me, getting 0 out of
10 checks! It was incredibly frustrating especially since Mike was having stellar runs on him! Like any sport, so much of it is mental toughness, so you could say, I had lost it. Each time I walked to the herd on him, I choked. Eventually you get the breakthrough but it’s awful til then, and lonely! What’s so cool though, fellow competitors were so supportive and gave the best advice. I saw others go through it as well during this year and I returned the favor of offering a nudge of confidence and support. Q - What is it about competing on Cutting Horses that drives your interest in the sport? A - I began riding horses around 10 years old, typical horse crazy girl! I competed in barrels at gymkhanas and loved it. As I got older, the desire to try something different but still wanting to stay in the Western tradition led to cutting. It was a thrill I’d never experienced in any other discipline. The horsemanship was second to none. Mostly, it’s the people in this sport that make the difference for me. We truly are a family. Some of the most influential people I’ve met are those I’ve met in the pen, whether personally and even spiritually. It’s not uncommon to watch cows during the settling of the herd with Harvard professors, World renowned heart surgeons, movie producers, assistant trainers, and homemakers like me. The horses are the complete athlete, extraordinary all the way around. Q - You have been involved in Cutting for years serving at many levels including past- President of the Az Cutting Horse Association. What do you see as the challenges to the horse industry in the coming years? A - Thanks for asking, Tracy. Many of us grew up in an agricultural environment so we think things will continue. This is absolutely not the case! Elected officials decide it all. Many of these elected officials do not have the same views that you do. And they will fight against you. They will shut us down. Get involved, and don’t be afraid to state your opinion in a constructive way. Most importantly, as you become more educated, be bold and get into politics in your community. They are making decisions that affect you. Q - You are a successful business woman, and horsewoman, and now World Champion. A - What guidance can you share for the amateur or Non-Pros on what it takes to become a World Champion? Don’t be discouraged by the downturns in your journey!! Doesn’t matter if you are in a ‘prestigious’ barn or on your own, just reach out to trainers and ask for advice. They WILL help you. It’s better if you have shown and are giving your best in the pen. Q - Young woman in the horse business are proving themselves in more performance horse disciplines from roping, and working cow horse, to cutting and even reining. How does it feel to develop into a role model for these ladies by proving they too have a shot at becoming World Champions? A - Oh man....it’s just THE BEST!!! As a little girl, I loved horses more than anything in this World! Anyone has a shot at being the worlds best in cutting or in any other sport!! You can do it!! I have seen it with my own eyes!! I’m open to anyone who wants to talk about the sport, never hesitate to ask for help! You would be surprised.