Cookie Banuelos

The journey for Cookie Banuelos to the NCHA Open Riders Hall of Fame was shared with family.

BY JENNIFER HORTON

“Our parents were ranchers in Mexico. We grew up riding horses, burros, whatever we could find, even to school,” Cookie Banuelos said. He got the name “Cookie” as a little boy. Shortened from a slang nickname, it stuck.

At just 11 years of age, Banuelos came to work for his older brother, Ascencion, who trained cutting horses in Texas.

“My brother Carlos was also a big part of my life. We grew up together, came to work for Ascencion together,” Cookie said. The two were best friends. Carlos passed away in 2009.

After high school, Cookie didn’t know his future. “I loved welding and building stuff,” he said, adding that Eddie Longley gave him a job building fence and working on his barns.

“I loved it, but missed the horses. I brought a horse from home and started riding after work every day,” he said.

Longley had a mare in training that didn’t pass the test to make it to the NCHA Futurity so he brought her home for Cookie to ride. It was Travs Smart Buy (Travalena x Dox Smart Buy x Miss N Cash).

“I didn’t know how to show a horse, much less prepare one. I trained her up and showed her locally a few times. He entered her in the Amateur at the NCHA Super Stakes, and goes and wins!

“Mr. Eddie is family. He saw what I could do with a horse and made sure I kept doing it. I was a kid, he and his wife treated me like family,” Cookie said.

From there, Cookie went to work for Tom Lyons, whom he considers a great friend.

“I got homesick though. Carlos and Ascencion were going strong and had more horses than they could ride,” he recalled of what drew him back to working with his brothers.

After moving back to be with his brothers, Cookie’s opportunity to show at his first NCHA World Championship Futurity came in 2001. He won the Limited Open Futurity showing Abrakadabracre (Bob Acre Doc x Willys Tivio Babe x Doc N Willy). Cookie moved to Las Vegas in 2003 to work for Michael and Paula Gaughan.

“They treated me like family from the day I got here,” he said. “Six years later, I married their daughter. Now I’m real family.”

One of his first Gaughan-owned 3-year-olds was Whittle Wed Boon (Peptoboonsmal x Smart Whittle Wena x Smart Little Lena).

“I still didn’t have much show experience. I just had to put him in front of a cow and I was going to get a check. I won over $200,000 on him,” Cookie said.

At the 2019 Futurity, Cookie passed the $1 million in earnings when he tied for third in the open on Hot Whittle Kitty (Hottish x Smart Whittle Kitty x High Brow Cat), a mare that is particularly special to him.

“I took a few years off from really going and showing when Katie and I had our two kids. Katie’s always on my side, she’s a wonderful partner and wife.”

Showing primarily on the West Coast, Cookie returns to Texas at Futurity time to work with his brother and nephew, Adan.

“Adan’s a big part of my success these days. I bring him my 3-year-olds to finish. Those pre-works are so important and I don’t want to be gone from my family that long.”

Cookie appreciates all the support he’s received. “When we started, Wayne Hodges would come check on us and help us. He’s a great coach.

“Tim Smith and Todd Bimat have been like brothers to me. They’ve helped me in many ways,” Cookie said. “My sister, Yolanda Borjon, has been so supportive. She would fly in and babysit our children. Miss Paula [Gaughan] has been like a mother to me, treated me like a son and not just a worker. She has done everything to make it possible for me. That lady is a very special part of my life.

“I wouldn’t change what I’m doing for anything. The people you come across, wherever you go, are wonderful. I’m very blessed for sure.”

Cookie Banuelos rode Hot Whittle Kitty to cross the threshold of earnings and gain NCHA Riders Hall of Fame status.

Sir Long Legs

The stallion is part of the family—for two families.

BY JENNIFER HORTON

The Sir Long Legs story began when Lew Hall purchased the yearling, bred by Michelle Cannon, at a sale in Fort Worth, Texas. Sir Long Legs (High Brow Cat x Lil Lena Long Legs x Smart Little Lena) was placed in training with Austin Shepard, where he became a part of the family.

The stallion they call “Spanky” reached the NCHA Horse Hall of Fame earnings benchmark during the 2020 NCHA World Finals. Shepard showed him in the Open to finish third with a composite score of 882.5, just one-half point behind reserve, for $12,312.

“We hadn’t done that [World Finals] before,” said Hall. “We didn’t know how much he could win and if he could push over the top or just go to the edge. He went smoking on by. That was fun.”

Spanky’s road to the Hall of Fame began with Shepard at the 2016 NCHA World Championship Futurity, where he was reserve champion. The next year they won the Derby at the NCHA Summer Cutting Spectacular.

“That was the last cutting in that arena that I had not won,” recalled Shepard. “That little horse gave me all he had that night and pretty well did every show.”

“He won it with a [record score] 229. It was neat to be a part of that,” said Hall.

Getting the stallion into the Hall of Fame was a goal for Shepard. “I love the horse but it means a lot to make the Hall of Fame for Lew because it’s such a great accomplishment.”

In 2019, after Jay Novacek rode Spanky to win the Careity Celebrity Cutting, Hall teased Shepard that he expected to show his horse someday.

“He had me meet him at the practice pen,” said Hall, who hadn’t ridden in about 10 years. “I knew I wanted to ride him one day. I didn’t know it would be quite then.

“Austin told me to go ahead and enter him in Augusta. I guess he could fix whatever I tore up. I rode him in the $50,000 Amateur—and won it with a 222! I was just thrilled that I went along with him for the ride.”

Shepard’s children have both shown the stallion.

“Cade showed him a few times, but Caylee kind of took over,” said Hall. “She loves Spanky and takes very good care of him.”

When Caylee’s mare was hurt last year and she didn’t have a youth horse, Austin called Lew with a big ask.

“I felt if Caylee could show him a couple of weekends she could get a jump to making the [Youth World] Finals,” he recalled. “Lew told me not to ever call him and ask that and I thought, ‘Oh, man.’ Then he said they could ride him whenever they wanted. I was winning opens on him trying to make the World Finals and she was winning the youth on him. Not many people would let a kid do that, but that’s Lew.”

Spanky is living his best life at Shepard’s.

“Austin says he’s like having a gelding in the barn, he’s so sweet,” said Hall. “He’ll lay his head on you and ask to be scratched. I think the family will enjoy him and we’ll show him some.”

Hall added that he hopes his son Trey, who showed years ago, will get to show him.

The stallion’s current NCHA lifetime earnings are $404,420. His oldest foals are 2 this year and Shepard sees a lot of promise in them.

Asked if he had a favorite win along the way, Hall was quick to answer, “Mine!”

Hall calls Sir Long Legs “family.” Shepard agrees. “He’s a family horse, for more than one family.”

Lew Hall summed up Sir Long Legs and the horse’s journey to NCHA Hall of Fame status.

“The trick behind it is he loves his job and he can’t wait to do it again. That’s what the good ones are made of. Horses like this are once-in-a-lifetime. He’s been a great horse for us and has brought a lot of joy to us.”

Sir Long Legs, owned by Lew Hall, has been in Austin Shepard’s program since Hall purchased the standout performer as a yearling.