NCHA Non-Pro Horse of the Year

BY JENNIFER HORTON

The 2021 NCHA Non-Pro Horse of the Year honor went to Fiddle And Steel (Metallic Cat x Lil Bit Reckless x CD Royal). The red roan stallion, bred by Russ and Janet Westfall and shown by their son, Brandon, jumped to the top of the standings after winning the NCHA Non-Pro Futurity championship in 2020. That win, with a score of 227, was a premonition of things to come.

Brandon and “Fiddle” started off 2021 with a win at the Cattlemen’s Derby in March. They grabbed the NonPro title at the NCHA Super Stakes in April – Brandon’s first Super Stakes title. A win in the Non-Pro at the Breeder’s Invitational in May secured the horse of the year honor.

Brandon describes Fiddle as easily the best horse he’s ridden. The young stallion contributed greatly to Brandon’s own NCHA Non-Pro Riders Hall of Fame achievement.

“He’s so strong and physical and so cow smart,” Brandon said. “For one, he’s a great athlete, but he’s so smart about a cow. He always did exactly what the cow was doing. Even though I might have tried to get him to do more than the cow was doing, he always did exactly what the cow did. He’s always been a really easy horse to be around, he is very laidback, especially for a stud, and really good-minded. I felt like he had everything.

“Beau Galyean always talked about Metallic Cat and how he never lost a cow on him,” Brandon continued. “I never lost a cow on Fiddle. I missed a cut on him one time, but that was my fault. You could not run that son-of-a-gun over. He was so strong and so smart.”

Fiddle And Steel made Brandon feel 10 feet tall and bulletproof in the saddle.

“I felt like the more cow I cut on him, the better he was, because he was so physical,” Brandon said. “His thing was to run and stop really hard. When I got to the finals, I definitely tried to cut a little bit more cow because I knew I could hold pretty much anything I put in front of him.”

Brandon is quick to thank his parents for everything they’ve done for him and for their support.

“I would not be where I am without them,” Brandon said.

With a long list of people who helped him, Brandon wanted to name a few.

“Morgan Cromer pretty much helped me about every time I showed,” Brandon said. “Clint Allen and Boyd Rice are my Fort Worth, Texas, team whenever they are there. Casey Green, Tatum Rice and Lloyd Cox all helped me last year. I have to thank our vet, Dr. Charlie Buchanan, for his dedication to keeping Fiddle fit and going.”

Fiddle was sold to Wagonhound Land & Livestock in December last year, and the stallion stood to his first book of mares during the 2022 breeding season at the Four Sixes Ranch. Still competing, his recorded lifetime earnings at press time are $192,534 and climbing.

“Tim Smith is showing him some this year,” said Brandon. “Tim and I are friends, so I keep up with how he’s doing and look forward to seeing what he accomplishes. I feel like Tim will make him a solid Open horse.”

There is no doubt Brandon will continue to be Fiddle’s biggest fan. ★