NCHA Open Riders Hall of Fame Inductees

BY JENNIFER HORTON

His grandfather, Mel Chartier, owned Dry Doc (Doc Bar x Poco Lena x Poco Bueno), the 1971 NCHA Open Futurity champion ridden by Buster Welch.

His father, Randy Chartier, trained cutting horses in Michigan, eventually relocating to Texas. His older brother, R.L., also moved to Texas to pursue training cutting horses and has had his own success.

However, Cullen Chartier avoided the cutting addiction for several years before it grabbed him.

Cullen showed minimally as a Youth rider. The family’s horse business took a backseat to his interest in high school sports. A sports junkie, he considered sports commentating as a career when the prospect of being a star athlete himself seemed unlikely.

Competitive by nature – a trait he says perhaps he inherited from his mother, Kelle – cutting captured Cullen’s attention at 19 years old as the sport and career for him, and he hasn’t looked back.

“I came down to the NCHA Futurity when R.L. made the finals,” said Cullen. “We all came to watch and support him. When I walked into Will Rogers for the finals, something about that night flipped a switch.”

It changed his life and gave him direction. He began working for his dad, who combined training cutting horses with life lessons.

When R.L. became the head trainer at Wrigley Ranch in Texas, Cullen went to work for him. He learned much from the positive example his older brother set.

“He taught me a lot and, after two years, he told me I needed to go learn from someone else,” Cullen said. “That’s when I went to work for Paul Hansma.”

Hansma would prove to be immensely influential in Cullen’s life and career.

“I can’t say enough about Paul Hansma and what he did for me,” Cullen said. “I wouldn’t be where I am now if it weren’t for him. We had a lot of fun. He put me on a lot of horses early on that helped me succeed as a limited rider and made a lot possible for me. I consider him a mentor along with R.L. and my dad.”

Cullen named a few favorite horses who helped him reach the NCHA Open Riders Hall of Fame.

Little Pepto Cat (High Brow Cat x Little Pepto Gal x Peptoboonsmal) was one of the first to open doors for him. Hansma set up Cullen to show the gelding on the weekend circuit for late owner Bob Kingsley. It proved to be a huge confidence booster.

“Little Pepto Cat was the first big time horse I showed when I worked for Paul,” Cullen said. “I took him to the NCHA World Finals.”

Hott Nu Cowboy (Hottish x Special Nu Kitty x High Brow Cat) carried Cullen to his most memorable run at the 2020 NCHA World Finals. The 2014 gelding, owned by Ike and Nancy Rainey, has recorded $216,437 in lifetime earnings.

“The atmosphere was just electric,” Cullen said of the World Finals round. “He’d been really good. In the third round, we marked a 231. The crowd noise was unforgettable. That third cow was the best cow I’ve worked my entire life.”

Calientee (Hottish x Pur Tee x Cat T Masterson) is the first horse he trained from his three-year-old year through his aged event years to be highly competitive. Calientee, also owned by the Raineys, now has $136,341 NCHA lifetime earnings recorded.

Cullen enjoys the challenge of training young horses for the limited age events. He ventured out to build his own business six years ago. He believes consistency in performance measures success more than show results do.

“Consistency makes finals,” Cullen said.

The 36-year-old is determined to leave a positive impact on the world, as is evidential by the people in his life and the influence they have on him.

“My parents have been my biggest supporters my entire life,” Cullen said. “My brothers, R.L. and Scott, are always there for me, and Paul Hansma - he’s family too. I have to thank my girlfriend, Macall Banner. She amazes me.

“Tatum Rice and Hayden Upton have been great friends since I moved down here and I’ve learned a lot from riding with them,” Cullen continued. “Clay Johnson has been my best friend through ups and downs of life, and I’ve learned so much from him too.”

At press time, Cullen has $1,417,872 recorded in lifetime earnings.

“I never thought of the Hall of Fame as a goal,” Cullen said. “I just happened to be in the right spots at the right times. I love the horses and I love the competitive aspect of the sport. I’m very happy.” ★

BY JENNIFER HORTON

Will Nuttall might have taken the long road to the NCHA Open Riders Hall of Fame, but the journey was well worth it.

Nuttall admits his entry into the cutting industry came quite accidentally. He was raised in a ranching family in South Dakota but they didn’t cut. The family horse business was involved in racing. Nuttall actually filled the role of jockey for the family racehorse business. That is, until he grew to be too heavy to make weight, ending his jockey career.

“While I was shoeing horses, I ended up working for a guy who was riding horses at Al Dunning’s,” said Nuttall. “I actually rode my first cutting horse there at Dunning’s and thought it was pretty cool.”

But even that brief introduction didn’t take Nuttall straight into cutting. It was a few years later in the mid-1990s when he actually took the leap into training cutting horses and hasn’t looked back since.

Nuttall went over the $1 million threshold at a show in Ogden, Utah, in April 2021. He was showing Stylish Freckles Cat (Smooth As A Cat x Stylish Freckles x Docs Stylish Oak), owned by Bob and Ann Hulden, when her earnings pushed him over the mark.

“I didn’t really think about it,” said Nuttall. “When you hit that $900,000 mark then it seems like that last $100,000 seems to take forever.”

Since hitting that $1 million target, Nuttall has added nearly $30,000 to his NCHA lifetime earnings.

He took a moment to reflect on the wins that added up to his entrance to the Open Riders Hall of Fame.

“They were each special at the time,” Nuttall said. “I guess the one that sticks out the most was winning the Futurity in Idaho in 2007. It paid $20,001 to win.

“Playin Playgun was my first big winner,” Nuttall continued. “There were only two horses that won more money their three-year-old year, and that was the horse that won the NCHA Futurity and the horse that was reserve in the NCHA Futurity.”

Playin Playgun (Playin Stylish x Little Playgun x Playgun) was a 2011 gelding owned by Switchback Cutting Horses, with lifetime earnings that reached $97,700.

Nuttall recalled two mares that were also special to his career, both also owned by Switchback Cutting Horses. CD Silk N Lace (CD Olena x Sanjo Silk N Lace x San Jo Lena) was a 2004 who earned $72,211. CDs Secret (CD Olena x I Know A Secret x Freckles Playboy) was a 2004 mare who recorded $53,287 in lifetime earnings.

He couldn’t venture a guess as to how many miles he’s traveled on this road to the Hall of Fame.

“When you show from Alberta, Ontario, Canada, to Fort Worth, Texas, to California and all the states in between, that’s a lot of miles.” Nuttall said. “When you figure your average check, you’re winning is $600 to $800, that’s a lot of trips to the herd.”

Showing at aged event and weekend shows in the western United States may have made the trip to the Hall of Fame a little longer than some have taken, but Nuttall values the achievement and each piece it took to get him there.

He acknowledged he had a very long list of people to thank for his Hall of Fame achievement.

“Everyone who helped me in the show pen, all the customers I trained horses for and all my help,” Nuttall said. “It surely takes an army. I appreciate them all.” ★

BY JENNIFER HORTON

Jon Burgess never dared to dream of making the NCHA Open Riders Hall of Fame, but he made it all the same.

“When you first start cutting, that $1 million figure sounds absolutely outof-reach. It’s when you get up above that $900,000 you start to think about it, but that last $100,000 is a son-of-a-gun,” said Burgess. “Especially when I might start only two to five colts a year.

“I don’t think anyone can plan it,” Burgess continued. “That’s a lot of shows when you’re not showing a bunch of horses in the aged events. It takes a while for those smaller checks to add up. I never thought about it until I got close.”

He was raised in Graham, Texas. Burgess’ father was the 1971 NCHA Non-Pro Futurity reserve champion, and housed cutting horses and Quarter Horse racehorses.

Burgess grew up fully immersed in cutting as a Youth. As the family began to look toward his future, his dad encouraged him to form a plan to train cutting horses. At the age of 16, he went to work for Larry Reeder for the summer. Armed with that experience, Jon was able to ride with several different trainers, picking up valuable education and experience in both cutting and roping.

Marriage and a baby encouraged Burgess to fully commit to training cutting horses as a career. He knew how to ride cutters, so he put everything into developing his training business.

“It was trial-by-fire,” Burgess said with a laugh. “It’s a good thing that roping didn’t pay as good then as it does now, or I might have made a way different career choice.”

Since then, Burgess has been fully dedicated to training aged event and weekend horses, as well as coaching Amateur and Non-Pro riders. He has always taken pride in doing the best he can for his horses. The limited number of horses he rides in a year make that possible. The man likes his horses and wants his horses to like him.

Chula Dual (Dual Pep x Smart Fancy Lena x Smart Little Lena) stands out as one of Burgess’ all-time favorite horses. Burgess showed him to place fourth in the 1998 NCHA Open Futurity. That buckle is still the one Burgess wears. The stallion’s winnings made a good deposit into Burgess’ rider earnings.

In 2015, Burgess won the NCHA Limited Open Super Stakes Classic with Gold From Home (WR This Cats Smart x Haidas Little Shorty x Haidas Little Pep).

He rode Littlemak (Starlights Gypsy x Justa Swingin Gal x Justa Swingin Peppy) to win the 2016 Limited Open Super Stakes and the Summer Spectacular Limited Open Derby for owner Steve Anderson.

It was at the 2021 Waco Texas Futurity that Burgess hit that magic $1 million mark. He won the 5/6 Year Old Limited Open Classic on A Groovy Kindof Love (Auspicious Cat x Biscuit Love x Smart Aristocrat) for owner Kenny Thompson. They were also finalists in the 5/6-YearOld Open Classic.

“Achieving the $1 million in earnings and making the [Open Riders] Hall of Fame is validation that I didn’t suck,” said Burgess. “Hard work does pay off. Dragging my poor wife and two kids all over heck-and-a-half of Georgia and not get divorced - that’s a milestone. If it weren’t for Traci, it would not have been possible. I would not have done it. She’s our rock.”

Burgess and his wife Traci raised two children - Tasha and Justin. Now, he’s enjoying a new generation with two grandchildren in the cutting saddle.

“My ten-year-old granddaughter shows a little bit, and I did the Kids Cutting at the Breeder’s Invitational holding my two-year-old grandson in my arms,” Burgess said. “He was having some kind of a ball. The Kids Cutting one reason we go to the B.I.”

Burgess thanks everyone who helped him over the years that made this achievement possible.

At press time, Burgess and Little Puma (Sweet Lil Pepto x Lil Puma x High Brow Cat) are leading the $25,000 Novice Horse standings in his first bid to win the world championship this year. He may get to retire his Futurity buckle for a brand new one yet. ★

ANNIES SMART SPARK 2021 red roan stallion (WR is Cats Smart x Annies One Time, by One Time Pepto). Dam LTE $73,800. Dam’s siblings earned: $109,341. BEERBONGS N BENTLYS 2021 bay stallion (Dual Reyish x One Smoking Cat, by One Time Pepto). 2nd dam LTE $8,705. BLINDED BY TENINA 2021 sorrel stallion (Blind Sided x Teninas Smart Look, by WR is Cats Smart). Dam PE $58,311. Dam’s siblings earned: $359,711. CHICOLENAJACKSON 2021 sorrel mare (Brother Jackson x Chics Stylish Oak, by Smart Chic Olena). Dam LTE $4,890. Dam’s siblings earned: $37,901. CIRCLE V MATILDA 2021 sorrel mare (Hashtags x Spade Carol Fooler, by Whos Foolin). CONSPI ZY THEORY 2021 black stallion (Hashtags x Merry Smooth, by Smooth As A Cat). Dam LTE $14,712. Dam’s siblings earned: $101,482. FIRE STARTER 2021 sorrel mare (Woody Be Tu x Wreckless Chic, by Smart Chic Olena). Dam is a money earner. Dam PE $3,009. Dam’s siblings earned: $35,966. HYYSTERIA 2021 red roan mare (Hashtags x ARC Cat Her Please, by Chic Please). Dam LTE $127,467. Dam PE $140,169. JENNYS PRIMA DONNA 2021 palomino mare (WR is Cats Smart x Jennys Spark, by Shining Spark). Dam LTE $20,116. Dam PE $190,977. KR THE SOLID LOOK 2021 brown mare (Hashtags x Looks Sweeter, by Sweet Lil Pepto). Dam LTE $31,735. Dam’s siblings earned: $82,709. LI E SHINING CAT 2021 sorrel mare (WR is Cats Smart x Shining Madonna, by Shining Spark). 2nd Dam PE $1,454. 2nd Dam’s siblings earned: $24,418. LOUD LUXURY 2021 black stallion (Hashtags x Nod N Smile Baby, by One Time Pepto). Dam LTE $45,660. Dam PE $254,724. MASTERPIECE OF CAKE 2021 sorrel stallion (Dual Reyish x Highbrow Masterpiece, by High Brow Cat). Dam PE $1,200. Dam’s siblings earned: $358,005. ONE BLUE MELODY 2021 red roan stallion (Once In A Blu Boon x Cats Smart Melody, by WR is Cats Smart). Dam’s siblings earned: $225,263. ONE SECRET CAT 2021 sorrel stallion (WR is Cats Smart x Secrets Blue Angel, by One Time Pepto). Dam LTE $25,141. Dam PE $50,626. Dam’s siblings earned: $498,251. PREMIERE PEPTO 2021 red roan stallion (One Time Pepto x Mamas Primadona, by Dual Smart Rey). Dam LTE $65,887. Dam’s siblings earned: $1,353,626.

RED TAG 2021 red roan mare (Hashtags x Meerly (WR is Cats Smart x Annies One Time, by One Red Holly, by Boonsmal Cee Lena). Dam is a money Time Pepto). Dam LTE $73,800. Dam’s siblings earner. REY OF DIAMOND 2021 red roan mare (Stevie Rey Von x Shiners Diamond Lady, by Shining Spark). Dam PE $209,988. Dam’s siblings earned: $169,727. SCR KIT T MONTY 2021 sorrel mare (Kit Kat Sugar x Playin With Monty, by Mr Playinstylish). Dam LTE $26,923. SCR LAST WOODY 2021 sorrel stallion (Woody Be Tu x Jerries Dual Legacy, by Smart Li le Jerry). Dam LTE $200,937. Dam PE $106,291. SMARTLY TWISTING 2021 sorrel stallion (WR is Cats Smart x Twist One Time, by One Time Pepto). Dam LTE $6,450. Dam PE $2,168. Dam’s siblings earned: $522,399. TAGG THIS 2021 red roan stallion (Hashtags x Bet On Finale, by Bet Hesa Cat). Dam LTE $81,525. Dam’s siblings earned: $139,440. TELES ITS OH CAY 2021 bay stallion (Meteles Cat x Oh Cay Meriah, by Light N Lena). Dam LTE $122,537. Dam PE $70,498. Dam’s siblings earned: $717,003. THIS ONE ANNIE 2021 sorrel mare (WR is Cats Smart x Annies One Time, by One Time Pepto). Dam LTE $73,800. Dam’s siblings earned: $109,341. THR SPARK THIS KI Y 2021 palomino mare (Shining Spark x SCR is Cats Parton, by WR is Cats Smart). Dam is a money earner.

(WR is Cats Smart x Jennys Spark, by Shining Spark). Dam LTE $20,116. Dam PE $190,977.

Red Holly, by Boonsmal Cee Lena). Dam is a money earner.