Addy Hall and Scott Henderson turned teamwork and trust into a championship performance at the San Antonio Super Sort, winning the Professional’s Choice #9 Gold Shootout after sorting 17 head in 150.97 seconds across three rounds. The pair earned $7,092 for the victory.
Hall, of Speyton, Texas, and Henderson, from Caldwell, Texas, leaned on a simple but effective strategy that played to their strengths inside the sorting pen. Hall handled the herd while Henderson managed the gate, a division of responsibilities that helped the team stay smooth and efficient through each round.
“She’s excellent in the herd,” Henderson said of Speyton. “And I’m okay in the gate, so, we just ranch handed it.”
Hall sees the win as a key component to her growth in the sport.
“Getting this win really means a lot to me because it helped me become a more confident rider, and believe in myself and my abilities,” she explained. “It especially helped me learn to trust in my partner, my horse, and myself.”
Hall also credited Henderson’s steady presence in the pen for helping the run come together.
“Riding with Scott was amazing,” she said about her sorting partner. “I felt very confident with him in the gate and loved being on his team. He was always kind and encouraging and was a great partner. I hope we get to ride again in the future and hopefully keep winning.”
Hall rode her grandfather’s horse, Tuff Little Dottie (Woody Be Tuff x Smart Spare Tari), known around the sorting pen as “Dottie.” The dependable mare has developed a reputation for being a natural cattle horse.
“She is an amazing sorting horse and handles cattle very well,” Hall said. “She always gives her best when she rides and is an all-around amazing horse. My favorite thing about her is how smooth she sorts. When you get into the herd, she does exactly what you tell her and always delivers.”
Henderson competed aboard the seasoned 2015 mare Some Like The Reyn (Dual Smart Rey x Some Like It Hott), a proven sorting partner that helped anchor the team’s steady performance.
Notably, the win marks a successful return to ranch sorting for Henderson, who took some time away from competition.
“I just missed it,” he said. “I missed hanging out with everybody and riding good horses and all that kind of stuff.”