Cat D7’s story is one every ranch sorter loves to hear: Once an overlooked 2-year-old, he now holds the title of Cinch RSNC Pro-Futurity Champion after winning the APHA Chrome Cash Pro Futurity at the Cinch RSNC World Finals.
But his story wasn’t always so glamourous. When Cat D7 (Cat Smart Boonsmal x Macs Little Rey) first walked into Mike Weldon’s barn in Veedersburg, Indiana, as a 2-year-old, his owner’s plan was simple: get him started and then sell him.
At first glance, the flashy red roan looked like the kind of colt that would move quickly. He had the color, the look and the breeding that tends to attract attention.
But as time passed and the young horse began to blossom in training, Mike realized there was something unique about the gelding who earned the barn name “Mouse.”
After months of trying to sell him, it became clear that he wasn’t going anywhere. That’s when a deal came together. Mike made an offer on Mouse and added the young gelding to his string of ranch sorting horses.
“I knew what he was,” Mike said. “There was no sense in letting him go. He had potential.”
A Kind Heart with the Drive to Succeed
It didn’t take long for Mouse’s personality to shine through. He wasn’t the type to stand off in a corner or avoid people—he was the one watching, waiting and stepping forward. His curious nature earned him an “in your pocket” reputation without being a pest.
“You go in, he looks at the barn, he wants petted,” Mike said. “He just wants to be with you. He’s just as sweet as can be. Usually, he doesn’t have a bad day.”
That consistent sweetness set Mouse apart in the string. Mike and his daughter, Logan, didn’t just see a pretty roan, they found a horse with the kind of demeanor that makes the long days of training worthwhile. Mouse became the horse they could count on to greet them at the gate; a steady presence who made everyone want to spend time with him.
Handily, his kind nature matched his drive to learn. Mouse put his all into his training, quickly excelling and proving he has what it takes to succeed in the sorting pen.
“He just wanted to learn,” Mike said, explaining how quickly the roan took to working cattle. “He’s always had that desire about learning and doing stuff.”
Even further confirming that Mouse was at the right place, when Mike looked into the horse’s history, he was surprised to realize he had been born just down the road.
“Come to find out,” Mike began, “he was a half hour from the house where he came from. Our horseshoer shod him as a baby, trimming him and stuff. He came back full circle.”
A Strong Start to his Show Career
From early on, Mouse showed promise. Even before he was at the Weldons’, he was collecting checks as a yearling at shows in the in-hand ranch classes. That foundation made it easier to bring him along slowly, giving him confidence while keeping the pressure light.
By his 2-year-old year, Mouse was getting out to see the ranch sorting world.
“We hauled him to Congress and didn’t show him, just got him out and rode him around,” Mike said. “Then we brought him to Garwood in April…and made two back to the top 10 on him. Then I think we showed him a couple of times at my parents’ place, and then we showed him at Fort Worth. He’s been around a little bit.”
That mileage proved valuable when it came time to put him on cattle in high-pressure settings. Mouse showed he wasn’t the type to get rattled.
“He sees something, he wants to go to it,” Mike said. “Not scared about it.”
In June this year, with only one chance in the Cinch RSNC World Finals to win the APHA Chrome Cash Pro Futurity, the Mike and Logan put all their faith and trust in their training as they entered Mouse and 4-year-old Docs Highstylin Whiz (Shizzle Whizzle x Wild Cat Desire) owned by Lauren Malmberg.
The father-daughter duo sorted 23 head in 147.25 seconds to climb to the top of a stacked field of the top ranch sorters in the country, walking away victorious with a $7,926 paycheck.
“There’s a lot of potential there,” Mike said of Cat D7 and the risk they took in entering the class. “But it takes time to get ’em where you want to get ’em at… and just sit on ’em and be patient.”
His patience paid off as their run blew the other teams out of the water, not only marking an important highlight in Mouse’s career, but also a special moment for Logan, who piloted the 3-year-old in the class with her dad.
“It’s been a long time since Dad and I won together,” Logan said. “We really brought it back pretty strong.”
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More Than a Money Horse
Looking ahead, Mike is focused on giving the gelding time to grow into himself.
“We want longevity,” he said. “We’re not planning to sell him. That’s not what we’re looking at from this one.”
From a nearly overlooked 2-year-old to a major futurity champion and rising star in the sorting pen, Mouse has shown the kind of grit and heart that defines a great ranch sorting horse. He has the personality that makes him a barn favorite, the work ethic that makes him a competitor, and the consistency that gives his team confidence every time he steps into the pen.
Mouse isn’t just a pretty face anymore. He’s the horse that kept showing up, kept trying, and became a World Champion.
—H&R—
