The Cinch RSNC Northeast Regional Super Sort brought big action and even bigger payouts to Columbiana, Ohio, as the recently launched Northeast Circuit made its live debut. Held April 18–20 at Garwood Arena, the event offered $20,000 in added money, trophy saddles, and top-tier awards, and these Gold Shootout Champions beat tough competition to win big. One ranch sorter rode her way into the top four spots of the Professional’s Choice #9 Gold Shootout, and directly to the pay window.

Couldn’t make it in person? You can still catch all the runs on-demand, exclusively on Ride TV.

Familiar Names Top Leaderboard in Cinch #13 Gold Shootout

The winning team of Tanner Keith and Harper Grace Pierce took home the coveted title of the Cinch #13 Gold Shootout Champs in Columbiana, Ohio. With a check for $4,508, and a time of 161.16 seconds on 29 head in 3 rounds, this duo came out on top of a field of gritty ranch sorters riding for the big win.

Tanner Keith, a seasoned veteran of the winners circle, took home three go-round wins in Columbiana. His Gold Shootout win was accompanied by a championship in the Western Heritage All Levels alongside Sidney Rasmunssen, as well as a first in the #15 3-Man, 2-Gate with Randy Moore and Eli Taylor.

Harper Grace Pierce is also familiar with the title of Champion. The talented youth rider teamed up with Steve Freiheit to take home $8,888 in the Professionals Choice #9 Gold Shootout, down in Waco, Texas.

Read about Harper Grace’s win and the rest of the Cinch RSNC Regional Gold Shootout winners in the Spring issue of The Ranch Sorter.

Champions of the Professionals’ Choice #9 Gold Shootout

Darren Roberts of Kent, New York alongside his partner, Aubree Coker, championed the $10,000 added Professional’s Choice #9 Gold Shootout at the Northeast Regional Super Sort. The duo clocked a blazing time of 159.48 seconds on 25 head across three rounds, earning a $7,152 paycheck and proving unstoppable in the pen.

As Gold Shootout Champions were interview after the class, Roberts credited the team’s success to Coker, a Florida resident who was rode on the top four winning teams in the class. But don’t be fooled, Roberts was a reliable and solid sorting partner, and the team worked fluidly to sort out their cows in 159.48 seconds on 25 head in 3 rounds.

Aubree Coker Makes Clean Sweep of Top Four Spots

It was certainly a dominant showing from Aubree Coker in the Professional’s Choice #9 Gold Shootout in Columbiana, Ohio, where she claimed the top four placings, including the first-place win in the #9. Riding two of her trusted horses, Biggie and Beth, Coker was up back-to-back throughout most of the short round, showcasing her precision, grit, and a calm-under-pressure mindset.

Coker split her rides between the two standout horses. For three rides she was mounted on Beth, an 11-year-old mare affectionately named for the infamous Beth Dutton. Her first-place win came aboard her veteran gelding Biggie, also known as Stiffler to the ranch sorting community.

“Biggie’s 16, he’s kind of my old man. He’s what we call a ‘crutch horse’, the one you get on and go.” Coker notes that Beth has been in her string for awhile, but they parted ways at the Columbiana show. “I actually sold her while I was up there to Miss Cherrie Mahon. Cherrie rode her at the show the next day and she did awesome on her, so it worked out really well.”

When it came to a game plan, Coker says that her back-to-back runs had her unsure of where she sat in the standings, so she just wanted to ride her game. “I didn’t even really know where I was sitting going into the short go,” she laughed. “It was kind of embarrassing, I just said to Darren, ‘Who’s going first? Is it me again?’ There wasn’t much of a game plan. We just did our best and it worked out really well.”

Deep Roots in Ranch Sorting

Aubree Coker’s journey in ranch sorting began when she was a kid, riding at shows hosted by her aunt, Debbie Hendry. “She used to run RSNC shows there,” Coker recalled. “That’s where I started, but honestly, I don’t remember much of it, I was really young.” Coker then took a break from the sport, and it wasn’t until 2021 that she stepped back into the RSNC arena, attending a show hosted by Liz McClendon.

“We showed there for about a season, from October through June, and then we started traveling more to out-of-state shows.” Her first major breakthrough came at the Eastern States Finals in Tennessee, a trip that changed everything. “That was my first really big show, and I actually won my first belt buckle and saddle there,” she said. “I went from zero to one hundred, that’s when we really started getting into it.”

Now, Coker competes regularly and continues to travel across the country; currently in the midst of an almost 10-hour drive to a South Carolina show. And she’s already gearing up for the Cinch RSNC World Finals in June, keeping her horses legged up and tuned with regular riding and upcoming events in South Carolina and Missouri. Coker notes that she recently added a new horse to her string named Ace, so she’ll be focused on keeping the new addition and Biggie in tip-top shape for finals.

“We just try to stay in shape and keep the horses sharp, so I usually ride my horses four times a week. It’s gonna be hot in Fort Worth, we want them ready.”

A Winner’s Mindset

When it comes to staying cool, calm, and collected in the sorting pen—even among back-to-back short round runs—Coker’s mindset is one shaped as much by experience as by the camaraderie and light-hearted competition within her group.

“Our group in Georgia, they all like to joke around and smack talk a little,” she said. “I try to stay out of it, I’m sensitive sometimes, so I just try to be humble.” Still, she laughs about occasionally getting roped into the razzing. “They’ll be like, ‘C’mon, talk some smack,’ so I’ll say something like, ‘Yeah, I kicked your butt last time,’ and then the next show I’m like, ‘Okay, let’s stay humble again.’”

Her focus remains consistent: perform smart, not flashy. “My mindset going into every class is just to get checks, let’s cover the entry fees because you never know what’s gonna happen. Then we can focus on the next class. Of course, if you can win it, you go for it, but don’t be stupid about it.”

On to the Next One

The Florida gal is off and running to her next show, and notes that she’s been traveling further, and further away from home. After multiple wins in Perry, Georgia, and good luck down in Houston, Texas, her winning streak is still running hot. As Coker continues down the road to her next show, Columbiana already a memory in the rearview mirror, we’re looking forward to watching this handy ranch sorter (and all the rest), ride at the Cinch RSNC World Finals.