After several years in retirement, a senior Paint gelding named “Kota” has returned to the ranch sorting arena, proving that heart, grit and good breeding never go out of style. His comeback at the 2025 Cinch RSNC World Finals and a recent showing in Glen Rose, Texas, have delighted longtime fans and reminded many why the gelding remains a standout partner for his owner, horse trainer and ranch sorting coach Dave Schaffner.
A Legacy in His Blood
Kota’s pedigree reads like a who’s who of performance horse royalty. Registered as Kotas Delta Playboy 2015 APHA Hall of Famer and 1986 NCHA Super Stakes Derby champion Delta Flyer on the top and Freckles Playboy on the bottom, Kota (Delta Olena Prince x Brigan Oaks) is bred for cow sense, agility and competition.
“He’s really, really bred,” said Schaffner, who has guided the 2005 APHA gelding through much of his competitive life. “He’s got it in his blood to work, to perform—and he’s always had that mind that makes a great one.”
But Kota’s story isn’t just about his breeding. It’s about resilience, transformation, and the unique bond that can form between a rider and a horse.
From Unwanted to Unforgettable
Before he became a fan favorite, Kota had a rocky start. Originally owned by a less experienced rider. Eventually, the frustrated owner decided to tap Schaffner to help her sell him.
“I brushed him up, put the time into him,” Schaffner said of the then 9-year-old who’d been put to use in the cutting arena. “But nobody wanted to buy him because he’s a Paint, and he’s mostly white, so he gets dirty just looking at something to lay in. So finally I said, ‘Heck with it. I’m going to win on him.’
“I gave $6,500 for him. Best thing I ever did.”
From there, Kota’s star power began to rise. When Schaffner backed him into the box at ropings, the horse proved himself a worthy partner.
“He was wicked,” Schaffner marveled, remembering the time his son Tyler—owner of 2024 AQHA Senior Heading World Champion Starlight Oak 017—tried convincing to let him keep Kota.
In the ranch sorting pens, too, Kota quickly racked up wins and fans.
“He’s got another gear when the gate opens,” Schaffner said. “Some horses hesitate—he leans in.”
Following Schaffner’s World Championship win with Annabelle Terrell in the All Levels class at the 2025 Cinch RSNC World Finals in June, EQN Sports Desk host Amy Wheatley commented on her surprise at seeing Schaffner piloting a different Paint (APHA cutting money earner Sir Winston, owned by George and Angelina Jensen, sponsors of the Chrome Cash World Champion Futurity buckles at this year’s Cinch RSNC World Finals).
“This is a… special bond, because Dave has been riding this horse for a long time,” Wheatley noted as Schaffner revealed his plans to ride Kota in the #18 Bareback/Bridleless World Finals.
“I’m by far the oldest one out there, and Rowdy picks on me,” Schaffner, 65, said of Cinch RSNC announcer Rowdy Fewel. “But you got to have a horse that ain’t going to lose you if you’re not good enough. And Kota just puts me right in between. He’s still got the action but, a lot more than that, I wouldn’t probably do it.”
A Teacher for the Next Generation
In the decade Schaffner has had Kota, the well-mannered gelding also helped newer competitors gain confidence in the saddle. At one memorable ranch sorting event, Kota appeared in seven winning photos—five with his owner and two under saddle with beginners.
“He gives them confidence,” Schaffner said. “If you want a half inch, he’ll give it. He reads the rider and fills in the gaps. That’s rare.”
Young competitors like Terrell, and even international guests like Australia’s Ellen Adams have gotten a chance to ride horses like Kota, thanks to community support and sharing resources at events.
“I’ve put a lot of people on him—beginners—and I guarantee them buckles,” Schaffner said. “I’m not kidding. That horse has taken so many pictures. It’s crazy. If I look back at all my pictures on my phone, that Paint horse just keeps popping up. He’s famous.”
And that’s how the sport grows—when horses like Kota help bring others up.
All the Bareback/Bridleless World Finals fun lives on Ride TV. Watch it On-Demand today.
Setback and Recovery
At the height of his career, Kota developed navicular issues, which often spell retirement for performance horses. He grew sore and stiff, unable to trot or lope comfortably. The decision was made to retire him.
“There were people who saw him limping. He was hurting. He couldn’t move like he used to.”
Schaffner was beginning to debate some tough next steps for Kota.
“I was thinking, ‘What am I going to do with him?’” he said. “Stuff him? Mount him? Bury him? About a week later I got a phone call and here he is three months later with no injections whatsoever. He’s had injections all his life since I’ve had him, since he was 9. And he has none this time. It’s all peptides.”
The phone call Schaffner got was from the team at Equine Performance Peptides. He put Kota on a treatment regimen with the product and has seen such remarkable improvements that Schaffner now reps for the company, too.
The Cinch RSNC World Finals were a test run for Kota’s return. Schaffner figured the horse would be happy to take it easy when they got home, but Kota was ready to keep ranch sorting.
“He looked at me and said, ‘How come I’m not getting in that trailer?’” Dave said of getting ready to haul out to Glen Rose. “He was pushing to go, so we loaded him up.”
Back in the Arena—and Bareback
Kota’s return at the World Finals marked his first time back in the pen in years. Schaffner opted for bareback over going bridleless in the class, trusting the gelding to carry him safely and accurately.
“He made me look good,” said Schaffner, who grew up riding bareback until he got his first saddle at 16. “He fits me. A lot of these young kids ride great bareback now, but it’s not easy. The horse has to move right, and you’ve got to stay in him. Kota still moves for me.”
Though Schaffner and Terrell didn’t make the final round as a team, they did each qualify with other partners. Terrel ended up winning the World Championship with Hunter Brzymialkiewicz, and Schaffner and Kota took Reserve Champion with Adams on her jump-ride.
Still in the Game
Shortly after the Finals, at Glen Rose, the veteran gelding stepped into the pen with a big presence and the big heart Schaffner came to know in Kota’s younger years.
“When he walks into the pen, he doesn’t look back,” Schaffner said of his seasoned mount. “He squares up and steps in like a big man.”
Though his age and past injuries remain, Kota’s passion for the game hasn’t dimmed.
“He’s old and he’s sore, but when he’s in the pen, he’s got another transmission. It’s like I never got off of him.”
— H&R —
