For Laura Latt and Aric Adams, the stars aligned as they sorted 20 head through four rounds in 193.33 seconds, earning them the #4 Non-Handicap World Championship and a $9,344 paycheck.
An elite nine teams returned to the 2025 Cinch RSNC World Finals #4 Non-Handicap championship round, where the duo from Ocala, Florida, climbed through the field, sorting first to set an early lead that no one else was able to touch.
Latt and Adams are relatively new to the sport of ranch sorting, both only beginning a year ago. This team rides together regularly, which helped them to know each other’s strengths in the pen and how best they can each move the cattle. Both Latt and Adams agreed that was an instrumental element to their success as they worked through the pens of tough cattle.
“It’s fun,” Latt said her new-found love for the sport. “It’s a combination of [loving] horses and it’s adrenaline and it’s challenging. It’s different every time. It’s the perfect world where it doesn’t get old or boring, and you get to meet some great people and ride incredible horses.”
Latt had three impressive equine partners that contributed to her success in the #4 class, but it was Full Metal Jacket (Metallic Cat x MH Short Lena Ultimo)—nicknamed “Reckless” after Sgt. Reckless, the highly decorated warhorse who served with the Marines in the Korean War—that carried Latt to the lead in the final round.
Adams, a veterinarian, credits ranch sorting with reigniting his passion for riding. Despite having team roped competitively his whole life, Adams explained that 80- to 100-hour work weeks took a toll on his desire to be in the saddle.
“I work on them every day,” he said. “I didn’t want to ride.”
However, after his wife, Teresa, began purchasing horses to ranch sort on, Adams could feel his excitement returning. Eventually, he gave in and tacked up.
“I thought they looked like cool horses, and I got on one and I was like, ‘Whew, I didn’t know a horse could do this…’ Now, I’m addicted.”
Adams’ road to the World Finals wasn’t all smooth sailing. His horse, who he had planned to ride, injured himself in the pasture, fracturing his splint bone. Although he is expected to make a smooth recovery, Adams found himself needing a horse, and needing one fast.
He turned to his trainer, Cinch RSNC Open rider, producer, and judge, Josh Cochran, who was kind enough to lend Adams his Open horse, Highbrow Superdog (War Bird Dog x Too Highbrow), fondly known as “Jett.”
The pair connected, and soon Adams purchased the gelding, only a short three weeks before the World Finals.
This article appears in the Summer 2025 issue of The Ranch Sorter, featuring World Champion stories, event recaps, regional results, and more.
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