Sadie Kunze and Stacy Kaiser climbed to the top of the highly competitive Laredo Conversions #10, sorting 31 head of cattle in just 212.17 seconds to win $10,858 in earnings and World Champion buckles.
As the eighth draw in the final round, Kunze and Kaiser witnessed how difficult the cattle were, with five teams ahead of them receiving a no time. Opting to play it smart, the duo strategized the best way to gain the top spot.
“When we went in, we knew where we were sitting… especially since we had such a good draw,” Kaiser said. “We ended up for sure trying to get one. Sadie went in and [the number called] was on top, so it laid really nice. We were told to just play them out… play it safe.”
As the final team exited the pen, the duo from Wisconsin knew that they were walking away with more than $10,000. Due to an additional incentive, though, Kunze was taking home even more.
The Trailblazer Incentive, started by trainers Matt Stevens and Kody Ward, was created to reward riders who are elevating their ranch sorting game by paying out additional prize money to eligible horses. To qualify, a horse finishing in the top 10 of the Laredo Conversions #10 must have been purchased from either Matt Stevens Performance Horses or the Wards’ Lazy JWC Ranch within two years of the start of the class. Top 10 finalists were eligible for a $1,000 incentive, but Kunze, who purchased her horse from Stevens just days prior, found herself holding an incentive check for $5,000 for taking the win on a Stevens horse—starting their new partnership off on a high note.
“The first time I rode her was in the #10 class,” Kunze said of the 2016 red roan, Sweet Koko Cat (Sweet Lil Pepto x Cats Hot Koko), nicknamed “Patches.”
Kaiser’s 2015 gelding, Swiss Tuff (Woody Be Tuff x Swiss Cat) is no stranger to the World Finals pen and, last year, led Kaiser to a top five placing in the sale class.
“He is my heart horse,” she said about “Ramble,” whom she purchased from Joel Lesh two years ago. “I feel he’s really upped my game, and this was a really big, awesome win. He’s wonderful.”
Although their horses are relatively new to them, Kunze and Kaiser have been sorting together for more than six years and feel that their knowledge of each other’s riding styles and communication contributed to their success at the 2025 Cinch RSNC 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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