Ranch sorting is growing faster than ever—and the horsepower behind the champions is following suit. By examining the pedigrees of 40 winning horses at the 2025 Cinch RSNC World Finals, a few sires clearly stand above the rest. Here are the top performing sires in ranch sorting.

1. Catty Hawk

Catty Hawk (High Brow Cat x Scarlet Dance) is a 2005 sorrel stallion double registered with the AQHA and APHA. According to QData, he earned $240,297 in NCHA competition between 2008 and 2013, with standout performances in major aged events. He produced his first foal crop in 2011, and since then, his offspring have earned more than $4.1 million—not including ranch sorting earnings. As a direct son of High Brow Cat, he carries forward one of the most powerful sire lines in the Western performance world.

Catty Hawk’s 2025 Ranch Sorting World Champs

Cohiba Cat (Hey Looky Here, by Dual Rey)

• Winner of the #18 3-Man, 2-Horse

• Owned by Alexis Y Holt, ridden by Kai Clark

Hawk N Roll (Reyl Purdy, by Dual Rey)

• Winner of the APHA Chrome Cash Non-Pro Futurity

• Owned by Tracey Oneil, ridden by Rey Echeto

Oaklie (Seven S Gun Moll, by Playgun)

• Winner of the All Levels— Watch her winning run!

• Owned by Amy Koesters, ridden by Cheyenne Koesters

One Catty Badger (Montanas Dual Badger, by Reys Dual Badger)

• Winner of the Total Feeds #8

• Owned and ridden by Cherrie Mahon

2/3. High Brow Cat (tie)

High Brow Cat (High Brow Hickory x Smart Little Kitty) is a 1988 chestnut AQHA stallion and one of the most influential sires in Western performance history. According to QData, the legendary sorrel retired in 1995 having earned $110,784 in NCHA competition before becoming a record-breaking, Hall of Fame sire. “Cat” went on to produce earners of more than $96 million across cutting, cow horse, reining, and ranch events—making him both an NCHA and an AQHA all-time leading sire. His impact continues through multiple generations, with sons and grandsons like Metallic Cat, Smooth As A Cat, WR This Cats Smart and, notably, Catty Hawk carrying on his prolific legacy.

2/3. Hottish (tie)

Hottish (Spots Hot x Stylish Play Lena) is a 2008 AQHA sorrel stallion who has made a name for himself both in the show pen and as a sire. According to QData, Hottish earned $301,200 in NCHA competition, highlighted by victories at the 2012 NCHA Derby and multiple major aged-event finals. His first foal crop arrived in 2014, and his offspring quickly made their mark in cutting, cow horse, and other performance arenas. To date, Hottish has sired earners of more than $10 million and, just this year, he made rank as an NRCHA Million Dollar Sire.

Hottish’s 2025 Ranch Sorting World Champs

Sires of note

Each of the following sires produced two world champion horses at this year’s Cinch RSNC World Finals

• Bamacat (High Brow Cat x MH San Tules Dually)
• Bet Hesa Cat (High Brow Cat x Bet Yer Blue Boons)
• Dual Rey (Dual Pep x Nurse Rey)
• Metallic Cat (High Brow Cat x Chers Shadow)
• Smooth As A Cat (High Brow Cat x Shes Pretty Smooth)

3 most predominant lineages

High Brow Cat (1988) plays a significant role in producing top-performing ranch sorting horses. Though he didn’t directly sire the most world champions this year, his name appears 20 times when looking at the list of paternal and maternal grandsires and another seven times when looking at great-grandsires. Three world champion horses show High Brow Cat twice when looking at four generations, including Hawk N Roll, of whom High Brow Cat is the paternal grandsire and the sire of his maternal granddam. In total, High Brow Cat holds 30 places in the pedigrees of 40 world champion ranch sorting horses.

By comparison, Dual Rey (1994) is the second-most prevalent sire, holding 13 spaces. As mentioned above, Dual Rey is the direct sire of two world champion horses, and he is the grandsire of seven (though he appears eight times due to being the paternal and maternal grandsire of Asturia, winner of the Hyer #11 Rookie). In the great-grand category, he appears three times.

On the heels of Dual Rey is Peptoboonsmal (Peppy San Badger x Royal Blue Boon), the 1992 sire who appears 11 times in the lineages of these 40 world champion ranch sorting horses. Though this $28 million stallion didn’t directly sire any of this year’s champions, he is the grandsire of four and appears in the fourth generation column seven times.

Editor’s Note: There is no official tracking available for ranch sorting horses. Data and results found here are published in good faith but may be edited if more information comes to light.

— H&R —

More horse stories from the archives