On June 6, 2026, a relatively new partnership stood at the top of the leaderboard at the National Reined Cow Horse Association Non Pro Derby in Scottsdale, Arizona. Jayson “JJ” Fisher and Scooter Rabbit combined consistency across all three phases of competition to claim the Non Pro Derby championship and a $10,500 payday.
When Opportunity Calls, You Answer
Fisher wasn’t actively shopping for his next derby horse when Scooter Rabbit (Scooter Kat x Cut N Klassy) entered the picture.
Instead, the Nipomo, California, horseman and construction business owner found himself spending time at the Texas facility of NRCHA $3 million rider Justin Wright, working on his arena. It was there that Fisher first got the opportunity to climb aboard the 2022 stallion known as “Rabbit.”
“I had been watching him; he’s amazing. Justin had done very well with him,” Fisher said.
While under Wright’s guidance, Rabbit earned more than $45,000 in lifetime earnings, according to QData.
What began as an opportunity to ride the horse quickly evolved into something more. Fisher recognized Rabbit’s talent almost immediately, and soon the pair were preparing for one of the NRCHA’s biggest events.
Finding Their Rhythm
Although the partnership was still developing heading into Scottsdale, Fisher felt the pieces beginning to come together as the show progressed.
“The herd work was where we probably started clicking first,” Fisher said. “The timing of that got really good and he naturally wants to do it. Once I figured him out, the show became easier and easier.”
That chemistry was evident from the start. Fisher and Rabbit tied with Stephen Silva on Danny Be Tuff (Woody Be Tuff x CR Stylish Danny Rey) for the top score in the preliminary herd work with a 218 before improving to a 219 in the finals. Combined with a 219 rein work score and a solid fence run, the pair assembled the performance needed to secure the championship.
As successful as Rabbit proved throughout the derby, Fisher believes the stallion’s greatest strength may be his work down the fence.
“I think his best event is down the fence,” Fisher said. “As good as he is in the other ones, I don’t think I’ve even begun to tap into that one. It’s just so easy for him. He just goes and does it.”
Their 221.5 down the fence earned them the tie for the top spot in the fence finals alongside Paris Starn on Rascal Rey (Stevie Rey Von x Reysin Autumn).
“He just didn’t miss a beat,” Fisher said in his EQN Sports Desk interview. “He’s amazing, it was really easy for him, I felt like I could’ve had a much tougher cow.”
Family Ties
“I used to team pen, and I rode a couple of ex-cow horses and couldn’t believe how they felt,” Fisher said. “I just fell in love with how broke they were and just kind of always wanted to do it.”
Once he made the transition, the sport quickly became a family affair. Fisher’s wife, Teresa, and son, Wyatt, have become integral parts of the operation, especially during major events like the NRCHA Kimes Ranch Derby.
With Fisher entering five derby horses in Scottsdale, the family stayed busy throughout the week, helping manage the demands of competition while supporting one another behind the scenes.
“I’m happy with the win, and I love them,” Fisher said. “They were a big help.”
The Non Pro Derby championship wasn’t Fisher’s only success in Scottsdale. He also partnered with Travelinanmoonshine (Cats Moonshine x Travalin Miss Mosa) to finish fourth in the World’s Greatest Non Pro and collect an additional $6,050 in lifetime earnings.
Scooter Kat’s Lasting Influence
Rabbit’s Derby title also highlighted the continued influence of one of the reined cow horse industry’s most accomplished sires.
A son of Scooter Kat, Rabbit is part of a bloodline Fisher knows well. In fact, he owns eight Scooter Kat offspring of all ages.
“We love them,” Fisher said. “Ever since the first year, we’ve been buying and training them.”
According to Fisher, the traits that have made Scooter Kat’s offspring so successful are the same qualities that attracted him to Rabbit.
“They’re easy to put a nice big stop on in the reining, and then they stop so good with a cow,” he said. “They just naturally stop and go to the ground.”
Their trainability is equally important.
“They’re very easy to get along with and just very trainable,” Fisher said. “That’s probably their biggest asset.”
Rabbit wasn’t the only Scooter Kat offspring making noise in Scottsdale. Danielle Griffiths and Vesspa (Scooter Kat x Tangledupinblu) captured the Intermediate and Limited Non Pro Derby championships, further showcasing the stallion’s impact across multiple divisions.