Shelby Cawthon, of Hillsboro, Texas, and DeRoy White, DVM, of Mounds, Oklahoma, turned in a time of 218.92 seconds on 32 head across four rounds to become World Champions in the #10 Masters at the 2026 Cinch RSNC World Finals, worth $8,930.
All the Confidence in the World
Cawthon had come to the World Finals for years without cracking the top 10, until the pieces fell into place with friend White at her side.
“I’ve never made it back to the top 10 in anything,” said Cawthon, a member of the Cinch RSNC Silver Hall of Fame. “And then to actually win the class… there’s no words.”
White, a Hall of Famer who ranks among the Top 10 winningest members of the Cinch RSNC, was equally pleased with the partnership.
“Riding with Shelby gives me all the confidence in the world,” White said. “She’s nice and smooth and, when I leave the gate, I don’t worry about what’s going to happen because I know she’s going to take care of it.”
The duo were ninth in the draw, allowing them to see what needed to be done to secure the win. Houston Heidelberg and Rochelle Rondy put together a strong ride, meaning Cawthon and White needed nine head.
White offered his partner some simple and sage advice.
“Let’s just go ride our ride,” he told Cawthon.
During their post-win interview on the EQN Sports Desk with Amy Wheatley, White shared his theory on the name of the Masters class.
“It’s called the Masters because we’re a lot wiser,” White said in good humor. “Not older, but wiser.”
Tamu’s Last Hurrah
White rode his 20-year-old mare, Tamu Catolena (Cats Headliner x Colonel Ray Jaylena, by Tamulena), a horse on which he has earned $196,605 in the ranch sorting pen.
“My mare and I made it to the All Levels finals here last year, but she got crippled,” White explained. “We worked some magic on her, and I brought her back at the first of the year,” White said. “I am thinking this World Finals is her last hurrah.”
White credits the mare’s longevity to upkeep, not luck.
“The horses that’ll last like my mare has, you need to do maintenance on ‘em,” White said. “Just like driving a truck, you do maintenance. They get sore, and you just have to take care of them.”
Cawthon’s New No. 1
Cawthon nearly didn’t ride the gelding that carried her to the win. A last-minute switch put her aboard Colored N Hot (Color Me Smart x Kinda Hot In Here, by Spots Hot), a 9-year-old APHA gelding known as “Nacho.”
“My No. 1 horse came up limping a little bit, so I didn’t want to ride him,” said Cawthon, who has been sorting with her husband for nearly 30 years. “I took Nacho just to see how he did, and he stepped up and played the game. He might be my No. 1 now.”
Cawthon has only owned Nacho a few months. Before that, he was hauled by Matt Stevens and Katie Stanley.
“He’s really smooth and easy to ride. He just kind of glides across the pen,” Cawthon said. “He knows the game. He knows his job, and that’s what he does.”
More Wins from the Week
In addition to earning her first World Champion title at the 2026 World Finals, Cawthon also capitalized on a Fast Go Bonus in the Cinch #13 Gold Shootout worth $1,109, boosting her payout from the week to $5,574.
White wasn’t finished with his Masters earnings, so he also went to the pay window with his 10th-place finish in the class. After capturing a Fast Go Bonus in the #10 Western Heritage Legends class, White went home with $5,098 more in lifetime earnings.
#10 Masters Handicap — 2026 World Finals Champions
| Champions | Shelby Cawthon (Hillsboro, Texas) & DeRoy White (Mounds, Oklahoma) |
| Winning run | 218.92 on 32 head |
| First-place payout | $8,930 |
| Total class payout | $34,550 |
Top 10 Payouts
| Place | Team | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DeRoy White / Shelby Cawthon | $8,930 |
| 2 | Houston Heidelberg / Rochelle Rondy | $6,220 |
| 3 | Jeff Mehmen / Tammy Keith | $3,734 |
| 4 | Carl Kraker / Jose Ponciano Sanchez | $3,572 |
| 5 | Michelle Carnahan / David Carnahan | $2,442 |
| 6 | Jim Rondy / Wally Hays | $2,010 |
| 7 | Chris Sullivan / Brent Haile | $1,724 |
| 8 | Ron Vanderziel Jr. / Robin Woessner | $1,436 |
| 9 | Steve Freiheit / Wayne Sharrock | $1,148 |
| 10 | Tom Roberts / DeRoy White | $1,006 |
