From the cutting pen to ranch sorting and team roping, too, Catty Hawk’s influence now spans decades of Western performance horses, surpassing $4 million in progeny earnings.
Built for versatility
Physically, Catty Hawk brings attributes that translate well across disciplines. Standing at 14.3 hands, he carries substantial bone and foot—traits inherited from his Peppy San Badger bottom side.
“He’s a big, strong horse with big feet,” owner Michelle Cowan said. “That size really helps, especially when you start talking about roping and sorting.”
That versatility has shown up not only in ranch sorting, but also in the rope horse futurity arena, where Tate Kirchenschlager and My Kinda Crazee won the 2025 American Rope Horse Futurity Association (ARHFA) 4-and-Under Pre-Futurity World Championship with a score of 914.06 on four head, earning $21,220.
Why Catty Hawk works in Ranch Sorting
While cutting and ranch sorting share common ground, the demands of the sorting pen are distinct: quicker reads, more forward motion, and a premium on agility and teamwork.
“You really have to have a user-friendly horse,” Cowan explained. “They need to be quick-footed, agile, and good-minded. You don’t necessarily want something with a huge, deep stop—sometimes that can actually work against you.”
Catty Hawk, she said, offers a different kind of athleticism.
“He has a very quick-to-the-ground stop—not super deep, but very efficient,” Cowan explained. “I think that trait works extremely well in ranch sorting.”
That theory has been proven in competition. At the 2025 Ranch Sorting World Championships, Catty Hawk offspring captured wins across multiple divisions, including:
- Cohiba Cat – Winner, #18 3-Man, 2-Horse
Owned by Alexis Y. Holt, ridden by Kai Clark
- Hawk N Roll – Winner, APHA Chrome Cash Non-Pro Futurity
Owned by Tracey O’Neil, ridden by Rey Echeto
- Oaklie – Winner, All Levels
Owned by Amy Koesters, ridden by Cheyenne Koesters
- One Catty Badger – Winner, Total Feeds #8
Owned and ridden by Cherrie Mahon
Another standout, Northern Lightz (Gigi), a Catty Hawk mare owned by longtime ranch sorting competitor Colette Lesh, has amassed an impressive résumé and remains a prized, irreplaceable mount in Lesh’s program.
A Stallion the Cowans didn’t seek
The 2005 stallion was bred by Jack Waggoner and purchased by the Cowan family as a 3-year-old ahead of the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity.
Sired by $97 million stallion High Brow Cat and out of Peppy San Badger mare Scarlet Dance, Catty Hawk built his reputation in the cutting pen, earning $240,297 in NCHA competition between 2008 and 2013 and etching his name into sire stardom in the years since.
His first foal crop hit the ground in 2011 and, in 2026, the now-21-year-old is gearing up for his 16th breeding season at Weatherford Equine in Texas.
A majority of Catty Hawk’s $4 million in progeny earnings may have come from the cutting pen, but in recent years, the sorrel rabicano has been making a splash in other disciples—most notably ranch sorting, where his get are proving that cow sense paired with the right mind can be a winning formula.
That momentum peaked in 2025, when Catty Hawk finished as the No. 1 sire at the Cinch RSNC Finals, solidifying his place as a serious player in the ranch sorting world.
Owned by Michelle and her husband, Billy Cowan, Catty Hawk wasn’t a calculated stallion purchase—he was a horse that simply stood out.
“We were riding with Sean Flynn at the time and had been doing some reining and cow horse, then started focusing more on cutting to improve our herd work,” Cowan said. “We were watching his 3-year-olds and Catty Hawk really wowed us. We weren’t looking for a stud at all—we just loved him and bought him.”
That decision would quietly reshape the Cowans’ program. Catty Hawk’s first full foal crop included Billies Catty, a mare that went on to earn $227,423 in the cutting pen and is now a cornerstone broodmare for the family.
Catty Hawk’s X-Factor: his mind
Ask Cowan what separates Catty Hawk from other elite cow horse sires, and the answer comes without hesitation.
“His mind—above anything else,” she said. “He’s a very kind stud. Anybody can walk up to him and pet him. He loves attention, loves cookies, and acts like a gelding. My kids have all ridden him since they were little, and that’s not something I’d compromise on in a stud.”
That temperament wasn’t just a management bonus—it was a performance asset.
“He was very easy to train, never wanted to be in trouble, and always gave 120%,” Cowan said. “He’s extremely cow-smart, but he’s not hot. I think that’s what he’s passed on so consistently to his babies.”
That combination—cow sense without excess excitement—has proven especially valuable as Catty Hawk’s offspring find homes in ranch sorting, where usability and rideability are just as important as raw ability.
Still Making an Impact at 21
Now 21 years old, Catty Hawk remains a fixture in the Cowans’ program, spending the offseason at home before heading to Weatherford Equine for breeding season—a partnership Cowan credits as key to his longevity and consistency.
With continued success in cutting, ranch sorting, cow horse, and roping, Catty Hawk’s influence shows no signs of slowing.
“I love that he’s such a versatile stud,” Cowan said. “As the industry continues to evolve and people look for horses that can do more, I think his numbers are only going to keep going up.”
For a stallion built on cow sense, kindness, and usability, Catty Hawk’s expanding legacy feels less like a surprise—and more like a natural progression.