Page 36 • MARCH 2011 • PACIFIC COAST JOURNAL
By, Alex K.W. Schultz Reprinted with permission of The Porterville Recorder
Quitting simply isn’t in Russell Dilday’s
blood. Dilday, a local cowboy
whose ranch is situated near the banks of Deer Creek in Terra Bella California, won theWorld’s Greatest Horseman title in 2008 and 2009. In 2010, how-
ever, the 40-year-old and his small but gritty horse, Slider, experienced a minor setback, falling to fourth place in the prestigious competition in San Angelo, Texas. Many said the 12-year-old horse had lost its spunk. Many said it was time for the
cowboy to hang up his spurs. But Dilday channeled the skepticism into motivation and, on Feb. 6, squashed the naysayers by winning the coveted title for a record third time.
“It was exciting,” Dilday said. “It was unbelievable.” It also was a record-setting
day for Slider, the only horse in cow horse history to win the crown three times. “There could be another person who could win it three times. That record might go down,” Dilday said. “The chances of another horse winning it three times at this com- petition level is going to be pretty hard. That record is going to hold for a long time.” Making the feat all the more impressive is Slider’s size—or lack thereof, to be
more precise. Slider, a sorrel-colored horse whose abundant mane and tail set him apart from many horses, is much smaller than most of his competitors. “He’s not very big,” Dilday said. “He just doesn’t know it.” Dilday, who has competed at theWorld’s Greatest Horseman for 10 years, won a
$30,000 cash prize, saddle and buckle for his efforts. Dilday said the money will be split between him and his close friend, Kevin Cantrelle, who is the horse’s partial owner. Slider now has trotted away with $320,000 in cash prizes and is the highest-earning horse in cow horse history. “Not too many horses can compete at this level for this long, both physically and mentally,” Dilday said. “It’s exceptional for a horse to stay as sound and dedicated in the arena as he has.” At the competition, each horseman is tested in four disciplines: cutting, reining,
steer stopping and fencework. The cutting discipline has the horseman ride into a herd of cattle, separate one cowand hold it away from the herd. In the reining drill, the rider does a designated pattern, which consists of circles, spinning, running and sliding, backing up and lead change. The steer-stopping discipline has the horseman rope a steer and make it turn and face him. In the fence-work discipline, the horseman guides a cow down the long side of the arena, making it turn once each way before taking it to the middle of the arena and having it run in one full circle in each direction. “There are so many ways to fail,” Dilday said. “Any one little mistake, and you’re out.” Dilday began training with Slider when the horse was only 2 years old.A couple
of years later, Dana Roulet, Slider’s original owner, decided she wanted to sell the horse. “I was afraid of losing him,” Dilday said. Dilday and JohnWard agreed to part- ner in buying the horse. Seven years ago, Cantrelle, Dilday’s wife Tanna’s childhood friend, purchased Ward’s share. Dilday said he is glad he stuck with Slider, making big things happen with anything but a big horse. “I always loved him,” Dilday said. “He has a lot of heart. When it gets hard, he just bears down.” Slider has a collection of trophies and a pile of cash to prove it, too.
Photos by Primo Morales, provided courtesy of the NRCHA Cowboy Rides Into History
Co-Reserve Champions Ron Emmons
Co-Reserve Champions Todd Crawford
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