NCHA News

Cutting on the Capital

One event spurred a lifetime of dedication to the cutting horse industry.

By: Callie McCarthy

Boots, spurs and cowboy hats are not the typical attire to see walking the steps of the Nation’s Capital or be in the Oval Office; however, it is exactly what you would have found in the summer of 1984.

The Smithsonian Institute hosted its annual Festival of American Folk Life giving a special focus on Oklahoma’s western and rural community. The event held demonstrations from the equine, oil and farming industries, as well as sharing the native rituals of the Native Americans indigenous to Oklahoma.

Numerous trainers and owners from the Oklahoma equine industry were invited to put on demonstrations during the two-week event. The demonstrations included horseracing, team roping, barrel racing, and cutting. Among those invited was Bruce Cloclasure from Bristow, Oklahoma.

In the early 1980’s, Cloclasure was training cutting horses and competing in registered shows in Oklahoma. At the time, Cloclasure was training cutting horses for Leroy Ashcraft and Dale Robertson, while also coaching Bob Close and Robert Miller in the amateur and non-pro events.

Cloclasure, along with his family, and Close loaded the trailer for Washington, D.C. with some of their top cutting horses, including Triangle Boy Joe, Melody Doc, and Decatur Jack, and headed to D.C.

“I remember pulling in the first day, they had set up a small plastic fence around where we were suppose to do the cutting,” Cloclasure said. “ I explained that was not going to work, the cattle would jump out. They didn’t believe me and unloaded the cattle anyways. Sure enough, the first cow out of the trailer jumped the fence and went loping down the Capital Lawn.”

Cloclasure had to rope the runaway cow on Capital Lawn and drag him back to the herd. He was met by the mounted patrol, who were not thrilled about roping the cow in front of so many spectators.

After watching the cow get lose the mounted patrol and event staff agreed with Cloclasure and a new fence was built that was taller and sturdier.

According to Cloclasure, they did demonstrations every day for two weeks during the event, with the crowds in the tens of thousands each day. The cutting event was unique and unlike anything many of the people at the festival had ever seen.

“For most the people they had only seen horses in the mounted patrol and had never laid eyes on cows before,” said Cloclasure.

One of the horses that Cloclasure brought for the demonstrations was a black stallion named Triangle Boy Joe. He had won numerous titles at the registered shows and went on to be a Top 10 horse in the NCHA.

“At the time of the event, the movie The Black Stallion had just been released, so we had all of the kids running up and asking if he was the horse from the movie,” Cloclasure said. “Jokingly I replied, yes.”

For years after the event, Triangle Boy Joe would get fan mail from kids thinking he was a movie star horse.

Apart from the demonstrations everyday, Cloclasure had the opportunity to attend the Governor’s Dinner, special concerts, and even got to visit with President Reagan in the White House.

“It was a great experience to promote the industry and share the cowboy lifestyle with people,” Cloclasure said. “We got to spread some good will about the cutting horse industry.”

To this day, images of the cutting demonstrations from the Festival of American Folk Life hang in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., as an important reminder of the cowboy lifestyle and western heritage.

“There aren’t many true cowboys left that make their living on the back of a horse, day in and day out,” said Cloclasure. “I am fortunate to be one of them.”

Cloclasure’s love of the heritage and the love of the sport still run deep today. He and his wife, Denise, reside on the Flying C Ranch in Bristow, Oklahoma, where he still trains cutting and performance horses. He maintains strong ties with the Oklahoma heritage and working to promote the cutting events.

Today, Cloclasure and his wife put on introductory cutting clinics across Oklahoma working with people that have an interest in the sport of cutting and the equine industry.

Denise explains these clinics are designed for the beginners in the industry or people who are interested in starting out in the cutting. They cover topics from nutrition and basic horsemanship practices, to learning how to cut their first cow.

“My husband puts on all of his clinics completely for free,” said Denise. “He takes all expenses to draw in new members and let them experience the thrill of when you drop your hand for the first time, and experience that out-of-control sensation of your horse working a cow.”

These types of clinics have brought in many different types of riders and horses, Cloclasure said. They have had barrel horses, pleasure horses, and a large number of the ranch sorting horses coming to learn about the sport of cutting.

“I don’t care what their background with horses is or what type of horse they have,” said Cloclasure. “I want to share the excitement of the sport and help bring them into the industry.”

Cloclasure continues to be an avid supporter of the industry, and encourages current members to share their passions to others, as well. Passion is evident, in all aspects of life, and it can be easy to share and encourage potential members to participate in our sport, on whatever level they can.

“I remember riding my first cutting horse and saying ‘I have got to get one of these! This is the deal.’ It was an old palomino stallion named Beaver Creek,” Cloclasure said. “I was hooked from that moment on.”

To this day, it is that same passion and excitement that Cloclasure has for the sport of cutting and he continues to share it with everyone he meets.