Background
Raised in the Sport — A Cutting Horse Family in Alabama
Austin Shepard is an American cutting horse trainer and competitor known for his accomplishments in National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) competition and for becoming one of the leading money earners in the history of the sport. Based in Summerdale, Alabama, Shepard built a career marked by major futurity victories, world championships, and consistent success in elite aged-event cutting competition.
Shepard grew up around cutting horses and cattle. He is the son of Sam Shepard, a respected horse trainer and member of the NCHA Members Hall of Fame. Austin Shepard learned horsemanship and cutting fundamentals through his father's program and from observing leading trainers within the industry. In interviews, Shepard has stated that he spent time around horsemen including Bill Riddle, Ronnie Rice, Pat Earnheart, and other influential cutting trainers during his development as a rider.
Although he spent part of his youth involved in traditional school sports after moving into the city with his mother, Shepard continued riding horses during summers and while spending time with his father. This limited exposure to horses during parts of his childhood increased his interest in the sport and strengthened his desire to pursue cutting professionally.
The Sport
Cutting — Cow Sense, Athleticism, and Instinct
Cutting is a western performance horse discipline in which a horse and rider separate a single cow from a herd and prevent it from returning. The discipline emphasizes a horse's athleticism, responsiveness, and instinctive ability to read cattle — commonly referred to as "cow sense."
Shepard eventually established Austin Shepard Cutting Horses in Summerdale, Alabama, where he developed a professional training operation focused on futurity, derby, and aged-event cutting horses. Over time, his program became recognized nationally for producing high-level open horses and finalists in major NCHA competitions.
Major Victories
Two NCHA Open Futurities and a World Championship
One of the defining moments of Shepard's career came in 2007 when he won the NCHA Open Futurity riding High Brow CD. The NCHA Futurity is widely considered one of the premier events in the cutting horse industry and serves as a showcase for elite three-year-old cutting horses. Shepard later won the NCHA Open Futurity again in 2017 aboard Dual Reyish, making him a two-time champion of the event.
Shepard also earned recognition in annual world standings competition. He won the NCHA Open World Championship in 2017 with Deluxe Checks and rode Thomas E Hughes (2009), Bet Hesa Cat (2011), and Bamacat (2015) to World Champion Stallion titles during his career.
- 2007 NCHA Open Futurity Champion — High Brow CD
- 2017 NCHA Open Futurity Champion — Dual Reyish
- 2017 NCHA Open World Championship — Deluxe Checks
- World Champion Stallion — Thomas E Hughes (2009)
- World Champion Stallion — Bet Hesa Cat (2011)
- World Champion Stallion — Bamacat (2015)
- NCHA Riders Hall of Fame inductee (2005)
- $11M+ NCHA lifetime earnings (as of 2025)
Philosophy & Family
Cattle Work, Tradition, and the Next Generation
Shepard's training philosophy emphasizes cattle work and helping horses understand the purpose behind maneuvers rather than relying solely on mechanical repetition. He has described his approach as strongly influenced by traditional cow-horse training methods associated with earlier generations of cutting horse trainers.
Shepard continues to operate his training business in Alabama alongside his wife Stacy and their family. His son, Cade Shepard, has also become active in cutting horse competition, continuing the family's involvement in the sport across generations.
